NEWS / Philippine woman applies for No Record of Marriage certificate but receives Marriage Certificate instead

A Philippine woman was shocked to receive a marriage certificate after she applied for a certificate of no marriage, known as CENOMAR, with the Philippine Statistics Authority in Bacolod City in the center-west Negros Island Region of the country, GMA News Online reports.

According to GMA Regional TV, the woman, Evelyn Ruelan, claimed to have never been married before. The marriage certificate she received indicated that she was married to a national of India in the city of Valenzuela, located in the northern National Capital Region.

Ruelan reportedly stated that she does not know the man who appears as her husband on her marriage certificate and that she has never visited Valenzuela. However, Ruelan’s personal details on the marriage certificate are correct, which seems to imply that her identity may have been stolen for the purposes of marriage and possible immigration fraud.

The problem for Ruelan is that a No Record of Marriage certificate, or CENOMAR, is required by the Philippine government in order to get married, which Ruelan was intended to do in December. Individuals cannot be married to more than one person at once, which is why it is important to provide evidence that there are no other existing marriages.

US citizens and residents marrying in the Philippines typically need to present a No Record of Marriage certificate from their state, county, or city of residence in the United States. This certificate must also be apostilled. If you require assistance with the matter, feel free to contact us by e-mail at info@apostille.us or by phone at (212) 233-7061. You can also apply on our website.