Couples in the Philippines have three main options. They can marry under Philippine law and keep the PSA marriage certificate with a DFA apostille; marry before the Indian marriage officer at the Embassy under the Foreign Marriage Act 1969; or marry in India under the Special Marriage Act 1954. For most purposes an apostilled PSA certificate is accepted in India, but some offices and the OCI process work more smoothly with an Indian registration.
- Document route
- Philippine notary public, then DFA apostille
- Time difference
- IST is 2h30 behind Philippine time all year (no daylight saving)
- Hindu marriages
- Section 8, Hindu Marriage Act 1955
- Civil marriage
- Special Marriage Act 1954
Marriage Registration from the Philippines: how it works
For a civil wedding in the Philippines, the couple applies for a marriage licence at the Local Civil Registrar of the city where one of them lives, and the Indian partner usually needs a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage, which the Embassy of India issues to its citizens on its own conditions. After the wedding the solemnising officer registers the marriage, and a copy on PSA security paper becomes available some weeks later. That PSA copy is apostilled by the DFA and couriered to us. If you prefer a marriage under Indian law in Manila, the Embassy marriage officer follows notice and objection periods under the Foreign Marriage Act.
In India we check how each authority wants the marriage proved. Passport offices, banks and the OCI portal usually accept the apostilled PSA certificate, sometimes with a translation if parts are in Filipino. Where an Indian registration is wanted, a marriage celebrated abroad may be registered under section 15 of the Special Marriage Act if the conditions are met, including residence in the district for thirty days, which means a visit to India. Religious ceremonies held only in the Philippines without civil registration do not produce a PSA record, so the couple should complete civil formalities there.
What clients in the Philippines should know
- A certificate of no marriage record (CENOMAR) from the PSA is often requested in India as proof that the Filipino partner was free to marry, so order it together with the marriage certificate.
- Philippine law does not generally recognise divorce between Filipinos, so a Filipino partner with an earlier marriage needs a declaration of nullity or annulment before the new marriage is valid anywhere.
- Children born in the Philippines to an Indian parent should have the birth reported to the Embassy, which helps later with Indian passports or OCI.
Step by step from the Philippines
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits the Philippines, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in the Philippines
Philippine notary public, then DFA apostille
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in the Philippines where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in the Philippines. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Marriage Registration, or see all services for clients in the Philippines and the Cross-Border Family Law practice area.
Questions from clients in the Philippines
Is a Philippine church wedding valid in India?
A church wedding properly registered with the Local Civil Registrar is generally recognised as a valid marriage. India relies on the civil record, so the PSA certificate with a DFA apostille is what you will need.
Can we register our Manila marriage with the Indian Embassy?
The Embassy solemnises marriages under the Foreign Marriage Act where one party is an Indian citizen, but it does not simply register a marriage already performed under Philippine law. Speak to us before deciding which route to use.
Does my Filipino wife need to come to India for registration?
Only if you choose Indian registration under the Special Marriage Act. For most uses in India the apostilled PSA certificate is enough, and no travel is needed.