Well, my husband lives in Sweden (Västra Götaland, Sweden) a country where my heart is. We didn’t meet through a chance meeting while Me or Him was traveling for work or doing stuff, we just met online (yeah online dating site!) and found out that have mutual interest, learned about each other, fell in love and the rest is history lol. After almost a 2 and a half years of planning and LDR, he finally invited me to visit him. I went to Sweden year 2013 (btw that is my second time I visited this beautiful Country the first one is year 2009-2010). We got married the next year 2014 and we plan everything like: Me studying, learning and moving to Sweden instead of him moving to Philippines which I know is the best for us. I am now a Swedish citizen (Hallelujah!) and I just want to share to you guys our experiences on how, where and what we did to be able to go this far. My journey is one of many.
( UPDATE: I just got may Swedish Citizenship too! Hallelujah! )
If you want to check it out too here’s my link:
👉 Swedish Citizenship Result – Citizenship Journey
👉 Swedish Citizenship Application – Citizenship Journey
👉 Swedish Passport is finally here – Citizenship Journey
I hope to reach out and help out people who are confused and clueless about the process. I hope my step by step procedure will help you out 😊. JUST A DISCLAIMER GUYS!: This is only based on my experiences and my little knowledge that I gained through out the years. Please also NOTE that Marriage license requirements often change. The below information is for guidance only and should not be regarded as legal advice. It is very important that you verify all information with local marriage license office before making any wedding decisions or travel plans. Remember that the results is always depend on your particular situation, the time prior to applying/time-frame/ decisions are varies as long as you meet all the criteria they need. All opinions are honest and my own! Feel free to ask question and no complicated hard question please! I try my best to answer you back.
Since the Embassy of Philippines in Stockholm is now closed, we just; follow the instructions we found in the site of Philippine Embassy in Norway (Oslo) and here your STEP 1 start. According to the instruction of the Philippine Embassy in STOCKHOLM: ( CHECK THE NEW RULES NOW: PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN STOCKHOLM.
👉 Before you travel to Sweden and plan for your wedding you must get the following documents from National Statistic Office (NSO) they call it now Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA) and all your documents must be Authenticated by DFA: UPDATE: RED RIBBON NO MORE:
👉 ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING THE USE OF THE RED SATIN RIBBON FOR CONSULARIZED DOCUMENTS
https://www.philembassy.no/newsroom
https://dfa.gov.ph/dfa-news/dfa-apostille
- Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR)Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR) can be obtained from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the Philippines and duly authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila (duly Apostillized by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila)
- Birth Certificate (BC) in Security Paper (SECPA) issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and duly authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila (duly Apostillized by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila)
- Both documents should be submitted to the Philippine Embassy in Oslo for further authentication of the CENOMAR as required by authorities in the above-mentioned countries/jurisdiction.
You can now order your Marriage Certificate at (NSO/PSA) Philippine Statistic Authority. (I order it online via e-census but it is now psaserbilis). Below are the accredited partner of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) for the online ordering and nationwide delivery of PSA civil registry documents such as birth, marriage, death certificates, and Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR). Please keep in mind to order your documents in a legitimate website stated only in PSA website 😊.
You can order a Marriage Certificate online at the following link below:
Website: https://www.psaserbilis.com.ph/
Telephone: (02) 8461-0500 local 605
Email address: info@psaserbilis.com.ph
Website: https://psahelpline.ph/
Hotline number: +632-8737-1111
(available-Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm, except holidays Philippine time).
Email address: help@psahelpline.ph
This is how the Authenticated CENOMAR looks Like (picture below)
👉 You also need to get your Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage (LCCM) in Philippine Embassy in Oslo. Visit Philippine Embassy in Oslo for more information about how to get your Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marriage. Below are the requirements needed in applying LCCM sa Philippine Embassy Website 👈
- Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR) obtained from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the Philippines and duly authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila.
- Birth Certificate (BC) in Security Paper (SECPA) issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and duly authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila.
- Submit both documents to the Philippine Embassy in Oslo for issuance of a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage (LCCM)
- Payment of fees for LCCM
If all your documents is COMPLETE you can now proceed to STEP 2.
👉 Before you get married in Sweden you must apply for “HINDERSPRÖVNING” together with your partner at the Swedish Tax Authority. Always remember that all your documents esp your CENOMAR must not be older than 4 months because their office is very strict when it comes to all the documents, they always want it updated and original. They will send you letter if they will approve your application. Take note that the letter they will give you is also a requirements needed in the church.
Instruction in Swedish link below to apply your Hindersprövning:
When the Swedish Tax Agency approve your application they will send you a letter. The certificate is valid for four months from the date of certification. The certificates are to be given to the official conducting the marriage ceremony. Then you can now proceed to STEP 3 – plan your wedding.
👉 In Sweden it is possible to get married in church (e.g. Lutheran or Catholic Church) or get married at a non-religious ceremony (CIVIL). You can have your civil ceremony at a local district court or city hall. We recommend making reservations for your civil wedding ceremony at least two or 3 weeks in advance of your wedding date. If you are having a religious ceremony, you should contact the pastor of the church where you want to get married to make sure that you have fulfilled the church’s requirements for getting married there. The Established Church of Sweden requires that one of you must be a member of the church. Also ask for an extra marriage certificate in English version (If this is possible)
Here you will find more information in how to book a wedding in Swedish
https://www.katolskakyrkan.se/forsamlingsliv
If everything is all set Congratulations! You can now hear your wedding bells clear and coming! You can plan now for your dream wedding day, reception, wedding dress and invitations etc!. But after the Celebration don’t forget the STEP 4 (LAST STEP).
👉 Marriages abroad of FILIPINO CITIZENS must be reported and duly registered. The Philippine Embassy registers marriages of Filipino citizens celebrated in Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden. Visit Philippine Embassy in Norway for more information about how to REPORT YOUR MARRIAGE.
Check the site for more information about REPORT OF MARRIAGE
We had our church marriage and this is how my Swedish Marriage certificate in looks like. The REASON I tell you to get an English Marriage Certificate is that: once you REPORT YOUR MARRIAGE in Philippine Embassy in Norway, they only accept the English and authenticated/ legalized documents. So you need to send your MC to a legal translator to translate it if happen your MC is in Swedish language. This is what we did!
👉 If it wasn’t possible to get an extra marriage certificate in English, Your Swedish Marriage Certificate must first be translated to English by an authorized translator.
Check this site to find Authorize translator
https://www.kammarkollegiet.se/en/translator
We sent our marriage certificate to a translator to have it in English version and they sent it back with English version (picture below) with seal and stamp on it. If you are going to apply for a permanent stay in future you’ll need to provide a Marriage certificate that registered in your home country so better do it as early as possible because it takes in a while to return.
👉 If the Marriage Certificate was issued by the Catholic Church, a free church or any other religious communities in Sweden, the document must be verified by a Notary Public (Notarius Publicus) but a Marriage Certificate issued by the Church of Sweden or Civil Marriage does not have to be verified by a Notary Public (Notarius Publicus).
👉The Marriage certificate in English must be authenticated (legalized) by Department of Foreign Affairs in Sweden.
Check the site for more information how to legalized you MC
ministry-for-foreign-affairs/legalisations/
We sent our marriage certificate (English version and Swedish version along with other required documents) in Ministry of foreign Affairs in Stockholm. My husband send it trough regular mail and when they return it back with stamp at the back and signature (see picture below how it looks like)
If you like to know what is the process of Reporting your Marriage in Philippine Embassy in Oslo just check my post
👉 How to Report Your Marriage – Phil. Embassy Norway .
Next time I’m gonna help you too how to apply for a permanent stay 😉. I do hope this procedure helps! and you if have questions you can leave a comment and I am much willing to answer you back. I know its quite long procedure but in the end I know that I try my best to recall and share it to everyone, its worth a wait good luck to us!!!
DISCLAIMER: This is only based on my experiences and my little knowledge that I gained through out the years. Please also NOTE that Marriage license requirements often change. The above information is for guidance only and should not be regarded as legal advice. It is very important that you verify all information with local marriage license office before making any wedding decisions or travel plans. Remember that the results is always depend on your particular situation, the time prior to applying/time-frame/ decisions are varies as long as you meet all the criteria they need. All opinions are honest and my own! Feel free to ask question and no complicated hard question please!I try my best to answer you back.
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Hi Misay,
I’m planning to visit my BF in Sweden. I’m bringing the documents needed and we can apply to get married there? Then I can wait here in Phils for the approval of my pettition?
I actually have the same question, my bf and I are planning on getting married but I am still in the Philippines. What kind of Visa should I apply to and does it take longer to be officially married and to officially stay there?
since hindi pa namn kayo kasal.. I guess fiance or planning palang namn kayo and if ever na hindi ka pa nakakapunta dito sa SE is that pwede namn mag tourist visa ka muna but like i’ve said ..it’s up to you at sa bf mo kung ano talga ang gusto nyo i-apply pwede ka namn mag apply ng resident permit or sambo visa, they will granted u a residence permit if you are planning to marry or become the cohabiting partner of someone here in Sweden (w/c is yung bf mo nga) but Im not 100% na magrant ka since titignan nila if matagal na ba ang relationship nyo vise versa at iba pang factors like if nagmeet naba kayo personal or nagsama na kayo ng ilang years etc. etc. etc. mostly kasi if hindi ka pa nakakapunta rito is that I always suggest na mag tourist muna kesa jump sa mahirap na visa w/c is yung RP nga. Ang kasal here is madali lang as long na sabi ko nga ang documents mo is completo at walang problema then pwede namn kayo magpakasal, civil or church pa. Kung dun namn sa tanong mo na “does it take longer to be officially married and to officially stay there?. Yes lahat namn it takes time mindan pa nga months or year bago ka maapprove. esp ngayon na mas mahirap na ang pag apply dahil pandemic daming restrictions. 🙂 at depende yan sa maghahandle ng case nyo 🙂