Mrs. Mekeni said:
To those who applied for spouse sponsorship just 1 to 3 months after getting married, can I get some tips? I got married in January and I'm going back to Canada on Monday. Gusto ko sana magapply na for sponsorship agad para makasama na namin ng baby ko ang husband ko. Is there a way talaga na pag expedite ng pag release ng NSO ng marriage certificate namin? O okay lang magsubmit ng personal copy tapos to follow na lang yung NSO certified?
I would like to share my experience . The good thing is that you have inquired ahead of time and that is a very good step to save more expenses, hassles and disappointments.
The very first thing i suggest you do is to secure your Legal Capacity to Marry Certificate which can be obtained in the Canadian Embassy in Manila, for further locations kindly google it hehe. . This requirement is important for filing your Marriage License this is your requirement and you will pay 50CAD if im not mistaken kindly clarify with their official website . Bring with you your passport for ID purposes when you go to said place.
Before you can get a marriage certificate you first have to get a marriage license which requires documents depending upon your local civil registry. And you being a CAD citizen the Certificate of Legal Capacity to marry is of importance. Marriage license is usually released 2 weeks (10 days) after you apply for it.
Once issued, the marriage license can be used wherever you want to get married in the Philippines. However, it is only valid within 120 days of issuance and “shall be deemed automatically cancelled at the expiration of said period if the contracting parties have not made use of it.”
For more details check this blog :
http://www.filipiknow.net/how-to-get-married-in-the-philippines/
The usual time span here in the Philippines for you to get your marriage contract in an NSO paper (which is the official paper for immigration purposes) is 6 months to 1 year , but you can get yours in a month or less just like what i did.
Since we had a church wedding, the officiating Pastor took the Marriage License the next day and have it received by the Local Civil registrar. i dont know how the process is with civil wedding but i think its faster.
Then after putting a stamp in our papers you can get the license and get an expedite process. Which is first you have to ask your Local civil registry for expedite process. The Local civil registrar will issue an expedite letter for you which will be sent to the main Registry Office in Manila. After the local registar issues an expedite request letter addressing to the main Registar you may get the letter and 1 original marriage license copy and have it sent to the Main registry office in Manila . Mind you, do not let the local registry send it out by themselves for you because the tendency is they are gonna wait for other expedited requests and mail it all together. Thats what makes the process move late. You get the Main address ,ask it from them kindly and tell them you will send it your own. Do not allow unrealible fixers. The best way is do it your own. through the fastest courier. LBC courier is also fast. They would receive it within a day or earlier within the day.
After sending it to the right address ask if the local civil registry have submitted a copy of your original marriage license to the NSO ( National Statistics Office ) in your local province. If they have , then inquire at the NSO if they have received your original Copy , if yes, ask them the probable day for your NSO copy to be entered in their data base system in their computer since you jave had it expedited. They would probably ask you to comeback after 3 days or so to give time for your marriage details be entered in their data base system. When you inquire after 3 days if the file have been entered and they say yes it has been entered then viola! You can print copies of your marriage contract right away on an NSO paper. I suggest you print 3 to 5 copies to avoid more hassle and coming back for more copies since the immigration would require original copies, the passport, etc. So you dont have to fall in line in hundreds just to have it printed since Philippine line up takes forever. Each Marriage contract would cost 140 pesos.
By the way i have gone to the extent of emailing the main registar in Manila about my expedite process inquiry and She was kind to respond after 2 days or 3. She would ask for your license number then be assured she'll work on it. It just needs going the extra mile.
Also do not forget to secure CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage) to your fiancé which is also in an NSO paper. It is a requirement for immigration as well as for filing the marriage license. CENOMAR costs 190 pesos i think.
Hope this helps. God bless
