Getting married to your other is one of the happiest days of your life. However, getting those documents will take time and much work. If you are getting married in the Philippines, besides the preparation; your foreign husband would need a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry, where some nationalities will wait for months until it is issued to them.

As a Filipina holding Philippines Passport, it would be hard marrying in a first world country because you would need a visa, which is lengthy and complicated.

For those Filipina and Foreigner couple who wants to get married, doing it in hongkong is very practical. Its process is straightforward and doesn’t need many documents. You can even have your marriage certificate in a day or two! If you want to know how, here are the steps on how to get married in Hong Kong:

Couple Requirements

Minimum age of marriage is 16 years old (If you are 16-21 years old, a written letter of consent from father, mother or legal guardian is needed.)
Valid Passport
Birth Certificate
Contact Number

CONSIDER also of the following:

Your intended date of marriage

A Certificate of Registrar of marriage is given 15 days after the notice was given. You can marry within 3 months if all requirements are met.

For example:

Preference of marriage registry

by the Registrar of Marriages at a Marriage Registry
by a competent minister in a licensed place of worship
by a civil celebrant of marriages at any other place in Hong Kong

Step by Step Guide on How to Get Married in Hong Kong

Step 1: Give Notice of Intended Marriage to Registrar In Hong Kong

Book an Online Appointment

If in-person, one of you needs to give the notice to a marriage registry in person, set up and online appointment.
Go to Online appointment booking for giving notice of intended marriage and choose an appointment.
Choose the intended to marriage ceremony and enter the planned date.

Input Details of the Marrying Parties

Select Office and Appointment Date
Select Appointment Time
Submit Appointment Booking
Acknowledgment (Save or Print)

Submit Documents Online

It is recommended to submit in advance the information required for registration of marriage, using the online service. This will help shorten the counter processing time when you turn up to give the notice on the appointment day. Do it at least one day before the appointment.

Go to Online submission of information required for registration of marriage
Download and Complete the Form
Attach the Form
Re-confirm Submission
Acknowledgment (Save or Print)

Go to the Appointment

On the day of the appointment, bring Hong Kong identity cards, passports or IDs of both parties. Either one can go to the appointment. However, the other one has to claim the Certificate. The fee is HK$305.

IF FILING Outside OF Hong Kong

Inform Immigration

E-mail enquiry@immd.gov.hk (Immigration Department of HK) and request for a form and information sheet; you may confirm what the documents are needed.

Complete notice form and have it authenticated by a Notary Public

If you are living in different countries, only one person will submit documents (e.g the female); the form must be notarized by a Notary Public where the woman resides.

Send to The Marriage Registration and Records Office Hong Kong

Airmail all the documents (Notarized form, information sheet, supporting docs) and the bank draft being the payment of HK$305 payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" (addition HK$100 if it’s not drawable in HK currency)

Subject: Information Required for Registration of Marriage
Address: The Marriage Registration and Records Office
3/F, Low Block
Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway
Hong Kong

Step 2: Claim your Certificate of Registrar of Marriages

After 15 days after your submission of Notice of Intended Marriage, you can get it at the Registrar. Fifteen days is given in case someone wants to object to your marriage. If one only went to the appointment, the other is expected to claim the certificate.

However, if you were outside Hong Kong, according to the Immigration Department of HK “both of you should go to the Marriage Registration and Records Office within office hours or meet your civil celebrant, bringing along your travel documents and originals of the documents which you have submitted earlier. The party giving the notice should make an affidavit before the Registrar or the civil celebrant that there is no impediment of kindred or affinity or any other lawful hindrance to the marriage. Ample time should be allowed for the civil celebrant to transmit the affidavit to the Registrar for the issue of the Certificate of Registrar of Marriages.”

Step 3: Get Married

Go to the place where you intend to get married; be it the Registrar of Marriages at a Marriage Registry, a licensed place of worship or at any other place in Hong Kong where a civil celebrant of marriages is present. You also bring at least two adult witnesses with Valid IDs. Say your “I Dos” and “Kiss the Bride!” And don’t forget to sign the marriage certificate.

Being married in Hong Kong is easier and simpler than other places, right? Getting married is exciting, though there may be somethings that don’t go the way you want it, the endpoint is you will be together with the man of your dreams — good luck and congratulations on your intended marriage.

If you want to know how to change your passport to your married name, then check our next article.

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