Marrying A Fillipina In Another Country

[Curley]

Dave Hounddriver, on 06 Feb 2013 - 20:09, said:

Markham and his wife got married in Hong Kong. I have read of it being done in Thailand (would be my choice as it is cheaper). Then you come back with a marriage and a BB stamp for a year :thumbsup:

Hong Kong is not an expensive place to get married: the total cost of the application, license, ceremony etc., was less than 100 Pounds (3 years ago) and I do doubt that it is cheaper in Thailand (it's actually around 5 times more in Thailand). But you may be forgetting some hidden costs. For example, how many days do you need to be in Thailand before the ceremony? In Hong Kong it's three clear days but you have to be in Singapore ten days beforehand. Also English is not an official language in Thailand, your Marriage Certificate will be in Thai so you will incur translation and notarial costs just so that you can take it to the Philippine Embassy to register it and eventually receive a NSO Certificate -- and if you don't register the marriage with the Embassy, you won't get the BB stamp.

Thank you, just the sort of info I was looking for. I have found out that I could bring her to Colombia on a 90 day visa on arrival and then enrol her in university to learn Spanish which means she would get a student visa while learning. However this business of immigration stopping young Fillipinas from travelling concerns me, I don't fancy forking out for a ticket halfway round the world and then have her refused permission to leave. I assume that if that happens there is no refund on the flight?

Edited February 6, 2013 by Curley

[GregZ]

I don't fancy forking out for a ticket halfway round the world and then have her refused permission to leave.

 

You need the clearance first.  I don't have much experience, but the 1 I know of here was refused travel to the USA from the Philippines by their (Philippine) embassy to visit her mother.  Presumably, because she had no intention of coming back.  She tried to hide it, but blah, blah, blah.... you know. 

 

Happy ending though; she found a boyfriend in the USA that turned into fiance.  The things you have to go through to visit Mom!!!!

:hystery: :541:

 

edit: This is also 'gossip' as I only had messages with the person.  The events may be real, but you know how it is when you get 1 side of a story.

Edited February 7, 2013 by GregZ

[Markham]

Dave Hounddriver, on 07 Feb 2013 - 02:15, said:

You explained that very well Mark. My comment on expense was regarding the cost of staying in the country for a week or so while the who event took place. I had a notion that Thailand would be cheaper. But if you say it is more expensive I have no evidence to suggest otherwise.

Mae and I stayed at the Holiday Inn on Nathan Road (aka "the Golden Mile") at a cost of about US$75 a night, including breakfast, which was an amazingly sweet deal given that it's a four star hotel. In fact it was even sweeter because I showed the receptionist my Holiday Inn loyalty card (I stayed at a Holiday In Express in Birmingham, UK, once!) whereupon she upgraded our room.

The Marriage Registry is a function of the Hong Kong Immigration Department and we had to be at their office in Central at 10am on the Monday prior to our wedding day. That was to finalise all the details and swear an oath which altogether took about two hours. They handed us a sealed packet which we had to take that day to the Palace of Marriages where our ceremony would take place. We then had two days to sightsee and shop.

Hong Kong requires marriage celebrants to produce at least two witnesses whom both of you have known for at least a year. Bob and Kristine Ward flew to Hong Kong the evening before our wedding and came to the Holiday Inn a few hours before the ceremony. It was simply a case then of riding a taxi to Central (actually the Metro would have been much quicker) and doing the deed. It was all over with inside 15 minutes. We all then went to the Marco Polo for celebration cocktails and dinner.

Mae then spent much of the next day (Friday) at the Philippine Embassy registering the marriage and obtaining a copy of the authenticated marriage record for us to produce at NAIA Immigration. Mae was very lucky in being able to obtained that authenticated copy so quickly, it normally takes three(working) days.

If you want to marry outside the Philippines, Hong Kong is well worth considering.

[i am bob]

Other than the fact that you and your bride / groom may not be in the Philippines, are there any advantages to getting married outside the Philippines?

[Curley]

Other than the fact that you and your bride / groom may not be in the Philippines, are there any advantages to getting married outside the Philippines?

My idea was to save all the hassle and paperwork in the Phils

[ducecoop]

I will be retiring to PI in the next 2 months.

I expect to marry my financee within the first year there.

HOWEVER

due to the oweneres requirments to marry in PI AND the fact that there is no divorce (I have a poor track record :) )

 

What other countries, close to PI whould she be allowed to fly to without vise problems that have fairly simple and a quick marriage process?

This would ofcourse need to be something that arriving back in PI would be regnized as liget when arriving back in PI to get my one year stamp.

Or is there such a place?

 

tia

Dave

[i am bob]

I would suggest that, before doing anything, you read all the entries on the main Forum page under the Relationships section.  I think  you might find out something you weren't aware of.  I'm really not sure why you are asking about other countries to get married in as you also say you need to get married in the Philippines.  No matter what country you get married in, it will not be easy getting an Annulment in the Philippines after and is going to cost you.  And some countries, thought they are easy to get married in, will not be so easy to get divorced or annulments from.  But, like I said, read these sections first and then you may have all the answers you need or will have a better idea of what you can or can't do as well as all the issues that may arise.

[Old55]

Dave,

You are an American, and under US law allowed to divorce anytime. There is no need to travel outside Philippines to marry your girl.

[i am bob]

Dave,

You are an American, and under US law allowed to divorce anytime. There is no need to travel outside Philippines to marry your girl.

 

Yes, he is allowed to divorce at any time - if he is in the US.  That doesn't work so well if he stays in the Philippines.

 

I fully agree he can marry in the Philippines probably much easier than going to any other country too!

 

Not trying to be a party-pooper but I wanted to make sure he knew the difference as he stated he will be retired and living in the Philippines.

[ducecoop]

Bob - you had it right, she is not coming here (and I am most likly not comeing back). So it will be a marriage to a filipina someplace other then USA.

 

I will go through the section you suggested.

 

Thank you both for your input

 

Dave