Me and my boyfriend who's French by birth but Filipino by blood wants to get married.
So, we did what any couple would do, I'll post the whole journey of us getting our papers to finally being accepted [ our papers! ] by the consular in the French Embassy.
But first let me tell you the requirements needed before you can get your partners CCAM [ Certificat de Capacité à Mariage ] or The Legal Capacity to Marry.
French Citizen
- Duly accomplished questionnaire from the Embassy
- Recent [ less than 3 months ] Birth Certificate
- Photocopy of National Identity Card or Certificate of Nationality or Passport
- Recent proof of Residency [ any bill in his/her name or contract of lease ]
If previously married or Widow/er
- Marriage Certificate with divorce annotation
- Death Certificate of Spouse
Filipino Citizen
- Duly accomplished questionnaire from the Embassy
- Birth Certificate [ Authenticated by the NSO and DFA ]
- Certificate of no Marriage
- Proof of residency [ Bills ( the name of the Filipino citizen should be there if not a Baranggay Certificate is needed ), Contract of Lease ]
- Copy of two Identity Cards [ Passport, Postal, SSS ( there should be a picture ) ]
If previously married or Widow/er
- Marriage Certificate with annulment annotation [ Authenticated by the NSO and DFA ]
- Two sets of certified true copies of the Judgment of Annulment
- Death Certificate of Spouse [ Authenticated by the NSO and DFA ]
- Copy of Birth Certificate of illegitimate children [ Authenticated by the NSO and DFA ]
It's not easy doing everything the first time that is for us though we had a lot of obstacles blocking our way before we could get his CCAM, it took us a year just to complete everything. Probably because we didn't prepare all this. When he came back here it was supposed to be a 1 year vacation but things happened and he stayed and got a job. Since we weren't planning on marrying yet when came back here he didn't have his Birth Certificate, so, we had his father sent it here and take note that the birth certificate needs to be recent and shouldn't exceed three months prior to its release, his certificate arrived here with only a week left before it's still valid and we did got an appointment before it's too late, it's a relief for us. [ You have to call them or go there for yourselves to make an appointment because they don't accept walk-ins ] I didn't go there with him the first time though, I was really sick and having a fever that I can't get up or if I did I can only stand for a few minutes and had to lie down again. When he got there the consular said the both us needs to be present unlike the Canadian Embassy or the US Embassy where the partner doesn't need to be there. So, the consular didn't accept the papers and was asked to make another appointment and come back again when I'm feeling okay. My boyfriend asked if it's okay that his birth certificate was a day late but the French is very strict when it comes to Time, Papers and validity. So, it's a no.
Our second time going there wasn't great as well, we had to wait months again before his father can send a new birth certificate the good thing is he have a friend there and we asked him if he could send it for us instead of his father [ I'm not blaming his father though, I understand him if he's busy ] It only took his friend a week to send it to us but the problem is his friend made a mistake writing our address so it wen downhill from there, we waited another week because the courier was total bullshark, we had to visit the Post Office to only find out that it wasn't there but when go online and track it, it clearly says it's there. So, what the hell. We couldn't afford to lose another chance. AND we don't want to have only a week left before it's not valid anymore. Just when you thought everything's going better it's not. Luckily though, the courier only took a week to finally deliver it to us. And we made an appointment and got there early. The consular greeted us, and he was checking the papers we gave him everything was there except that my CENOMAR was dated 2013 on it's release and they need a recent one, though the consular accepted it and said the we could just follow-up the CENOMAR. What a relief! And then he checked my proof of residency, I brought our electric bills though it wasn't on my name or any of my relatives' name because they didn't bothered to change it, so, they couldn't accept that and having another strike the consular kind of like gave up and said we should just come back when everything is complete. So, with heavy hearts we had another appointment and had to come back the net week. About the proof of residency I filled up the Baranggay clearance and good thing though I have a childhood friend there who's a Kagawad now that assisted me, It was actually easy and I got mine the very same day. As for the CENOMAR I asked my grandfather to get it for me, he's kind of like the NSO guy in our family not because he works there because he's a senior and they give him priorities and he can get the papers on the same day as well and fast! But the CENOMAR had took us 2 days before we can get it. It's okay though we have a week before the appointment.
Our third time going there we were really confident that they'll finally accept the papers for CCAM, so we went there early and prepared and we waited at the lounge there were a few people there as well. A different guy approached us and asked what is it that we need my boyfriend said about the CCAM and he gestured us to go inside his office. This guy was different from the first consular that we talked to, he seems very intimidating since he has a strong built and is taaaaaaaalllllllll. So, we handed the papers and they were chatting in French, I couldn't understand anything. LOL. My boyfriend mentioned that we were living together and stuff like that and asked about the visa and what would be the next process after our marriage. After a long conversation he accepted our papers and typed it in the computer and said that he needs to know our relatives who're staying here and their information like contact no. etc, My boyfriend said that they had a feud with his family [ which is true ] so, he hasn't talked to them ever since. This consular was so great the he offered us help and suggested that since we've been living together for a year we could ask the Baranggay to make a clearance that we've been living together or a statement. He said that we don't have to make another appointment and gave us his Business card and just show it to the guard in front, so we wouldn't have to be questioned for interviews and the process would only take a month. And so, we did. We came back home went straight to the baranggay and asked them to make us a clearance that we are living together in the same address, the next day we went there and gave him the clearance and Voila! He printed the form saying that we will be wed at Quezon City hall, and we only had to wait a month for the CCAM to be processed which is faster than the usual three months. Hard work does pay off!
Our third time going there we were really confident that they'll finally accept the papers for CCAM, so we went there early and prepared and we waited at the lounge there were a few people there as well. A different guy approached us and asked what is it that we need my boyfriend said about the CCAM and he gestured us to go inside his office. This guy was different from the first consular that we talked to, he seems very intimidating since he has a strong built and is taaaaaaaalllllllll. So, we handed the papers and they were chatting in French, I couldn't understand anything. LOL. My boyfriend mentioned that we were living together and stuff like that and asked about the visa and what would be the next process after our marriage. After a long conversation he accepted our papers and typed it in the computer and said that he needs to know our relatives who're staying here and their information like contact no. etc, My boyfriend said that they had a feud with his family [ which is true ] so, he hasn't talked to them ever since. This consular was so great the he offered us help and suggested that since we've been living together for a year we could ask the Baranggay to make a clearance that we've been living together or a statement. He said that we don't have to make another appointment and gave us his Business card and just show it to the guard in front, so we wouldn't have to be questioned for interviews and the process would only take a month. And so, we did. We came back home went straight to the baranggay and asked them to make us a clearance that we are living together in the same address, the next day we went there and gave him the clearance and Voila! He printed the form saying that we will be wed at Quezon City hall, and we only had to wait a month for the CCAM to be processed which is faster than the usual three months. Hard work does pay off!
