Government of Canada services and information in Cebu, Philippines

Refer to International adoption.

Refer to Birth abroad.

If your child is born outside of Canada, you do not need to register the birth in Canada.

Proof of Canadian Citizenship applications will not be accepted at the Consulate in Cebu. Applications must be submitted directly to the consular section of the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines, in Manila.

Apply for the following services online:

• Proof of Canadian Citizenship
• Search of Citizenship Records

Refer to Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Criminal record checks.

Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad

Any foreign national who wishes to marry in the Philippines is required by the Philippine Government to get a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage from their Embassy or Consulate in the Philippines before filing an application for a marriage license. This certification affirms that there are no legal impediments to the proposed marriage.

However, unlike the Philippines, the Government of Canada does not keep a central statistical registry of marriages. Therefore, the Embassy of Canada does not issue certificates of non-impediment to contract marriage, certificates of legal capacity to contract marriage, certificates of singleness/no marriage, or any form of certification that a Canadian citizen is legally capable of entering a marriage.

Instead, we can prepare a Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad.

How to apply:

1. Complete the Request for Notary Service form.
   • Note that all sections must be completed, including subsection “Mailing Address in the Philippines for return of documents.” A local phone number is also required for courier transmittal.
   • Since you are requesting for a Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad, you can choose “No” for items 3.1 and 3.2 in Section 3, and then proceed to Section 4.
2. Fill out the appropriate sections on the Statutory Declaration Form and have your signature witnessed by a local notary public.
   • A Statutory Declaration Form notarized by a public notary from any country will be accepted.
   • The notarized Statutory Declaration Form you submit will be bound to the Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad.
3. Enclose supporting documents*, depending on your situation(s):
   • born in Canada: a certified copy of your birth certificate or passport
   • widowed: a certified copy of the death certificate of your deceased spouse
   • divorced: a certified copy of the divorce certificate
   • born abroad: a certified copy of your Canadian citizenship certificate, permanent resident card, or passport
     *All documents presented must be in English or French, or accompanied by an official English or French translation. Note that the Philippine authorities may not accept documents written in French.
4. Complete a Credit Card Authorization Form indicating the relevant Consular Fee for Specialized Service (CAD 50) for the issuance of a Statement in lieu of Certificate of Non Impediment to Marriage Abroad;
   • We only accept credit card (Visa or Mastercard) payments via the Credit Card Authorization Form. If you do not have a credit card, you may use the credit card of a third party and have them sign the authorization form.
   • The Consular Section does not accept digital copies of the Credit Card Authorization Form. We will only accept an original copy of the Credit Card Authorization Form signed in ink by the cardholder.
5. Send your complete request via commercial courier to:

Consulate of Canada in Cebu
RD Corporate Center
96 Governor M.C. Cuenco Avenue
Banilad, Cebu City 6000

Additional information:

• Although there is no validity period indicated on the Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad, the Local Civil Registrar may not accept a Statement issued more than six (6) months prior to the date of marriage.
• It should be noted that some Local Civil Registrars may not accept the Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad issued at the Embassy or Consulate. It is the responsibility of the requesting couple to verify with the Local Civil Registrar’s Office (LCRO) where the application for a marriage license is being filed if the LCRO will accept a Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad.
• Permanent residents of Canada who do not hold Canadian citizenship may need to obtain a certificate or declaration from the Embassy or Consulate of their nationality within the Philippines.
• Divorce decrees may not be automatically recognized in the Philippines. Canadian citizens who were previously married in the Philippines and are intending to re-marry in the Philippines after obtaining a divorce in Canada (or elsewhere) are advised to seek legal advice or contact the Philippine Statistics Authority to confirm procedures on how the foreign divorce decree can be recognized and enforced in the Philippines to assure that their succeeding marriage will be recognized as valid.
• The Philippine government may require an official English translation of a divorce decree or death certificate.
• If both parties to the proposed marriage are Canadian citizens, each one must obtain a Statement.
• The processing time may take up to 10 business days, excluding mailing/delivery times. Make sure to submit your request well in advance of your intended travel dates.
• Once the Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad is issued, it will be sent directly to your local mailing address via courier-collect (WWWExpress).

For Canadian citizens who wish to marry in the Philippines, refer to the information on Marriage abroad.

If you require authentication/apostille, please refer to Notarial services - Embassy of Canada in Manila.

The Consulate of Canada in Cebu provides the following notarial services to Canadian citizens and, in limited cases, to non-Canadian citizens if the documents are intended for use in Canada.

Certified copy (certify the document is a true copy of the original):

• Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply)
• Government-issued identification requiring a certified true copy (fees apply)
• Original documents to be certified must be submitted to our office

Consular officers will not certify a true copy if:

• the document is a religious document (certificate of baptism, funeral, confirmation, etc.)
• the originating document is printed off of a website
• the content is such that it is expected to mislead as to purpose, or may be used for fraudulent purposes

Witness a signature (consular officer witnesses a signature):

• Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply)
• Government-issued identification requiring a witnessed signature (fees apply)

Note: Complete all documents before booking an appointment. Sign all documents in front of the consular officer.

How to apply

Limited in-person notarial services are available at the Consulate. You may send an email to cebu@international.gc.ca to book an appointment.

Notary service requests must include:

1. relevant original documents, if requesting for a certified true copy
2. a completed Request for Notary Service Form
3. a certified copy of your proof of Canadian citizenship
4. a certified copy of a valid government-issued photo ID
5. a completed Credit Card Authorization Form indicating the relevant Consular Fee for Specialized Service signed by the cardholder in ink. For more information, refer to Payment method below

Passport applications are not accepted at the Consulate in Cebu. Applications must be submitted directly to the consular section of the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines, in Manila.

Refer to Benefits for Canadians living abroad.

Thousands of Canadians have decided to live their retirement years in another country, perhaps with a more moderate climate or proximity to family and friends. Many do so year-round, while others, including snowbirds, spend a few months abroad at a time.

Whatever your reason for wanting to retire outside Canada, the basic rule is to make careful preparations. Tax laws, medical care and security quickly become a preoccupation once you live in another country or wish to return home to Canada after an extended stay.

Resources:

• Canada Pension Plan
• Old Age Security pension

Same-sex marriage is not recognized in the Philippines.

Refer to Studying abroad and EduCanada.

Refer to Travel documents – Visas.

• Apply to travel, study, work or immigrate to Canada.
• Find a visa application centre (VAC) to book an appointment to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo).
• Submit an enquiry using the IRCC web form to contact a visa office.

Permanent residents of Canada: Find out how to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD).

Refer to Voting in an election while outside Canada.