Marriage in the Philippines

Issuance of the Legal Capacity to Marry Certificate. 

In general, the Philippine government requires all foreigners to obtain a "Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage" from his/her embassy before filing for a marriage license. This certificate affirms that there are no legal impediments to the proposed marriage. Please note that the certificate is valid for 4 months from the date of issuance of Certificate of Marital Status.

Please ensure that your civil status is updated in Det Centrale Personregister (CPR).

 

IMPORTANT: The Residence Certificate, Certificate of Registration/Civil Status Registration, Certificate of Personal Data, Birth / Baptismal / Divorce Certificate, Appendix to divorce decree and Death Certificate of previous spouse, are NOT sufficient for the embassy to issue the "Legal Capacity to Marry" certificate. These documents do not confirm that the Danish national fulfils the requirements under Danish law to enter into marriage abroad. 

 

PROCEDURES:

1. Obtain the Certificate of Marital Status (Aegteskabsattest) from the following offices:

  • Agency of Family Law: Apply for a Certificate of Marital Status
  • For residents of the Faroe Islands and Greenland, please contact the Population Register / Citizen Service Center in your municipality and The High Commissioner's Office.

Important: The certificate must be signed with a physical signature. If you are unable to present the original Certificate of Marital Status (Aegteskabsattest), please contact the Consular Section for guidance: [email protected]  


2. The certificate must undergo proper legalisation procedures with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For further information, please visit the Legalisation office's website. 

 

3. Once the original Certificate of Marital Status (Aegteskabsattest) has been legalised by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you can now pay the fee thru bank deposit and book an appointment to bring the original certificate, valid Danish passport and apply for the Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage at the embassy. The consular service fee for this process is PHP 2,300 (as of January 2026).

Payment for Consular Services (um.dk)

Book an Appointment (um.dk)

 

4. The Legal Capacity to Marry Certificate can be issued on the same day of your appointment with the embassy.

 

IMPORTANT: 

  • If you are divorced or widowed, the Philippine authorities may ask for the official English translation of the Divorce Decree or Death Certificate with legalisation/apostille from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UM).

  • The Divorce Decree or Death Certificate in Danish cannot be issued by the embassy or consulates and are not automatically recognized in the Philippines. Please ensure that your documents are officially translated in English and legalised by the UM as the Embassy does not provide translation services (except for Danish driving license) and legalisation of Danish documents.

  • Danish citizens who have previously been married in the Philippines and intend to remarry in the Philippines after being divorced in Denmark (or elsewhere) are advised to seek legal guidance or contact the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the Philippines for to confirm the procedures of foreign divorce decrees are recognized in the Philippines.

 

QUICK LINKS:


Applicants can also request for a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage at the following consular offices. Please contact them directly for procedures and appointment:

ROYAL DANISH CONSULATE IN CEBU
Phone: (+63 32) 266-5930. E-mail: [email protected]

 

ROYAL DANISH CONSULATE IN DAVAO  

Phone: +63 82 272 7362. Email: [email protected]