As a Filipina – How do you get married in Hong Kong?

 

As a Filipina – How do you get married in Hong Kong?

Are you looking into marrying in Hong Kong? Congratulations are in order then. Moreover, you came to the right place!

Hong Kong is always known to be a dreamy place that will turn your wedding fantasies into reality. Of course, you have always dreamed that your wedding day will be your own version of perfect, right? However, getting married in Hong Kong, especially as a Filipina, still requires processes that you will need to fulfill first. However, don’t be intimidated by these bureaucratic processes as they are quite simple. So, worry less because we’ll give you a guide on how to achieve your dream wedding in Hong Kong as a Filipina.  

 

Five Steps in Getting Married in Hong Kong

 

• Schedule an appointment to file your Notice of Intended Marriage.

First and foremost, you need to submit your notice of Intended Marriage. This notice is a legal document expressing the couple’s intention to marry in Hong Kong. This legal document must be submitted before your wedding date, between three (3) months and fifteen (15) days, in which Sundays are not counted. To submit this document, you will have to book an appointment with the registrar of the Hong Kong government through their website or by calling their telephone booking system (Number to dial: +852 3102 3883).

Please note that this notice will be marked as “expired” after three months if you fail to submit it. It’ll be better if you call them ahead of time so you can acquire your desired date for the wedding.

 

• Attend the appointment with the required documents in hand.

You and your partner could both go, although only one of you is needed for this appointment. Of course, remember that the one attending this appointment must prepare the required documents of both the spouses-to-be, such as your Hong Kong ID, travel documents, and identification documents. 

You will need to fill out Form MR21B, or the Information Required for Marriage Registration. However, other than submitting it personally, you can also do it virtually through their online portal. Keep in mind that there will be a fee of HK $305 for the notice.

 

• Plan your dream wedding in Hong Kong.

You can plan the wedding while waiting for your certificate to be released. As a Filipina, it might be intimidating to plan a wedding in a foreign land. But worry not, as there are numerous wedding planners in Hong Kong who are always ready to assist you in organizing your wedding day. Prepare the needed arrangements for the wedding, such as your make-up artist, photographer, and your wedding venue. 

 

• Secure your Certificate from the Registrar of Marriages.

You can expect the certificate to be released after fifteen (15) days of filing the Notice of Intended Marriage, provided that there are no objections and complaints to your upcoming union. Keep in mind that if only one of the spouses-to-be has attended the appointment, the certification must be claimed by the other. Wherever you are planning to hold your ceremony for the wedding, no marriage can be conducted in Hong Kong without presenting the certificate from the Registrar of Marriages. 

 

• Finally, Get married!

You may now legally marry your fiancée with the certificate of the Registrar of Marriages. If the wedding will be held at the registry, arrive earlier than your scheduled marriage registry appointment. The marriage oath will then be recited by both the spouses-to-be, and the marriage contract will be signed. After that, you and your spouse will have then solemnized your wedding. 

 

Things to keep in mind

As a Filipina who desires to get married in Hong Kong, here are a few details to keep in mind. 

• • Other nationalities can get married in Hong Kong if you abide by the proper process and submit all the requirements. 
  • It is illegal to marry at sixteen (16). You need parental approval if you are a minor in Hong Kong, ages sixteen (16) to twenty-one (21).
  • Only weddings performed in a licensed house of worship or at a marriage registry are legal. However, you may be married anywhere and have the wedding recognized, but only if a civil celebrant officiates the wedding.

• If the couple is both residing outside of Hong Kong, you must write directly to the Marriage Registration and Records Office for a copy of the Notice of Intended Marriage form and information sheet for the Information Required for Registration of Marriage.  This Letter shall then be sent to the address provided below or be emailed at enquiry@immd.gov.hk, the Immigration Department. 

The Marriage Registration and Records Office

3/F, Low Block

Queensway Government Offices

66 Queensway

Hong Kong

• For more information, visit the official website of the Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong, www.immd.govhk.