Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI), Affidavits in lieu of CNI, and Other Options:
The Philippine government advised through a Memorandum Circular No. 2021-04 dated the 26th of March 2021 by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) with Reference No. 21CRS02-02-0210 that it will accept an affidavit signed in front of a Notary Public, licenced in the Philippines.
Note: The Australian Embassy does not notarise marriage affidavits. Affidavits generally cost PHP500 or less, depending on your area.
Usually, a CNI fees may change on a monthly basis. Please contact the Local Civil Registry where you intend to get married, or visit the PSA website, for more information.
If you are an Australian citizen wishing to marry in the Philippines, the Philippine government will request you to secure a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI), however, as of the 26th of March 2021, this is no longer mandatory and an alternative option is now accepted via the Memorandum Circular No. 2021-04. This is known locally in the Philippines as a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage.
Before the March 26th Memorandum, Australian citizens were able to confirm if a CNI was required by Philippine authorities, as other evidence that ‘you are free to marry may be sufficient’, which had included a) a ‘Single Status Certificate’ or b) a ‘No Record Result Certificate’ instead of a CNI. Australian citizens could secure these two (2) other certificates from their state or territory births, deaths and marriages registry. NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT, WA, NT after confirming with PSA or the Local Civil Registry, where they intended to get married.
CNIs could be issued in Australia, however, permission from the Philippine authorities if a CNI issued in Australia will be acceptable were cumbersome and if allowed, they could have it issued before the Australian citizen leaves Australia, for the Philippines.
However, now a more convenient and cost-effective way is to follow Memorandum Circular No. 2021-04 dated the 26th of March 2021 by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) with Reference No. 21CRS02-02-0210 links below.
Affidavit Template: https://philippines.embassy.gov.au/files/mnla/(Notarial%20Template)%20Affidavit.pdf
If you still wish to go ahead with your CNI application issued by the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, their link to this information is provided below:
https://philippines.embassy.gov.au/mnla/CNI.html
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