FAQs on Civil registration and other consular concerns

FAQs on Civil registration and other consular concerns

1. What does a Filipino need to get married in Poland?
2. I got married in Poland. What should I do next?
3. I am a married Filipino woman and I would like to apply for a new passport using my married surname. What documents should I provide?
4. I am a married Filipino woman and I would like to continue using my maiden surname in my passport. However, I would like to declare my change of status from ‘single’ to ‘married’ in my passport record. Am I required to submit my DFA-authenticated marriage certificate or accomplish a Report of Marriage?
5. I am a Filipino who gave birth to/whose child was born in Poland. What should I do to report the birth of my child and to secure a Philippine passport for him/her?
6. A Filipino passed away in Poland and we are the company authorized by the next of kin to make arrangements for the repatriation of the remains. What documents are required from the Embassy to facilitate the repatriation and what documents are needed?
7. I am a Filipino who was married to a Polish citizen and our marriage has been dissolved through a decree of divorce issued by the relevant court in my spouse’s country. What do I do to change my status in the Philippines?
8. I am a Filipino woman who has obtained the Philippine court’s approval of my divorce from my foreign spouse and have had my marriage record annotated by Philippine civil registry authorities. What do I need to do in order to revert back to my maiden surname in my Philippine passport?
9. I lost my Philippine passport. What do I need to do to get a replacement?
10. My Philippine passport got damaged. What should I do?
11. I want to get a passport for my minor child so he/she can visit me. What documents are needed so that my child can get a passport?
12. I need a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance certificate. How do I secure one while overseas?

List of Consular Forms

What does a Filipino need to get married in Poland?

•  In general, foreigners are required by Polish civil registry authorities to provide written proof that they are allowed by the law in their respective countries to enter into a contract of marriage. For Filipinos, this is in the form of a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage (LCCM) issued by the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw.
• In order to obtain this certificate, the Filipino applicant must personally appear at the Embassy and provide the following documents:
• Passport of applicant plus one photocopy;
• DFA-authenticated birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
• DFA-authenticated certificate of no marriage issued by the PSA (issued for marriage purposes; validity is six months from date of issue by PSA and should still be valid when presented to the Embassy)
• Additional documents for applicants from 18 to 20 years of age:
• DFA-authenticated affidavit of parental consent
• Additional requirement for applicants from 21 to 25 years of age:
• DFA-authenticated affidavit of parental advice

Note: If one parent has passed away, an authenticated copy of the death certificate must be provided.

• Polish birth certificate of intended spouse with sworn English translation
• Polish certificate of no legal impediment/civil status with English translation stating that the intended spouse is single or divorced
• If intended spouse is divorced, the original divorce decree with sworn English translation must be provided.
• Copy of intended spouse's passport or Polish ID
• Two (2) pieces each passport size photos of the applicant and of the intended spouse
• Payment of consular fees: PLN 200 (to be paid in cash at the Embassy)
• The LCCM certificate is issued 15 days after submission of the application.

I got married in Poland. What should I do next?

• Civil registry events involving Filipinos overseas, such as marriages, births and deaths, should be reported to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate in the country where the civil registry event took place.
• For Filipinos who were married in Poland to another Filipino or to a foreigner, their marriage should be reported to the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw.
• The requirements for reporting a marriage are as follows:
• Four copies of the duly-accomplished Report of Marriage form

          Note: The wife should use her maiden name on the forms

• Original marriage certificate legalized by the Foreign Ministry plus four photocopies
•  Sworn English translation of marriage certificate (if original certificate is in another language) legalized by the Foreign Ministry plus four photocopies
• Four copies each of the passports of the applicant and of his/her spouse
• Four pieces each of the latest passport-size photos of the applicant and of his/her spouse
• Payment of PLN 100

• If the report was done more than a year after the marriage took place, the applicant and his/her spouse must execute an affidavit of explanation on the delayed registration of marriage. An additional fee of PLN 100 applies for the affidavit of explanation.
• The report may be done in person or by sending complete documents by mail. However, those sending reports by mail should have all copies of the report attested by a notary public.

I am a married Filipino woman and I would like to apply for a new passport using my married surname. What documents should I provide?

• If you got married in Poland, you will need to report your marriage to the Embassy first. Please see the answer to the previous question.
• Once you have the report, fill out a passport application form and present it together with your current passport and a copy of your passport data page, your residence card plus a copy of the front and back of the card, and pay the passport fee of PLN 240. If you do not have a residence card yet, you can present any valid Philippine-government issued ID.
• If you were married in the Philippines, you will need to present your DFA-authenticated marriage certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority instead plus the other requirements mentioned above.

I am a married Filipino woman and I would like to continue using my maiden surname in my passport. However, I would like to declare my change of status from ‘single’ to ‘married’ in my passport record. Am I required to submit my DFA-authenticated marriage certificate or accomplish a Report of Marriage?

• Yes, even if a married Filipino woman does not wish to take her husband’s surname but wants to declare her change of civil status in her passport record, she will be required to submit her DFA-authenticated marriage certificate if she and her spouse were married in the Philippines, or accomplish a Report of Marriage if married overseas.

I am a Filipino who gave birth to/whose child was born in Poland. What should I do to report the birth of my child and to secure a Philippine passport for him/her?

• Civil registry events involving Filipinos overseas, such as marriages, births and deaths, should be reported to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate in the country where the civil registry event took place.
• For Filipinos born in Poland, the birth should be reported to the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw. Thereafter, the parent/s can apply for their Philippine passports
• The requirements for reporting the birth of a Philippine citizen are as follows:
• Four copies of the duly-accomplished Report of Birth form
• Original birth certificate legalized by the Foreign Ministry plus four photocopies
• Sworn English translation of birth certificate (if original certificate is in another language) legalized by the Foreign Ministry plus four photocopies
• DFA-authenticated marriage certificate of parents plus four photocopies or Report of Marriage of parents plus four photocopies
• Four copies each of the passports of the child’s parents
• Payment of PLN 100
• If the report was done more than a year after the birth took place, the parents must execute an affidavit of explanation on the delad registration of birth. An additional fee of PLN 100 applies for the affidavit of explanation.
• Once the report of birth is done, an application for a new passport for the child can be done right after. The child must be present in order to have his/her photo taken. The passport requirements for minors applying for their first passport are as follows:
• Duly-accomplished passport application form for minors
• Copy of child’s Report of Birth
• Copies of parents’ passports
• Payment of PLN 100
• The Filipino parent should accomplish and sign the form.
• The new passport should become available in four weeks’ time and the parents may collect the passport in person or arrange for courier pick-up.

A Filipino passed away in Poland and we are the company authorized by the next of kin to make arrangements for the repatriation of the remains. What documents are required from the Embassy to facilitate the repatriation and what documents are needed?

• In the case of Filipinos who pass away in Poland, a consular mortuary certificate will be required in order for the shipment of the remains to be accepted in the Philippines. The Embassy will also issue a Report of Death for the deceased which shall be forwarded to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
• Following are the documentary requirements:
• Original death certificate with certified English translation (if applicable), both legalized by the relevant Foreign Ministry plus four photocopies
• Non-communicable disease certificate with certified English translation (if applicable, legalized by the relevant Foreign Ministry
• Certificate to transport with certified English translation (if applicable, legalized by the relevant Foreign Ministry
• Embalming certificate
• Letter of guarantee from the funeral parlor certifying that the casket contains only the bodily remains of the deceased
• Medical certificate
• A copy of the deceased Philippine citizen's passport
• Shipment details
• Information on the next of kin and of the consignee/funeral parlor in the Philippines
• Payment of PLN 200
• For shipment of cremated remains, a certificate of cremation, together with its English translation (if applicable), is required. The certificate, issued by the crematorium, should state that:

(a) the body was properly cremated in accordance with internationally accepted practices,
(b) the ashes are in a sanitary condition for overseas shipment consistent with existing standards, and
(c) that the urn has been hermitically sealed and contains only the remains of the deceased.
This certificate, and the translation (if applicable), should be legalized by the Foreign Ministry. Other requirements are as follows:

• Original death certificate with certified English translation (if applicable), both legalized by the relevant Foreign Ministry plus four photocopies;
• Medical report of death, with the attending physician certifying to the cause of death;
• A copy of the deceased Philippine citizen's passport;
• Shipment details;
• Information on the next of kin and of the consignee/funeral parlor in the Philippines; and
• Payment of PLN 200
• For deceased Philippines seafarers, the seaman’s book should be turned over to the Embassy.
• Three photocopies of each document should be provided together with the original documents. The original documents together with the consular mortuary certificate and one copy of the report of death will be given to the representative of the funeral parlor to facilitate the shipment.

I am a Filipino who was married to a Polish citizen and our marriage has been dissolved through a decree of divorce issued by the relevant court in my spouse’s country. What do I do to change my status in the Philippines?

• Please note that there is no divorce in the Philippines. However, when a divorce is validly obtained abroad by an alien spouse from his or her Filipino spouse, the Filipino spouse shall have the capacity to remarry under Philippine law. However, the divorce obtained abroad must be recognized by a Philippine court to prove its validity before the Filipino spouse can remarry under Philippine law.
• The decision of the Philippine Court shall become the basis for the annotation of civil registry documents.
• The following guidelines shall be followed in the annotation of the foreign-issued divorce decree with the Office of the Civil Registrar General in the Philippines:
• The foreign divorce decree must be judicially enforced or confirmed in the Philippines by filing the proper civil action at the Regional Trial Court in the Philippines (RTC-Phil).
• The court decision shall be registered in the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) where the concerned RTC-Phil functions.
• The registered document shall be submitted to the Local Civil Registrar where the marriage is registered. If the marriage was registered overseas, the registered document shall be submitted to the City Civil Registry Office at the Manila City Hall (CCRO Manila).
• The following documents shall be submitted to CCRO Manila in annotating a civil registry document:
• Original or Certified True Copy of the foreign judgment or order duly registered at the City Civil Registry Office at the Manila City Hall (CCRO Manila).
• Original or Certified True Copy of the Certificate of Finality of the decision of Regional Trial Court (RTC-Phil).
• Certificate of Registration of the decision of Regional Trial Court (RTC-Phil) at the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) where the concerned RTC-Phil functions.
• After the annotation at the Local Civil Registrar’s Office (LCRO), the annotated documents and its requirements must be submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar-General (OCRG) in Manila.
• NOTE: All documents sourced or obtained in Poland and intended for use and submission to Philippine authorities must undergo consular authentication at the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw or the Philippine Consulate/Consulate General in Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius, respectively through verification of the seal and signature of a duly appointed official of the concerned Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• More information about the legal procedures or hiring the services of a lawyer in the Philippines may be obtained from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) or the Public Attorneys’ Office (PAO) in Manila.

INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES (IBP)IBP Building
No. 15 Julia Vargas Avenue
Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Metro Manila, Philippines.
Tel: (+63-2) 631-3014 or 631-3018
Email: ibp_national@yahoo.com or tech@ibp.phWebsite: www.ibp.ph
PUBLIC ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (PAO)4th and 5th Floors
DOJ Agencies Building
NIA Road corner East Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Metro Manila, Philippines.
Tel: (+63-2) 929-9436
Email: pao_executive@yahoo.comWebsite: www.pao.gov.ph

I am a Filipino woman who has obtained the Philippine court’s approval of my divorce from my foreign spouse and have had my marriage record annotated by Philippine civil registry authorities. What do I need to do in order to revert back to my maiden surname in my Philippine passport?

• In order to revert to your maiden surname in your Philippine passport, you will need to submit a DFA-authenticated copy of your annotated marriage certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority aside from the regular requirements for renewal of a Philippine passport.

I lost my Philippine passport. What do I need to do to get a replacement?

• Applications for the replacement of lost passports are treated just like a new passport application. You will need to visit the Embassy and provide a police report in English and execute an affidavit explaining the circumstances of the loss of your Philippine passport (a fee of PLN 100 applies). You will also be required to submit a DFA-authenticated birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
• A 15-day waiting period is observed for lost passports but this may be waived by the consular officer on a case-by-case basis.

My Philippine passport got damaged. What should I do?

• If the damage to your passport renders it unusable, please apply for a new passport. Your application will be treated as a new application and you will be required to submit a DFA-authenticated birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

• You will also be required to execute an affidavit of explanation on how the passport got damaged. An additional fee of PLN 100 applies for the affidavit. The defective/damaged passport will also be kept by the Embassy.

I want to get a passport for my minor child so he/she can visit me. What documents are needed so that my child can get a passport?

• If this is the child’s first passport, a DFA-authenticated birth certificate is required, together with copies of the parents’ passports and the child’s school ID (if applicable).
• If you are the mother or father and you are overseas and your spouse is handling the passport application of your children, you will need to execute an Affidavit of Support and Consent. Please visit the Embassy, present your passport, accomplished affidavit and payment of PLN 100. Once this is done, the document should be sent to your spouse in support of your child’s passport application.
• If both parents are overseas, and someone else is applying for the child’s passport on the parents’ behalf, the parents should execute a joint Affidavit of Support and Consent as well as a Special Power of Attorney for the person.
• Please visit the Embassy and present your passports, accomplished joint affidavit and special power of attorney, and the fee of PLN 200. Once done, send the documents to your representative so that he/she may be allowed to assist/apply for the passport of your child.

I need a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance certificate. How do I secure one while overseas?

• For Filipinos (and foreigners previously residing in the Philippines) who are overseas and need to secure a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance certificate for employment or immigration purposes and have never applied for an NBI clearance before, or have been issued NBI clearance certificates but do not have the actual certificates, they should secure an NBI Form No. 5 from the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate. The form is free of charge.
• Applicants are required to accomplish the form, have their fingerprints impressed on the form, and attach a recent 2 x 2 colored photo with white background (taken not more three months ago).
• If the applicant secures the NBI fingerprint form in person at the Embassy, the Embassy’s staff will assist the applicant in imprinting the applicant’s fingerprints on the form. The form will be attested by the consular officer. A fee of PLN 100 applies.
• If the form is requested by mail or through the Philippine Consulates in Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania, the applicant will be provided with a letter addressed to local police authorities requesting them to imprint the applicant’s fingerprints on the form and to affix the signature of the police officer who imprinted the prints.
• Applicants must also register online at www.nbi-clearance.com. Write down the reference number which will facilitate retrieval of your data and include the information in your application documents.
• The overseas NBI applicant should have a representative in the Philippines to handle the submission of the NBI clearance certificate application. Together with the accomplished NBI application form, the applicant should send a copy of his/her passport and one other valid Philippine government-issued ID as well as a Special Power of Attorney in favor of the applicant’s representative which the representative will also use in order to transact with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for authentication of the NBI certificate.
• To secure a Special Power of Attorney: visit the Embassy, fill out the appropriate form, present your passport plus one photocopy and pay the processing fee of PLN 100. The SPA will be available on the same day or by the next working day.
• For those who were previously issued NBI certificates (2011 and earlier) and have the copy of their NBI certificates, they do not need to fill out a NBI Fingerprint Form 5 but are still required to register online at www.nbi-clearance.com. Together with the NBI clearance certificate, the reference number for their application, a 2x2 photo with white background (taken not more than three months prior to the submission of application), photocopy of passport and a SPA should be sent to his/her representative who will transact with the NBI on his/her behalf and submit the new NBI certificate to the DFA for authentication.
• For those who were previously issued NBI certificates (2014 and later) and have the copy of their NBI certificates, they do not need to fill out a NBI Fingerprint Form 5 and do not need to register online if there is no correction in the name, place and date of birth. Together with the NBI clearance certificate, a 2x2 photo with white background (taken not more than three months prior to the submission of application), photocopy of passport and a SPA should be sent to his/her representative who will transact with the NBI on his/her behalf and submit the new NBI certificate to the DFA for authentication.

List of Consular Forms

Infographics

Related Links:
Getting Married in Poland