Utah Online Weddings and other exciting happenings

2021 is moving on, and I hope everyone is well. I’ll do something different here. I will NOT mention COVID. People are getting vaccinated. It will end. I would rather concentrate on ways to help our clients get past it, so that is the last I will say of it in this article. And I won’t say “stay safe” either! To anyone intelligent, that’s a given!

We WILL be discussing UTAH ONLINE WEDDINGS (online weddings through Utah USA), and also whether there ARE options available to those who haven’t met in person yet, but still want a partner visa from Philippines to Australia.

Utah Online Weddings

As I said above? We concentrate on what will actually HELP our clients at this time to get their partner visas and to be together sooner. Hard work. And yes, I MISS the “easy days” when international travel was a thing you took for granted. However the smarter and more determined people learn to adapt, don’t they? 

The Utah online weddings keep happening. I’m getting most of our assessment forms (https://assessments.downundervisa.com) asking for online weddings as a first option. I couldn’t even count how many clients have taken this pathway.

A few points about online weddings

Go direct to the Utah Government

I cannot stress this more strongly! 

The process is easy! No go-betweens are needed! We asked about the process initially, and yes we considered offering assisting in this as a service if it was needed. It is NOT needed! It’s too easy!

One of our clients was quoted by a certain US company USD$2,000.00 to organise the wedding. 

Guess what they still had to do (despite “expert” help)? 

• Contact the Utah Government to organise a marriage license
• Contact the Utah Government to organise the wedding

Guess what we do for free? 

Tell you to:

• Contact the Utah Government to organise a marriage license
• Contact the Utah Government to organise the wedding

Watch some of the video reviews on the Down Under Visa YouTube Channel (https://youtube.com/downundervisa) and you will see how easy it was for our clients.

Is an online wedding cold and impersonal?

Please have a look at https://www.onlinefilipinoweddings.com

Look down the page and you will see a video of our of our clients weddings (thank you to Paul and Ella for your extraordinary kindness in sharing this!) Even with Zoom, there were 27 different camera views. That means they could invite all the guests they wanted. 

OK, here’s the wedding: https://youtu.be/6wGObl77Y-0 (ENJOY!)

The celebrant? A clearly NICE man who cared about what he was doing. I edited out all the preparation part in the video, but he took plenty of time to ensure everything was clear and everyone was comfortable. And he gave a pre-wedding talk about loving each other, which I thought was really touching.

Yes, here’s that talk: https://youtu.be/JBga5Nafidw 

I’ve been to Registry Office weddings and found them less “human” than this. It was actually a really nice wedding, and I believe special for the couple (which was obvious from the video).

What about the CFO?

The Commission for Filipinos Overseas (www.cfo.gov.ph) runs Guidance and Counselling seminars for partner visa holders, ie those who were granted Subclass 300’s and Subclass 309 visas. 

Now, by PHILIPPINES Law it is compulsory to attend this, get a certificate of attendance and a sticker in the passport. 

NOTE: They are doing seminars online at the moment, and don’t expect them to answer phones or emails! More fun in the Philippines!

So if you:

• Have a Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa,
• Have a Subclass 309 offshore partner visa, or
• Have a Subclass 820 ONSHORE partner visa and have returned to visit…

Then you need to attend this CFO seminar and get your sticker, or they will not let you leave the country! The do it for a good reason, and this is the law of the country…..so must do!

Marriage certificates

You will see a link to the CFO on the Migration Hub (for Down Under Visa clients) which explains how this all works and what you need to bring.

One thing they want to see is a marriage certificate! 

And ideally this marriage certificate should be one issued by the PSA (aka NSO)! 

If you married OUTSIDE Philippines, they still want to see a marriage certificate from the PSA.

What if you married outside Philippines? What do you do?

You contact the Philippines Embassy soon after your wedding, and organise for them to REGISTER your marriage with the Philippines Government, and this means you can order and obtain a PSA marriage certificate after this is done.

Married in the US (ie an online wedding through Utah)?

You do not try to register this through Canberra!

A client (who did this themselves) said they did it through San Francisco (ie Philippines Embassy in San Francisco). Not through Washington. They were told it would take 6 months. It took 2 weeks! Sounds like a good place to start.

Other option?

Order an “Apostille” marriage certificate from Utah. I believe USD$20.00 plus shipping, but I may be wrong. This is a US type of certification. According to the CFO website (Correction! It was on a phone message recording when you try….and fail….to talk to the CFO on the phone) they will accept this. Haven’t heard from any clients yet that they did this, but it seems like it should. Again, more fun in the Philippines!

Want to marry and get a visa? Haven’t met in person?

This situation comes up. Couples who have met online and have developed a relationship. Many did so even before COVID, and never got to meet because the borders slammed shut. 

And note I am NOT talking about those enthusiastic men who met Mary Jane online 3 weeks ago and want to marry her immediately! I’m talking about those committed couples who’ve put the time and heart into it and have a genuine relationship that’s obvious to anyone…..but haven’t been able to meet in person.

There is a way! It will involve online weddings. But it’s legal and ethical, as you would expect. And it will work.

I won’t explain here! If this is you, ie.

• • In an established and committed relationship
  • Want to marry and be together in Australia forever, and
  • Haven’t met in person yet?

So please CLICK HERE and tell me your story if you want more information about this possibility!

Jeff Harvie is a Registered Migration Agent from Australia, but resident in Philippines since 2010 with his Filipina wife Mila and large extended family. Experienced with the Philippines culture, cross-cultural relationships and bureaucracy as well as Australian visas and Australian Migration Law, he writes with authority and fortunately with enough informality and humour that the average Aussie gets it! Down Under Visa specialises in visas for Australians in relationships with ladies and gents from Philippines, Thailand, China and Vietnam. Read MORE