Manila, Philippines: Day 10

Another early wake up call but we had to pack as we were checking out of the hotel and going to stay at Ivy's house. Her folks were there at 7:00am so we loaded up the car and were off to Quezon City after a birth certificate. Back to city hall to the registrars office we have our stamp and our ten days will be up on the 14Th but we wont pick it up until Monday the 16Th.

Manila, Philippines: Day 9 Part 2

The seminar was only a half hour or so and we had time to do it that afternoon so we went and got lunch and decided to wait and get it done. We were approached by what is know as a 'fixer' that is someone who can alter documents and speed up the process so you can marry right away and not have the 10 day waiting period. Sounded good until they said they wanted php$18,000 to do that! No way! the seminar was a movie and some discussion I didn't understand as it was voiced it Tagalog. Afterwards we questioned a pastor about preforming the ceremony for us and he said for php$10,000 he could do it right away and we could avoid the 10 day waiting period.

Ivy's Mom followed her Chinese traditions and got us a wedding date of February 18Th as the best day for us to marry. So to honor her wishes we set that as our date. The time factor was because I arrived on a 21 day visa. My flight was scheduled to leave on the 11Th and my 21 days were up on the 16. The 18Th was past both of those so we were thinking if we could get a closer date and speed things up I could still not overstay my visa and have to reschedule my flight. But after some discussion we decided that if we did things other than the right way it would look like an arranged marriage and may affect her getting a visa so we said "NO" to the fixers and did it the way it was supposed to be done. WHEW!!!!! What a busy day!

Manila, Philippines: Day 9 Part 1

With the decision to get married here we have started the ball rolling for a very busy time. We awoke at 5:00am this morning so we could be at the US Embassy early in order to get a 'certificate of capacity'.That is a document issued by the foreigners Embassy that insures they are legally able to marry and is the only document the Philippine government will accept from a foreigner to marry in the Philippines.

WOW! What a crowd at the Embassy so early in the morning. So many people trying to get visa's of all sorts. I understand this is a daily thing here. We waited in line, got admitted, filled out the forms, paid the usd$30.00 fee, waited some more, did my interview where I swore i was legally divorced and able to marry, got my certificate and we were on our way to the Manila City Hall to apply for the license.

City hall didn't go so easy:( We hunted and searched to find the right place get the license and after much searching, waiting and asking for help we found our way to the right desk. Obtaining the correct forms and filling them out we found out there is a 10 day waiting period from the day the license is issued before you can actually marry:((:(( The purpose of that is to hang the license in the city hall public notice area and give time for anyone to contest the legal ability of either one of us to marry. Also we found out that Ivy's birth certificate was not "valid" as it was not new enough=)) Just a money making scheme for the government.

So we had to be off to Quezon City in the morning to get a "new updated certified copy" of her birth certificate. We also found out we had to attend a short marriage counselling seminar. This gets more involved all the time!

Manila, Philippines: Day 8

Day 6 and 7 was pretty much visiting places, eating different foods, talking, planning, and lots of showers and sleeping. We have decided to get married here for a couple of reasons.

First off, my trip here was originally to meet each other, take required pictures to prove we met and had a relationship so that when we were ready I could file for a fiance visa and she could come to the US and we would then have 90 days to marry.

Circumstances being what they are, we decided that we don't want to wait to marry. We want to be husband and wife as soon as we can. Also if we marry in the USA her parents can't attend.