Registrar not accepting official documents

[MikeandAna]

Good morning everyone. We seem to be having a problem with the local registrar here in Candijay Bohol. I’ll paste this as an explanation……..

I’m a U.K. national who married a Thai national in Thailand then immediately traveled back to the U.K. with my Thai wife. We lived and worked in the U.K. all of our marriage. And my wife obtained U.K. citizenship too.
Unfortunately our marriage broke down and we mutually agreed to divorce.
The divorce was authorised by the U.K. family court system and a decree absolute was granted in October 2016.

However I’ve traveled to the Philippines and  I’m now trying to marry in the Philippines. 
But the registrar here has some concerns if our divorce is recognised in Thailand. 
I have mentioned that Thailand does recognise a U.K. court authorised divorce under what is called “Comity” (That country respects the laws of the country where the divorce was granted.

Would you be able to confirm this by returning my email with that information and I may get your email confirmation officially notarised here in the Philippines so that I can proceed with my new marriage.

Please could you give this a priority because I have to return to the U.K. on the 16th April 2022. 
We have received confirmation from the Thai embassy in the U.K. that my divorce is recognised in Thailand.

We have also had confirmation from a local attorney who advised us that I’ve supplied the required documents to apply for a license to marry according to Philippine law and U.K. law. Even without this issue of my previous divorce being recognised.

However. It’s seemingly increasing probable that the registrar is still refusing to grant our license to marry. 
They have escalated it to their higher provincial officer. But it still doesn’t seem to satisfy this unusual request. 
 

Would anyone be able to give guidance on this. We really need a quick “nip in the bud”

because I really don’t want to get caught up in the legal court system of appeals.

Our alternative option is to marry in Singapore. But of course because of time scale. It’d have to be later this year. Which’s quite sad but seems to be a way of bypassing this bureaucratic red tape.   
 

 

[Old55]

The registrar could be looking for a snack fund contribution or is simply being difficult. Shop around you are legally divorced should be no problem.

[MikeandAna]

I believe they’re just being something of a power freak 

but we’re not allowed to approach another barangay registrar because my fiancée has to use the registrar that is closest to her registered address. 
we approached two other barangay registrar’s who both said that they couldn’t do it there. Because of that reason.

maybe someone will know how to encourage them to facilitate this if they do then please could they share it.

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, MikeandAna said:

We have also had confirmation from a local attorney who advised us that I’ve supplied the required documents to apply for a license to marry according to Philippine law and U.K. law.

Would it be possible for this attorney to have a few words with the boss of the fellow who is holding things up?

[Clermont]

3 hours ago, MikeandAna said:

16th April 2022.

Your leaving on 16 April, don't forget the seminar she has to attend to get out of the country. 

[MikeandAna]

Dave……. We’ve already requested this but the local registrar first response was to pass it to her provincial officer for confirmation/review. 

[MikeandAna]

Clermont……. Maybe my wording was incorrect, I’m returning to the U.K. alone, where I’ll then start the process of applying for the marriage visa 

[Snowy79]

I would recomend trying to sort everything you can in the Philippines prior to leaving. I'm not sure what dealings you have had with Government officials here but usually what side of the bed they get out of determines your success rate. If you can use an attorney and give him power to act on your behalf it may smooth things over more as they respect authority here as much as money.

[Clermont]

4 hours ago, MikeandAna said:

Maybe my wording was incorrect, I’m returning to the U.K. alone, where I’ll then start the process of applying for the marriage visa 

Okay, what you need is a visa expert but be careful all relies are experts when it comes to visas. I know your after a marriage license but they will walk you through the full process. PM me if you need a name of a visa expert, they cover the full process, marriage, visa's, cenimairs, you will need the lot and don't try to take a short cut like Singapore, your marriage has to be registered in the PI's or next time you come into the PI's you wont avail the privilege's of being recognized as married.  

[MikeandAna]

Clermont.

 I thought a Singapore marriage was recognised by the immigration authorities in the Philippines as long as we follow the Singapore legal process of marriage.

I’m more concerned with the fact that it will be recognised by the British embassy in the Philippines so that we can facilitate the marriage/spouse visa to go to the U.K.