Author: Reekay V.
Since 2012 I’ve been traveling through various islands of the Philippines as a full-time Expat and spent 1999 living in Vietnam.
Share with me my ongoing adventures of life in the Philippines. Hopefully you find my observations helpful in your own adventures.
— Reekay
It’s not gonna happen
it already has happened. the following american married his filipina online and two months ago entered the PH based on that marriage. ref; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOFg51W3n-A
do they have a virtual divorce? just in case.
a ‘virtual’ video experience isn’t needed for a divorce. an expat married to a filipina can divorce her in his own country and have her served in the PH. unless it is contested, it proceeds to a judgment of dissolution (divorce). this non-PH divorce is then recognized in the PH for both parties, enabling each to remarry.
I was going over the conversations and something not said stands out.
On one hand…..
The Armstrong Family stated,
*“immigration has made it clear this does not suffice for proof of relationship and must have met in person at least once within the last year inside country or will be reboarded on aircraft”*
This begs the question, made it clear to whom? Other than the generic *“immigration said,”* the Armstrong Family provided no names or laws that made this “clearly made–no meet” a standard.
He says *“inside the country”(Philippines).* What if I met her outside the country, like in the US or Spain? What then? Does that count as *“inside the country?”
On the other hand….
Then we have a statement by Adventures of Larry and Wenna who stated,
*“The lawyer Eric Dela Cruz in Manila advised me that there is no law in the Philippines that states we must have met before we are married in the USA.”*
If this “no meet” policy is so clear, why isn’t lawyer Eric Dela Cruz in Manila aware of this clear policy? Or is someone lying? I don’t know. I’m just asking questions.
@The Armstrong Family yes. getting married.. that can be done online without prior meeting in-person.
but getting ‘entry’ to the PH, that’s a whole other item. and from what i gather here, ph-immigration wants to see a passport stamp less than 12-months old and some proof of meeting, before the online marriage.
And if you read what you wrote John. And as Larry wrote there is no law one must meet in person before marriage. Yes correct. No meeting is required for marriage. But getting married and immigration are 2 different things. Immigration has a job to validate all marriages as bona-fide and not artificial and as legitimate and not used on grounds on simple entry. You are more then welcome to read their publications as they have been made public! You’re more than welcome to contact Bureau of Immigration and DFA on their policy and stance. They are also present on twitter as well. Many times they have answered questions pertaining to this and have made it clear meeting online does not count as proof of relationship. I cannot control how immigration processes entry of foreigners claiming to be married as in the case of the south Koreans who used fake certificates and claimed to have married without being present in country. Since than they have taken steps to ensure lawful entry as so they should. As so they did with me by requesting photos of my wife and I. Analyzed my passport and asked when my last visit to her was. Asked where I lived and proof of my residence and how long I’ve known her as well as a personal reference from her family. I cannot control the fact that they are therefore doing there job and preventing unlawful entry and mis use of the system. But as you say you have done your due diligence. And so have I and thats how I was able to gain entrance successfully because I was prepared with proof of relationship as requested when I contacted Bureau of Immigration before my arrival and one said requirements they requested was previously meeting within the last year. This is why I inform those whom have not met in person to not marry! And I have messages to show I inform everyone of this. Including in the case of Larry where I highly advised hi sister to not have him Marry and 3 weeks later received message that he had! So you’re right and he is right. Anyone can marry. Company cannot discriminate. But like I said they are not immigration and they do not have any control over immigration and they even state on website that this is not to be used for immigration purposes!
i’ll let mr armstrong speak for himself, but from what you stated, you are comparing a ‘law’ to a ‘policy’.
a law is first presented as a bill and then ratified (or denied) by the legislative branch, then passed on to the executive branch. (same in ph as the usa).
while a ‘policy’ is mandated within an organization (such as the PH Immigration Dept) at the authority of the director of that agency.
so, while there may be no “law” stating that a person must prove a relationship prior to a virtual marriage to enter the PH… if the Immigration department enacts a Policy that does require it.. then that is within the authority of the PH Immigration dept. (similar situation to their “off-loading” stance, which is enforced even though it’s not an official ‘policy’.)
hope that clears it up for you.
These are all Democratic states.
As I understand it, The Armstrong Family brings up an important note that unless the couple can prove they had physically met prior to getting married, BI will not allow the person into the Philippines. I have seen videos where people who were either married or had a child in the Philippines but found themselves outside of the Philippines, actually get back into the Philippines based on these circumstances.
*I have not seen one couple, who have never physically met each other, got married online, and had been allowed access into the Philippines.*
If such a couple exists, I would like to know.
Reekay is so sexy and so cute
Why will you ever get married
To a Filipino who you never met ..
.
It crazxy..Don’t do it
Hi Reekay I may try this I have been stuck in the US since March and have not been able to get home to the Philippines had to come here for my Daughters wedding. Then Mel and I were supposed to get married there in august 2020 but been stuck here and it looks like the ban may last till the end of 2021
Want to know this if you know if a man married another man they got married in Australia could that man live in the Philippines curious
no, the PH only acknowledges the marriage between a man and a woman for legal and immigration purposes.
That information was interesting. I will travel to Philippines once covid restrictions are lifted and I was wondering if rent, food utilities etc. costs in the Rizal area are increasing ?
I was told living expenses are much higher due to covid. True ??
Bloomberg News says foreigners allowed back in starting next month. Double check.
I have seen that the Philippines will open up for foreigners on the 1st of November??? Is this true
No
yes, and no. the PH will be granting some investor-related visas for those willing to invest about $75k. there is more info on that here.. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/10/23/2051757/iatf-eases-travel-restrictions-foreigners-coming-in-filipinos-leaving
make sure and buy her a house first there, LOL. idiots!
Getting married online? This is so desperate. Wake up guys
Thanks so much for this vid Reekay! Me and my girl have been searching for any possible way to be together again since this pandemic. The fact that Duterte has essentially separated us indefinitely or possibly forever
Japanese respectful, shy, reserved. Filipino religious, approachable, socializing.
Hi Reekay, I would be interested in seeing how to get a Visa to meet my filipina gf to another country, such as turkey or Maldives, where it seems possible to meet at this stage of the “global crazyness”. I see no hope right now in the Philippines honesty. I am a Canadian citizen by the way… I appreciate your videos on governments updates , thanks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Philippine_citizens
Turkey requires a visa. Most countries that are visa free for Philippine citizens are nearby Asian countries like Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore. None of them are accepting Filipinos as tourists right now
the guy to talk to is Mike Olvis and his staff.. i can put you in contact with him here.. https://bit.ly/filipina-K1-visa
Nothing happens easily in the Philippines. I don’t trust the way things are subject to fees and the amount of people that have to be paid off. Once your are there things change according too who is in control that day. Coming to a country that has been financially suffocating. Expecting Them too do anything other than stealing your money is insanity.
I got married there . And yeah , we had to pay off a lot of people to grease the rail’s. As it is. Even the darn judge got a pay out.
Have patience with your LDR. You may realize that she’s really not the one for you. This extra time to wait should be taken as a blessing not a curse.
it took me the better part of my life to finally realize that… given enough time, most problems and big decisions work themselves out on their own. 🙂
This is all very interesting bro but i think why? Why is anyone in such a hurry to do this? I fully understand the old saying about too much absence but this is ldr in its reality. Dont rush into anything that can result in a life-changing mistake. Fools rush in where wise men fear to tread. Just my thoughts.
What is considered “such a hurry?” 1 week? 5 months? 1 year? How about until everything goes back to normal? “I’ll just sit here and good things will happen for me.” said no successful person ever. Just my thoughts.
@Reekay’s LifeBeyondTheSea have you ever read ” a midsummer night dream” lol?
well, when it comes to Love… we do crazy things. 🙂
This looks sketchy because of Philippine’s officials interpret everything everyday different. The Kano needs to stay on the down low . That gentleman is going to upset the some politician and be black listed..
Is that gentleman you’re referring to me? Because I had the full backing of Philippines government in this process if I might add. This wasn’t something done overnight. It took months. I didn’t just throw money into this blindly. There’s alot of moving parts that go into a process lime this and if I publicly did this I needed to ensure that other could replicate. I’ve never said its for everyone. Some people as I have commented have been stranded from their families. Either due to lockdown or bad timing. Some of us had homes here in Philippines. Lives to continue.
There is also proxy marriage in a few States state residency not required but US citizenship is by at least one the bride or groom and it is accepted by USCIS if you can prove consummation..To consummate you can apply for K1 visa to go to United States to consummate…
Once again Reekay you have delivered accurate easy to understand information..
I understand people want to fly to Philippines to see their loved ones like we all did pre COvid.. but now with Philippines quickly approaching 400000 COvid cases it would make more sense to just wait till the vaccine is available or better control measures are implemented. I certainly would not enter a disease infested country just to have a few weeks of passion . Inflated airline tickets, compulsory quarantine in Australia at $3000 , the hassle and stress of online wedding just makes all this too big a headache..
I’ve never met my gf in person because my flights were canceled in April , so now I’ll think with my big head and stay in Australia..
It’s amazing how fucking listless people are. “Gee golly let’s wait for a vaccine even though no previous society has ever before shutdown indefinitely while waiting for a vaccine.” Biden voters everywhere.
@M. C reality would be opening the fuck up instead of waiting 1-2 years.
@Reekay’s LifeBeyondTheSea for the next 1-2 years the Philippines will be closed. Covid 19 is just at the beginning and so far there is zero vaccine so we will have to deal with reality: travel restrictions will take place for a may be very very long time – can be for 10 years also, who knows… be aware and so this might be an intresting solution…to get to the Philippines.
personally, i try to avoid letting ‘desire’ yank me around. being detached and open to a variety of outcomes brings a daily peace. not that you don’t care, you just don’t let circumstances or pure-emotion dictate your decisions. either of those is an extreme to be avoided. it’s all about balance.
Hey Reekay my friend, That is very interesting. I will inquire about their services. I will keep you posted.
Darryl, keep in mind that the woman has to be an actual person for this to work.
Please do!
Lol
Just remember, DON’T FORGET THE PRENUP. I know that from professional experience in the state of California that both parties must be afforded an opportunity to consult legal counsel with regards to reviewing the document. I know that California wasn’t listed as one of those jurisdictions in the US that allow for online marriages but I can imagine that the states that do allow that have similar requirements as California for prenuptial agreements to be be enforceable. The online weddings are a unique opportunity but one should remember the long-term implications of marriage.
@Reekay’s LifeBeyondTheSea Lol, now that is the best analogy I’ve heard so far!
it’s kinda-like a condom for marriage. works 99% of the time. 🙂
Thx henry always appreciated sir! God bless stay healthy and well.
thanks! you as well.
This world has gone crazy…….
yep.
Hello sir. This is a great video! Very well explained. As a matter of fact we continue to assist couples from all around the world from many countries. The process is not an easy process by no means. For those interested Webwedmobile does not get involved with immigration process. Immigration wise they make it very clear couples are to have proof of relationship. We get messages daily if couples havent met can they marry. Yes. They can marry but……immigration has made it clear this does not suffice for proof of relationship and must have met in person at least once within the last year inside country or will be reboarded on aircraft. DFA currently issues the 9a visa which is another service separate of immigration. You may indeed get a visa and get married but immigration will always have the final say. This isnt an easy go to see my sweetie for a week and back. This is for those whom are stranded, had weddings canceled and have the financial means of support during process. We thank you for giving us credit as not many have recognized us but rather disclaim us or impersonate us!! Have a great day!
@The Armstrong Family i believe you, been through the same nonsense myself. not even 20-minutes ago, i responded to a cynic on FB who immediately said it was a scam without even investing more than a moment to educate himself on the subject.
i gave him a link to your channel and told him, “and yet, there he is.. with his new wife in the PH, doing videos. #truth”
people who see the world as a half-empty glass are the first to quit on life and become a cynic. but they really only hurt themselves. because meanwhile.. you’re enjoying the fulfillment of your dreams. and that’s what truly matters.
@Reekay’s LifeBeyondTheSea it hasn’t been without alot of threats, hate and alot of misinformation on a daily basis. Everyone assumes the company is getting rich quick when in fact they have been doing this since 2015. We just recently blew the doors off this and the possibility. There’s alot involved and it definitely wasn’t easy!!! Everyone assumes we get a commission or referrals as mentioned on another channel which also isn’t true. We have helped without any request for anything in return except for a picture of the couple when they reunite!
There’s another American vlogger in the process of doing the same thing and he never even met his Filipina in person. Do a YouTube search on ”
Adventures of Larry and Wenna”. They already got married online and the guy is waiting on the marriage visa from the Philippines embassy.
@Adventures of Larry and Wenna 2 words cyber Libel!! I have alot of screenshots!!
Hey Gary. Funny enough I followed the advice of that armstrong guy before I did the process. For someone who claims I didn’t do my homework, he is fast to omit that he worked closely with my sister and myself. I contacted a lawyer in Manila and followed the steps that he laid out in his video before he had to take it down. My video is still up because I did not give legal advice in my video. I shared my experience. He was a huge fan of mine until my youtube channel started “stealing viewers” as he claimed. Now, you will see him act like I am a villain despite following his advice. I’m happy to share our conversations if you want to see who the liar is here. [email protected] He always will claim outlandish things and offer no support. I am waiting for him to say he walked on the moon last week.
For someone who doesn’t give legal advice he sure seems to be giving it now as he says someone will be blacklisted. That is his interpretation of law, but I don’t see his law degree or ability to practice in the Philippines. Proving your relationship is more than just meeting in person. We have 8 months of proof of our relationship in the form of regular monetary support, her being added to my bank accounts/credit cards/military benefits, 70+ 3-5 page love letters sent every other day, video chat logs of 6-8 hours average daily and, a big factor, is our public announcement of our wedding to the whole world on YouTube. Unlike that other guy, we don’t need the money. We did it to share our experience and inspire others to marry if they are in love. At the time of my application, there was no law or policy stating we had to meet in person. That is why they are discussing it in Manila. Reekey does a great job of sticking to the facts and keeping his opinion to a minimum. If there is a policy or law governing the acceptance of marriages the way he quoted article 26 to me so many times…where is it?
Art. 26. All marriages solemnized outside the Philippines, in accordance with the laws in force in the country where they were solemnized, and valid there as such, shall also be valid in this country, except those prohibited under Articles 35(1), (4), (5) and (6), 36, 37 and 38. (17a) —–All marriages…not just those where they have met in person.
I beg to differ when someone who does not know me claims I did not do my due diligence. I researched this carefully, received legal advice, reached out to the embassy and followed advice from Richard Armstrong on his steps. Further, the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC thanked me for my honesty when I told him Wenna and I never met and that we married online. I conduct myself with integrity and not everyone posting on here can say the same. I never claimed to anyone this will ensure a visa. I claimed my wife and I are hoping it will get us a visa so we can be together after travel restrictions blocked us from being together and getting married when we wanted to. Meeting in person is not a requirement if we use the service that richard is pushing so hard for us all to use. I followed the laws of my country. I am not asking the Philippines to change any rules or make an exception. The lawyer Eric Dela Cruz in Manila advised me that there is no law in the Philippines that states we must have met before we are married in the USA. He further told me there is no law that says we can’t marry online in the USA. Like richard, the lawyer cited Art.26 as his support for my marriage.
In the end, it is as simple as this. If they feel it does not meet any standard they have in place they will deny it. That is a privilege of any nation. But you never know unless you ask and that is how the first guy to marry online approached it. Hypocrites who criticize others for trying something new when they do it aren’t worth my time. I will love my wife regardless and I am happy we were able to commit to our love for life online despite covid. I will be with her sooner or later, but I will be with her. That richard guy faced the same resistance when he was talking about how he was marrying online, in fact there are still many who criticize it, but he argued that he just wanted to be with his wife. Funny how his wanting to help everyone seems to have narrowed to those who fit what his situation. I wish I could share all of the messages on here, as he was so sweet before his smear campaign.
Thanks Reekey for this video and the tolerance for so much discussion on your channel.
He set alot of people off and raised alot.of flags. He spoke too soon about something he knew nothing about without permission. Someone in his comment section notified Immigration and they have made it very clear. Will not happen!! Needs to show stamp in passport!!! Previous entry or 1st meeting within last year.
@Urban IX its already been mentioned and yes. DFA may grant visa but in his case immigration was alerted to this and have advised will be denied entry and have warned other that any attempt to knowingly enter without proof of relationship or previous meet either through passports, i.e. stamps they will be blacklisted. Someone in his comment section of his video turned him in. The guy got ahead of himself and that was a mistake!
@Texas Rebel I agree that it is a terrible idea in his case. He probably won’t get a visa because he hasn’t met her in person
Mr Ricardo que tal su español ? Yo vivo en Laredo in the north of Spain. Next year after de Covid finish. I will visit Dumaguete because my wife has a house there..
excellent! my son was in spain before all this covid stuff hit. perhaps i see you in Duma sometime. 🙂
Here is a bombshell for you – I was looking at a blog on the subject, and someone noted that the marriage license they received from Webwed was from Utah County, Utah. I looked them up! It happens that they have a very open way to marry people who may not be in Utah or even in the US. Apparently, they can marry you for $80 or less! BOOM! I just heard your mind being blown! Correct me if I am wrong, but I suggest if you don’t want to wait for tourist visas to enter PH, and are willing to marry to see your sweetheart, consider this alternative: (comments welcome!) http://www.utahcounty.gov/Dept/ClerkAud/Marriage.html
“I was looking at a blog on the subject” Which blog was this?
@The Armstrong Family which couples are you referring to?
@Thomas Shelby with most of these online companies (tax filers, legal documents, etc.) it’s possible to do what they do a lot cheaper if you just do the legwork yourself. The Utah find is a perfect example.
Great info, paul. a couple of guys were saying I shouldn’t worry that WebWed charges $1500 because they have to make a profit. haha. I knew it was a big rip-off. Pay $80 for marriage then $25 for apostille. That is way better.
And answer me how will they get the license Apostille legally? The 2 couples who did this failed horribly!!! And in order to aquire visa marriage certificate must be Apostille!! And might I add this is for the Marriage license. One must than find an officiant approved for process file the license with notary and much more than just paying 80 bucks
It should also be noted that the couple mentioned met in person before marrying online. I know there are some that are seeking this and have never met in person which may bring issues…
Yes we did
FYI: spoke with a man from Webwed a few days ago. With all of the “fees” this service would cost closer to $1,500. I think this virtual marriage (could) allow entry to PH for foreign spouse (even if they have never met, as long as she is 18+). I’d suggest another marriage in PH to use for your CR-1 visa application back to the US. Please comment on the viability of such a plan? Keep up the great work! 1st-time commenter from Cape Cod, MA in love with a Filipina!
@Thomas Shelby That’s what they are saying. You have to have proof of meeting. You have to show the stamp of entering the Philippines and some pictures of you together. Without those you will be denied entry
@Paul Sutton that is correct. Immigration is looking for passport stamps and requests photos as proof!! They have made it clear. See tourism, human trafficking and see trafficking is serious. Unless can show proof they don’t care if you have a visa. Immigration has final say!
@Thomas Shelby he will be denied entry without presenting more proof of first meeting or verify relationship. He needs a previous stamp within the last year to show he has at least been to Philippines. Verification of relationship is what immigration has been looking for. In his case I was contacted by official since he used my name. Which I’ve since requested he removed…since was without permission.
The gentleman commented on his video concern because of situation and sent to Philippines immigration and they have made it clear it will not happen.
@The Armstrong Family My understanding is that one could get a tourist visa to PH with a legal foreign marriage. So I assume you are saying that it is possible to have your visa approved, and still be refused entry upon arrival in PH if you can not further document a previous meeting with your wife? thanks.
@The Armstrong Family If that’s true, Armstrong. Then what about that other chap who got married using this service that you commented on his video? He has never met this Filipina and already got “married” using this site but they have never met in person. Will he not be allowed entry?
In the Philippines it’s not illegal because the family code stakes that you must be in the same location does not consider the Internet the same location
J Stephanie P.. any marriage solemnized outside the PH between a man and woman is honored and recognized by the PH govt.
Thats Philippines law relating to 2 Filipino citizens residing in Philippines. The code you want is Article 26.
Great information thank you
Glad it was helpful!
This is a great video that breaks it down for many to understand. you do a great job walking through the details. Thank you for this informative video. I will be sharing it for sure. Have a great day!
won’t your visa get denied?
You’re very welcome!
The cost of the WebWed service is more like $1500. once you add up the certifications. If you are not comfortable with this then don’t do it. Others have and have been successful. That is the reality of it. If you think that $1500 is to much to marry your Filipina then you shouldn’t be getting married of even coming to the Phils. in the first place. Reekay did you know that it is snowing behind you?……..LOL
@Boricua Puertorican oh heck yes!!! You are exempt under IATF resolution 60 and as of today the latest memorandum if you have a class 13 visa you’re allowed entry. If you have existing visa you do not need to apply for new visa if you’re parent to Filipino child. But if no current visa contact consulate for 9a application!
@The Armstrong Family how about the father of my child he want to visit here in PI but we are not married he can apply a visa tru child sponsorship we have proof if DFA want proof thank u
@Urban IX I take offense to this
I’m not selling anything. I’m giving options to those who need it. Those of us stranded from our families who didn’t know they could avail this service. Scam by no means. Take some time to research yourself. Because in these times we need more people to assist families instead of trolling a keyboard. I’ve helped families reunite. The man on business trip at wrong time. The lady that visited her sister at wrong time. The gentleman who went on vacation with his Filipina overseas at wrong time. Me who went to states for paperwork at wrong time. This has been a clear message to all that its not for everyone. This is for those of us who had homes, jobs and families. If they have children I inform them of their rights to get visa without marriage. If they are Filipino citizen with passport I inform them to get dual. I don’t push marriage unless its a last resort. Its not for a booth call and I report those who take advantage of this.
@Texas Rebel Agree with you and Shelby. that armstrong dude is all over youtube selling desperate men this website it is kind of suspect to be honest. I won’t say it is a “scam” because that word is thrown around too liberally these days. But it IS Suspect and seems to take advantage of two lovers feelings. And i watched a couple of the ceremonies as well they seem so awkward and unprofessional.. if I am going to pay $1500 i better get more than what is basically a Zoom call marriage…
@Thomas Shelby totally agree. You’re paying $1500 because you’re (not you) lazy and don’t want to do your own legwork to find a better option. Kind of silly no matter what the reason.
Now if it was a world where a plane ticket was $1500, that might be different. But paying top dollar for this site doesn’t mean “love” at all.
Wow you are the best at delivering this useful information. Thank you a lot!
Glad it was helpful!
we are both in bohol right now i need the legally capacitated document from the USA Consulate in cebu due to the enter state travel restrictions and quarantine requirements after travelling to the Philippines from Florida the last few kilometers seems to be the hardest part of the journey
i feel for ya. it’s that final stretch.. once past that you’re golden.
Sorry, for an unrelated question, but I just read in a Bloomberg article yesterday that the Philippines will start allowing foreigners into the country starting November 1st. Anybody else know anything?
Thanks Reekay. You’re an excellent source for reliable information.
yes.. the PH is making allowances for certain investor related visas. you can read the full article on that here.. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/10/23/2051757/iatf-eases-travel-restrictions-foreigners-coming-in-filipinos-leaving
Here’s the Real Deal…. I have completed every step of online marriage up to the point of now waiting for the Consulate of the Philippines to approve my spousal visa and return my documents including my American passport. I’m scheduled to fly from SFO to Manila on October 31st. If I do not receive the visa in the next few days I will be forced to reschedule my flight. Bottom line…there is much more to this than meets the eye. No it is not a slam dunk. It is a very involved process. I have spoken to others who made the journey and are now in the Philippines. I expect to join that lucky group very soon. HAHAHA News Flash. While writing this comment I received a phone call from the consulate. Two steps forward and 1 step back. Now they will return my rom and have me send it to another consulate for processing. The worker said he will issue my visa after the rom is processed in the other consulate. So very many hoops to jump through. Good luck to anyone who is brave or crazy enough to do this. Don’t ask.
@Thomas H Have you met your Filipina prior to the online wedding?
@Gary Gibson Report Of Marriage (rom) filed at Philippine Consulate in your country.
What is a rom?
very true. when it comes to policies in the PH.. there are the rules, ‘today’.. and then the rules you encounter another week later or at another office. doesn’t matter if it’s the banking, the LTO or immigration.. policy changes have a lot of grey-area happening during the transition.
The site web wed has other sites has other stories available to be further informed of people who married online include stories about the man never meeting the woman before marriage. I thought about doing this but the amount of money that has been put in place is too much for me.i thinking of writing to the Philippines embassy to ask them showing proof of receipts of money I have been sending to my Filipina and her daughter ,would they consider me for a visa.they have considered a man who is American and granted him a visa even though his is not married to the Filipina .
I am retired and have lots of free time so I took a deep dive into this new hot topic.
The Philippines accepts all legal marriages from the United States.
WedWeb weddings are legal marriages in the United States.
I’m not paying the $899 for their “Internal Package” unless absolutely, positively have no other option.
This is what I would do if I were to go this route.
Using Utah as an example, you can file for a marriage cert. from anywhere, online.
Both parties have to email them documents proving their identity.
Pay the Utah costs and you wind up with a marriage cert.
You don’t need WedWeb for that process.
I would consider paying WedWeb for them to officiate the wedding: $399.
I will not pay $425 to WedWeb for a Apostille service when I can pay the State of Utah around $20.00 per Apostille document.
Provide the Philippine Embassy in your region with proof of your marriage to a Philippine national.
Apply for the necessary visa for permission to travel to the Philippines as a spouse of a Philippine national.
*As a side note:
From the Utah County Clerk/Auditor webpage.
For International Applicants Without A U.S. Based Home Address
“The online application is not currently designed to accept international addresses. This will be corrected in a later version of the system.
If either applicant does not have a US based home address when completing the application, please use the Utah County Clerk’s office address instead to complete the application online. That address is “111 S University Ave, Provo, UT 84601”.”
@The Armstrong Family I am diligently looking for your claim that there is “alot of misinformation” in my statements.
The primary focus of my original post was the online marriage. Any issues concerning getting a visa was general in nature.
*I’ve broken this down to 3 levels.*
1. Getting the marriage license.
2. Having it officiated.
3. The Apostille.
*Getting the marriage license.*
1. Everything I’ve read said you DO NOT have to be a resident of Utah in order to get a marriage license.
If you have knowledge that this is misinformation, let me know.
If I am correct, then one does not need WedWeb to obtain a Utah marriage certificate.
*Having it officiated.*
2. The only problematic statement that I made could be this,
“I would consider paying WedWeb for them to officiate the wedding: $399.”
It could be true that the ONLY way to have the wedding officiated is via WedWeb, and I can accept that as being true.
*Then there is the Apostille.*
_“As far as the Apostille, it can be done separately but would you really chance making a mistake if it cost you your Visa or an error later on??”_
If we’ve successfully gotten this far in the process (which includes using WedWeb to officiate the wedding), what mistake could possibly be made that would cost the Visa via the Apostille request directly from the state of Utah?
WedWeb charges $425 for them to get the Apostille. Going directly to the state using a 1 page application that is available from the state’s webpage, cost $20 + postage. There are many services that can be used for the Apostille that charge less than $200.
_“If someone is trying to save a few bucks by taking shortcuts than why are you even getting married.”_
Stop. You are starting to sound like a shill for the company at this point.
Wedweb international package (I’m assuming it includes the officiant) is $899.
WedWeb Apostille is $425
The actual marriage license is around $50
Other costs that may be involved.
You will be paying a minimum of $1374.00
_“Id hate to see them tackle the process of acquiring the visa!!!”_
Apparently The Armstrong Family believes we are all idiots out here. Says more about them then it does any of us.
ph doesnt accept lgbt/ gay marrage that is legal in usa …ph is gay friendly and has 2 nd highest
ammount of ladyboys .thailand is 1 st ..ph accepts gays but not gay weddings.ask thier #1 celeb….vice ganda
@Paul Sutton very good question. I thought for that CR-1 visa it has stringent requirements. Personally I wouldn’t trust this rinky dinky website if I did a CR-1 visa..
Actually there is alot of misinformation in these statements. Webwed is successful in this because they hold the patent to this. Its not as easy as just contacting Utah and getting marriage license and getting married. What everyone fails to realize that in order to get married the couple and officiant must be in same place at same time or the marriage is void. Utah doesn’t have this capacity and they contract out to webwed for this reason. Webwed uses a special patented program that places everyone’s IP address in the state they are using. Not just Utah and therefore under cyber Jurisdiction laws allow the marriage to be legally binding. Without this they can face the same consequences as other couples recently discovered and realized the marriage wasn’t valid due to this 1 key element. I spent countless hours researching. Well 2 almost 3 months. Webwed is legally the only company that can indeed legally marry online. This is why so many people have fallen victim to fakes or doing on their own because of mis information of like this. I’ve personally have heard back from 2 couples asking how to fix this mistake. They thought they got married and it turned out the consulate rejected the marriage certificate due to this. They ended up contacting webwed with their marriage license and she officiated them
As far as the Apostille it can be done separately but would you really chance making a mistake if it cost you your Visa or an error later on? I know I wouldnt!! Its a small price to pay. If someone is trying to save a few bucks by taking shortcuts than why are you even getting married. Id hate to see them tackle the process of acquiring the visa!!!
Great info thanks! I spoke to Webwed a few days ago, and found that with everything included all fees total about $1,500. I later also found out about Utah County, and LOVE your plan! The question is can this Utah wedding also be considered legit for a CR-1 spouse visa, or would they also need to be married in PH?
I am curious under what circumstances could that American not enter the Philippines unless married?
@Reekay’s LifeBeyondTheSea SRRV holders aren’t currently allowed in either.
That is the whole reason for the marriage. Foreigners cant enter the Philippines unless they are married to a Filipina…..
currently, to enter the PH an expat must either be married to a PH citizen or have a child in the PH. (or be a govt diplomat). no new-entry tourist visas are being granted right now.
Dont forget theres Common Law Marriage. Research It. But do both countries recognize the King of Englands Common Law Marriage? Both people uses the last males name and put out publish publicly they are husband and wife? Does one or both use financial instruments in support of both persons? Research common Law Marriage for your Nation State and Country.
Why would any Idiot get the State license and marry a Woman in the United States, more specially online without a Bride. (LOL) I mean HEY.. Do what you want with your life but at least give yourself a remote chance.. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMUUUUUUAHAHAHAHHAHA.. Get a Passport Friends! You don’t even need a visa to enter the Phils. To Filipina Ladies: If you marry a man in the USA, you automatically, instantly, and immediately own fifty percent (50%) of his assets and money without a prenuptual agreement. If he married you and brought you here to the US, he had to submit an “affidavit of support” for you to the department of homeland security. If he gets you pregnant and you have his child(s), you are entitled to more however, see an Attorney. Best is to hire two (2) Attorneys (ehhe). Last but not least :-).. You can challenge any prenup, and if he says bad words to you, keep on going for mediation, then he will become your best friend plus the nicest guy you ever met in your whole life and will offer you a huge pile of money!
My first time writing on here but this is something that I have to say. If you are a Resident of Montana you can get a proxy marriage done and it can be with same sex too..they will file the paperwork work third party and send you all paperwork that you need
thx but ph wont let me in with ssmesex marrage even though legal in usa and even duerte supports it…blame there govt and catholics
Thanks, Reekay! Greatly appreciate your updates on PH.
glad to help. 🙂
$900 for an online wedding just so MAYBE you could possibly enter the Philippines? I am not saying this is a scam; but it is definitely suspect… I feel they are trying to profit off the pandemic and I would encourage any guy considering using this service to just wait til next year when the PI opens back up,..
@Reekay’s LifeBeyondTheSea i watched a bloke try to get a divorce from a girl that he married in the Philippines she kept putting it off so he went back to the USA and was granted it but it did not mean he was not divorced to her in the Philippines , what i gather was they still review it as void and he is still married to her there , reading between the lines he cannot marry another there but he can if he takes her out of that country .
J Stephanie P… you are wrong. you really shouldn’t be spouting what PH Immigration does or does not acknowledge when you have no clue. the PH govt has, for decades, honored and acknowledged any marriage (and divorce) between a man and woman from any other country.
in the case of ‘mixed marriages’ between a filipina and expat, if the expat divorces her in his own country, that divorce is valid for both himself AND the filipina as divorced in the PH.
you truly have no idea what PH law states.
@Thomas Shelby this company has been charging same since 2015. Not gouging. I researched very thoroughly.
@Gary Gibson It’s not about whether someone can “afford” the $1500 cost. my point is this is price gouging. During times of natural disasters, hotels are forbidden to raise their prices so high. What this company is doing is similar to that. I am not against them making a profit. But greed is greed. And I saw another comment saying there is a way to go around this process using Utah as your state and so forth.
@David Kaiser They shouldn’t even be thinking about going to the Philippines in the first place if they can’t afford $1500 cost.
My gf wanted to do an online wedding. I told her even thoough we had been talking for 1 year and I had visited her for 3 weeks in December 2019 I was not comfortable getting married. We still do not know each other that well. Also as with any thing that skirts a law in any country, I believe the Philipine governemnt will close this loop hole. And maybe deport some people. There is one man that married hid Filipino gf and they had never met. I can’t remember his name. But once the governemt realizes what is happening I think there could be hell to pay. So I am not a fan of this.
@Thomas Shelby yes Thomas. The bureau of immigration has made it very clear through publications that although DFA may issue visa if passport holder shows no entry stamps within the past year or verified proof of meetinf in another location per both passports within last year they will be denied entry and boarded on next flight . BI stated they will be looking for this and will be cracking down. Those who try to circumvent and or knowingly attempt to enter upon restrictions will be therefore blacklisted and be denied further entry from country. I have this in an email recently requested since this has been a huge question for many others. And as the BI stated thisnis to prevent unlawful and unwanted entry of sex trafficking and to prevent human trafficking and sex tourism.
@Adventures of Larry and Wenna I saw your channel Larry. That Armstrong guy said something about if you haven’t met your Wife in person yet they may not grant your a visa? Is this true? If so, what will you do if they deny your visa? Do you regret paying $1500 for webwed?
@Adventures of Larry and Wenna you actually married someone you’ve never met in person? I hope it works out for you, but that was a terrible idea.
@Thomas H You misread what I wrote and didn’t even address it. I said, what if the plan is to bring your filipina to the USA? It is taking a huge gamble if that is your goal and you use this service. Someone suggested marrying again in the Philippines but since she would already be listed as married, may not be able to get another license. Also, do you really trust the powers that be in Manila? And besides all those points, using this service, you are paying $1500 JUST to be able to apply for a visa to the PI (because this doesn’t guarantee a visa). So Thomas, if your ultimate plan is to bring your Filipina back to the US, I’d be worried.
That website looks very shady and unprofessional. Also I see the price for an international marriage is $900. Which is probably the minimum if you need additional documentation. And I am glad you mentioned that this online marriage doesn’t guarantee a filipina would be able to emigrate to the USA. Another commenter mentioned their customer service was rude which was probably the actual officiant. And to me they make the prices so high for international marriage because they are trying to take advantage of this COVID situation which to me is very low class. Same commenter said a normal apostille doctument costs $26 but Web Wed charges $426 for it. I have also watched 2 of the online ceremonies from this company involving American-Filipina and that female officiant seems very offputting, distant and fake. I wouldn’t want to look back in 30 years and see that cringe woman doing our vows. I would wait for the borders to open personally…
@Lori Barnes and might I add Amber!! It was you who messaged me! Begging and begging me to help your brother to get married and i advised you against it! Would you like to review our conversation? Would you like me to remind you and email our conversation?? Hmmmm.
@Lori Barnes 2 words! Cyber Libel!!!
@The Armstrong Family Wow Richard! You are about as two-faced as they come! You were all eager to help Larry and Wenna BEFORE they paid at Webwed, but now that they MIGHT encounter trouble you accuse abuse. You were all supportive when you messaged me, his sister, telling us how to do this whole process. So you knew from the beginning he never met Wenna. Now you criticize him? Their relationship is legitimate and based on months and months of communication. They have spent more time together than most couples with their hours-long video chats every day and frequent messages. Their love is purely based on care about the PERSON and not the BODY. It’s as far from lust as it gets. How dare you presume anything like this without knowing them? You have no right to insinuate or accuse trafficking. And further, why do you have some kind of hotline to the Bureau of Immigration? I’m sure they love hearing gas from an American! Why are you trying to sabotage their attempts to get together? Many cultures for generations have set up marriages without ever meeting and those frequently develop love. One should never judge what one does not understand and you should be open to consider alternatives to societal norms considering your claim to fame…the first online marriage. We live in a different world now and many find love over the internet. You can state that they may have difficulty proving their relationship to immigration, but don’t you dare question their love. You may be personally sickened by it, but you don’t know the truth. So you should not act like you do. Your public accusations could affect his visa application and I am growing weary of the harassment. And stop trying to convince the public you are not just in it for the money! You told Larry personally your YouTube channel is serious business for you and a revenue stream. You told Larry how you are working closely with Webwed and are pictured on their brochure. You can honestly say you not are in on their new referral program? – hah! Finally, read up on hashtags! You don’t own #Lovestrong and you never will.
@Thomas Shelby not trying to sell it. What I’m saying is I don’t want it abused. There are people who need this service and a few bad ones will ruin it for all. Which is the case at moment with the guy who never met his now wife. And the last information I had for crv-1 visa is that once marriage is psa in Philippines than you can apply for usa spousal visa but must psa 1st. Immigration has been alerted and will be requesting further documentation to prevent abuse of this. The last thing we need is for see tourism, see trafficking to occur because of this and they are fully aware. Me personally I advise those who ask if they haven’t met than I inform them how do they expect to prove relationship!! In my opinion you cannot. It sickens me so many want to marry online without meeting first. That’s lust not love. Big difference. I lived with my now wife for quite some time. We had an actual relationship. I feel.if others can’t wait to have 1st meet why circumvent the system! Am I right? Some of us actually put an effort into our relationship.
@The Armstrong Family So you can provide proof that there are couples who used WebWed and the foreign partner was approved using the CR-1 Spousal Visa? That is one big question I have. Another thing, I am not suggesting someone does the DIY either. Just that $1500 to me seems like price gouging like profiting off a pandemic. And yes I know you are there in the Philippines but as you said before, there is no guarantee your visa will get approved if you use this service. Also that other guy who used this service that hasn’t met his woman in person, will most likely be denied entry right? I see your comments schilling for this company and I get it. But I am still not sold. Just seems like a shady practice to me.
”Never encourage a man to go to war or get married”
@peekaboo2u that doesn’t narrow it down much. : )
@Reekay’s LifeBeyondTheSea or a bitter western man with experience haha
Either one can create much conflict..lol
sounds like something hemingway would have said.
I am surprised the Philippine government would allow it. I have seen Americans on live streams say they are going to find a Filipina online and tell her they love her & want to marry her to get into the Philippines then dump her and date whoever they want. It sounds a whole lot like fraud to me. Maybe they can.
@Bill Israel they Philippines government has actually made it very clear that must show proof of relationship. The DFA can issue a visa but immigration has ultimately stated will be denied entry if cannot show proof i.e. previous entry stamps, photos etc!!
Yes PH does allow it between PH and USA. My gf knows a friend who did it
@Reekay’s LifeBeyondTheSea I kind of thought that there would be safeguards built-in. Thank you for clearing that up.
@Reekay’s LifeBeyondTheSea There is a guy n line that never met his GF and got married by webwed. So the proof of relationship isn’t required. But guys like him will ruin it for others. Once the government realizes what is happening, Philippines governemt, they could go back and demand to see proof prior to the marriage. And uf they find a lot of no meeting before marriages they could disallow all web marriages. I do not want to take that chance.
the PH won’t accept an online marriage originating with a license in the PH.. they won’t even grant the marriage-license for that purpose.
but they will accept a legal marriage from another country. which is how this is made possible.
considering the amount of money and documentation involved, i highly doubt anyone is going to commit to marriage just to go play in the PH as a single-guy. it would cheaper (and not involve fraud) to just wait for the border to open. there might also be necessity of proof of a relationship in-person from ph-immigration, so there’s that to consider as well.
Just to let you know Reekay following on from your cooments on the new vaccine it has just been annouced that Pzier of viagra fame are now building the Biggest factory in the world in the United states to produce the new vaccine and have it produced for the world market in 6 months time…….
Related LINKS..
WebWed Website.. https://webwedmobile.com
Frequently Asked Questions.. https://webwedmobile.com/faqs
PH Attorney Reference.. https://brideandbreakfast.ph/2020/05/22/are-virtual-weddings-legal-in-ph
WebWed Facebook page.. https://www.facebook.com/whenlovecantwait
Expat Enters PH after Online Wedding.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOFg51W3n-A
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Wow ! I had always heard that the PHIL government never recognizes online marriage. Thank you.
@J Stephanie P Then feel free to tell that to the couples that made it work.
J Stephanie P… you also did not pay attention to the video. while online/proxy marriages are not legally performed “in” the PH, they are recognized as valid when a valid marriage occurs online in another country and recorded in that other country.
Richard Howe.. you can see mr armstrong’s channel where he shows how he entered the PH based upon his online marriage. he began the process in the usa and moved into the PH, with approval from PH Immigration, just two months ago. you can see it here..
https://www.youtube.com/c/TeamLDR/videos
J Stephanie P.. no, you are mistaken. the fact that mr armstrong was able to do the online marriage from the usa, to a filipina in the PH… and receive approval by the PH Immigration to now reside in the PH is proof you are misinformed.
anyone can see the progress of mr armstrong’s journey which led to his entry into the PH just two months ago on his channel. yes, he entered the PH amidst covid restrictions because his online marriage was accepted for entry into the PH by immigration.
https://www.youtube.com/c/TeamLDR/videos
An interesting topic Reekay, that will be useful for anyone contemplating taking this step. Informative and well presented as always. Best wishes to you and Vi, have a great weekend.
Great Tips. Clears up some mysteries for some guys. My uncle flew to the dominican republic from US and flew his russian fiance there to get married years ago, because of something about some super long waiting list in Russia, they actually got married much faster. Made me think if an online marriage was possible to a filipina since they can’t fly anywhere. Very interesting info and service.