Documents needed for marriage/is there a way to speed up the process?

Your question is a bit vague and can't be answered with a simple yes/no or steps 1-6 answer.  If your BF is about to get US Naturalization it is best he remains there until it happens.  If he has started the process with USCIS for citizenship in the USA already, his leaving to come to the PI as as LPR with a petition filed may cause the process to start all over upon his return to the USA.  That would mean all fees paid are lost.  If he has filed form DS-261 and has his case number, he should not leave the USA at all without a proper update/approval from the NVC.   

The requirements for you will remain the same here in the PI regardless of his citizenship status but it can be more money and require an "Upgrading of his petition" if he processes you as the wife of an Indian national with legal US residence. 

If you are married in the PI and he has an Indian passport, you and him will need to talk with/review the requirements with the Indian Embassy.  It is very hard to give details here but you only want to go thru this process once as a spouse and not twice as a spouse to an Indian citizen and then as a spouse to a US Naturalized citizen after your being processed (IR1 or CR1).

His status as a LRA may cause big delays in his proof that he is single in India when he resides in USA.  He must come here with two countries having cleared him to get married.  If not, I think your speed will be very slow.

You need your cenomar certificate to start

Of course you need a CENOMAR & birth certificate but timing is so important.  The CENOMAR is only valid for 6 months and if not timed right, it won't match with your wedding date.  Depending upon your location, it may be better to get the CENOMAR online or at a SM Business Center and pay the additional cost if going to the NSO is not easy for you.  The SM Business Center may be the best option since it is reported to cost only P20 more than waiting at the NSO.

All of this is required but does not speed up the process if his docs are not completed also. 

As an Indian:  Again the most complex part is your husband to be and his "Legal Capacity to Marry". 
1. If he is marring you as a Hindu (he needs to follow the Hindu Marriage Act), since he is still an Indian passport holder (at the time of your planned marriage in the PI in 2015). 

2. Will you both get married in the Indian Consulate or Embassy in Manila?
3. Does he intend on you having a PIO card or wait 2 years and get you the OIC

Like I said, this is very complex as long as he holds an Indian passport.

Him as an American Resident in 2015:  If it is required from the US Embassy due to his LRA status, he will need a prior appointment at the Embassy in Manila to get this.  Additionally, he will need to confirm if his country will still require the "no objection letter” for his marriage to be accepted in India?  First he started out in India as a NRI and I assume he understands/is already an OCI and both of you need to deal with the "Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)" requirements if you both insist on marriage while he is still a citizen* of India.   

* Note: The Constitution of India does not allow holding Indian citizenship and citizenship of a foreign country simultaneously.

What is also another serious factor to consider in when to get married is where you plan to live (long-term) after marriage?  In USA, Philippines or India? 

My guess is USA. 

Him as an American Citizen in 2016: This is the best way to get married to him… AFTER he has US citizenship!  Process all docs at one time and only deal with Philippine and US Government requirements.  IMHO you both need to focus on the best path for this goal and not the fastest path to marriage (without understanding the dance related to 3 country requirements and not waiting for his US Citizenship). 

I think you both are at a point where you need to understand the above topics, questions, and options, then get proper legal advice on this if you feel it is still best to marry prior to US Citizenship status.  Best wishes to you both.

now im confused...
we dont want to postpone the wedding...
anybody here who knows someone who works at indian embassy here in the philippines?!
i now know that we really cannot speed up the process,we'll take it one step at a time...

strawberrybabe wrote:

now im confused...
we dont want to postpone the wedding...
anybody here who knows someone who works at indian embassy here in the philippines?!
i now know that we really cannot speed up the process,we'll take it one step at a time...

I did not mean to confuse you with more facts.  I'm sorry for a long post and promise to make this my last "novel" on your identified topic.  IMHO, your focus on finding a special Indian Embassy contact may be misguided.  I have no investment in your case or situation and all of my words here are meant to offer help. 

Please do your own research and not take my word on this!!!

1.  Either your husband to be is intending to file for US Naturalization or not?  If he is/has, that will/has involved form N-400.  This process will include both a  “biometrics” appointment notice and a "naturalization interview" notice of appointment.  If he misses either, his application could see a serious delay/loss of fees paid and require refiling.

2.  N-400 application requires "Continuous residence" or having "no absences from the United States of six months or more" and applies to both the period immediately preceding the filing of the N-400 application filing as well as the period between the date of filing and the date of the naturalization interview.  In the process, he will be asked about any overseas trips (well past a 6-month window) he had taken since becoming a permanent U.S. resident.

Note 1:  According to USCIS, "any person who is not a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national is subject to immigration review each time the person seeks admission to the United States from any place outside the United States."

Note 2:  According to US Department of State, "If you filed a petition for your spouse when you were a lawful permanent resident (LPR), and you are now a U.S. citizen, you must upgrade the petition from family second preference (F2) to immediate relative (IR)".

Note 3:  According to US Department of State, "If your inquiry concerns a visa case in progress overseas, you should first contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate handling your case for status information."

You both may want to consider legal advice from a US Immigration Atty since the US Immigration process is where most of the future expenses and delays will occur if postponing your wedding and waiting 10-15 months for his US citizenship is not an option.

I could be wrong but based on your urgent wish to get married, it seems you and or your future husband may not understand US immigration laws.  Nonetheless, at least one of you needs to UNDERSTAND the following options and related requirements:

1.  K-1 nonimmigrant (temporary 90 day to get married visa),
2.  K-3 nonimmigrant (temporary) visa,
3.  Process of an I-130 petition,
4.  Petitioning to USCIS, on Form I-29F. (It's the fiancé visa application, but turns out to be a hybrid of the fiance and marriage-based visa that triggers a K-3).

In your dealings with the US Authorities, make sure you cross all t's and dot all i's… do not give poor or vague answers.  If you as a spouse of the requestor is denied a visa during consular processing (i.e., you are here in the PI dealing with US Embassy vs. in USA under a K-1 visa), there is no appeal process outside of the US. 

However, if you both decide to marry in the USA after his citizenship and he processes docs to get you there on a K-1 or K-3, once in the USA, the American spouse can appeal a USCIS Visa/green card decision on an adjustment of status application in the U.S. with the DHS Administrative Appeals Unit (AAU).

I think finding a person with the same info on how the Indian system works here in the Philippines for free will be very challenging, at best.

Regards and the very best to you both.

Good day Sir Calif I want to inquire about getting married in Los Angeles. My Fiancé's from Belgium and I'm from the PH and were planning to get married there as soon. The after getting married and fly back in our country will apply for family reunification coz we planned to stay in BE for good and to build our family. Can you give us some information on what to and not to do. Your opinion is much appreciated. Thank you

Don't get married until he is an American. You aren't doing yourself any favors getting married before that. What's the rush? Get yourself together and make it easier on yourself. The first thing you want to do is get him to contact an immigration lawyer in the US. Trust me, they will do things right and you will accomplish things faster that way. I've been there, and I did it wrong.

If marring in philippines to a usa citizen it will take about 8 months to a year,that's what I'm planning to do with my future wife,as we will marry I philippines.So it's important if he will marry you under Indian or usa citizenship,it varies from country to cuntry but don't be confuse,just use common sense,it's best to know both embassy point of view,then you can decide which is faster for you.Good luck.

Thank you for your reply boriloco and barryalls. Appreciate it.
So you mean my European Fiancé should be an American citizen first before we can get married in LA?

I've heard that getting married in the philippines will take 3 weeks only. This is for a civil wedding only and afterwards you can apply for the reunification visa with an EU resident. This will take you 3-5 months process is this right?

xzharism wrote:

I've heard that getting married in the philippines will take 3 weeks only. This is for a civil wedding only and afterwards you can apply for the reunification visa with an EU resident. This will take you 3-5 months process is this right?

First, you must understand that your question requires more clarification.

It sounds like you are a Filipino wanting to marry EU citizen in California?  If so, you need to clarify your current US legal status and official country of residence.  Any near future changes in citizenship and or residence status will have an effect on your plans.  The US will not allow you (a Filipino) to sponsor a 'spouse to be' from the EU for a California marriage, if you are do not have the right status to enter the USA.

Will it take 8 months to get married in the PI?  No just 2-4 weeks if you have all docs ready from the PI with less than 6 months aging and the spouse to be has certified docs in order (in English).  Note expats here are persons from other countries typically married to or involved with a native of the country they live in.  You are a native Filipino and it seems you would already understand what the PI requires of it's citizens???

Can it take 8 months to get your spouse to be into the USA for marriage in California if you as a Filipino do have a visa to enter the USA?  Yes, or even never if you do not have the legal right for such immigration.   

Can it take 8 months+ for you to get the right visa to enter an EU Country?  Yes, or even longer based on a list of requirements spelled out by each EU member country. 
Example for Belgium - You can't enter as a spouse if your relationship has not been proven to be the result of a two year steady relationship, regardless of any marriage date less than two years.

Are you trying to get your spouse to be to enter the USA for marriage?  Or as an EU member, entry into the USA may not be a problem for them.  However, for you as a Philippino, what is your current status to entry the USA?     

Once married, have you resolved how you will travel regarding married vs. unmarried names on passport?  You have 3 countries in your plans and seem very unaware of any of the needs for each.

You mentioned "family reunification" and you as a Philippine citizen will need to follow those rules in Belgium, why is the EU member not following the EU rules on bringing you in (a non-EU Citizen) as the spouse??

Again, your question, as stated, is very vague and therefore impossible to answer with any real reliability.

Thank you Calif for this information. If my question needs more clarification here is my story.
Right now were in the process of our marriage investigation in BE where my Fiancé live and work right now. Were planning to get married there that's why we did this process which is Fiancé Visa.
My Fiancé already had an interview with the police office last month with a translator coz my Fiancé is Hungarian. The police did the interview coz its part of the marriage investigation. On my part I haven't lodge my Fiancé visa application yet coz we were told that we have to wait until the marriage investigation finish by June. Also, we have to wait for our Marriage Declaration document, without the document we may not be able to apply for my visa.
For us this has been a different process as to some filipinas they already got their MD before their Fiancé's / Bf's did their interview.
And now we can't wait till June to finish and wait for the result of investigation coz the translator said that there could be a possibility that our result will be negative coz we just met once then I just stayed in BE with him and had a vacation for 2 wks only. Is this really could be the reason? We've been together for 1yr. I'm 35 and his 38.

Now my Fiancé is planning for us to go to LA and get married there which he said could be the fastest way.
I just want to get informations and advice and what could be the possible way to do to expedite our marriage investigation incase the result will be negative.
Our other option is for him to come here and get married via civil wedding though the problem is he can't get a long leave from work for a month or more coz his agency is very strict. As for me I have to do the process with him coz I think his presence will be needed while doing this.
And if ever he might stay here for long his worried by the time he gets back in BE he might lost his job.
Please advice.
Do we have any other options? 😕

(Moderated:  wrong forum)