VERY IMPORTANT: You, as an American citizen, will not be granted your Legal Capacity to marry if your fiancée does not have her NSO authenticated birth certificate (as well as ones for any children she may have), at the time of your interview with the Consular Officer, presently John Domingo.

If you are coming to Cebu (or elsewhere in the Philippines) to marry your fiancée, she should have three (3) authenticated copies of her birth certificate, which she has previously acquired from the Philippines NSO (National Statistics Office).

She can go to the local office in Cebu City, or she can go to the closest NSO to her, in order to apply to get the necessary copies. (Alternate ways to acquire her authenticated copies are listed below.) She should go there at least three weeks to one month prior to your arrival, and purchase three (3) authenticated copies of her birth certificate. This way, she will have the necessary copy prior to your arriving (for you to get your Legal Capacity from the American Consular Agency) as well as another one for future needs, especially if she is going to the states. If she has children, she must acquire copies for each of them, as well.

** Your fiancée is only required to have one copy of her NSO authenticated birth certificate in order to marry. However, it would be in your (and her) best interest to get at least three (3) of these copies while she is applying. She will need these later for paperwork concerning her passport, immigrating to the states, etc. If she has children we advise you to obtain three (3) copies per child. **

Note: An NSO authenticated birth certificate is not the same document as the birth certificate from the local registrar's office, where your fiancée was born.

These are not the same documents, so please do not confuse them.

The birth certificate issued by the local registrar's office will not be acceptable by the American Consular Agency, in order for you to be issued your Legal Capacity to marry. She has to give the American Consular officer an original NSO authenticated copy of her birth certificate, along with the other requirements, which are listed on your particular requirements page. The NSO copy of her birth certificate will be returned to her after the interview.

Once again, if your fiancée has had any children previously, it is imperative that their birth certificates are authenticated by the NSO as well, and taken to the interview. If she has children and does not show the NSO authenticated birth certificates for them, along with hers, you will not be issued your Legal Capacity.

To see an image of an NSO authenticated birth certificate, along with more information, please click on the following link: NSO Birth Certificate