It's not that easy .. :)
posted by MG E in Kuwait forum
Hello Jason,
I have an American friend who just got married to his Filippina fiance 2 months ago, and i was with him step by step through the whole process because i can speak the language here. I cant remember much but i will try to explain to you whatever i can recall now, and when i meet my friend i will try to double check if i forgot something and add it afterwards. The whole process took us one month of exhausting, time wasting roaming around in circles procedures, but that was because we didnt have anyone with an experience in this specific issue to help us, and of course in Kuwait, the Government employees are not helpful at all. From my experience if you know what to do and have all your papers in hand you can finish in like 10 days .. which is good. But first of all, you both ( You and your fiance ) have to pass certain requirements:1- Both of you have to be working in kuwait and holding the 18 visa residence, otherwise you cannot get married under the Kuwaiti Law. If one of you only has the 18 visa residence, and the other one on a tourist visa, then there are no chances to get married here.
2- If your intention was to come live in Kuwait with your wife, then better you get married in Philippines or in the states, then the one working in Kuwait ( in your case your fiance/wife) can sponser you to come to kuwait and have a residence through her (sponser's salary must be at least 500 kd in the original work permit), then you can change your residence afterwards to a working visa when you find a job.
Ok, so now if you already have a residence in Kuwait as well as your fiance, and would like to get married in Kuwait, then you will need all what you have mentioned, plus all what april q8 has mentioned, plus some othe stuff, like:
- Babtise certificate
- Letter of singleness for both of you, each from respective country of origin ( ie. you - States, Her- Philpp.) The red ribbon is a must, all must be authenticated sequentially as follows : 1)Country's ministry, 2) DFA, 3) Kuwait's Embassy there / or Country's Embassy in Kuwait, then 4) DFA in Kuwait.
- She will have to get another letter of singleness called (NOC) from the Church in Kuwait city, stamped and signed by the Filippino Parish priest there, His name was Father/ Ben his email was [...], i'll try to get you his phone number, as it was available to public. You have to take an appointment with him, he will then issue this letter after checking the Babtism Certificate, and the authenticated letter from Philippines. Two Catholic witnesses should be available with you to sign the NOC infront of him.
- Next step is to go to the Vatican Embassy in the Gulf Road opposite to TGI Fridays, to authenticate the NOC from Church. (Appointment must be taken also)
- NOC translation to Arabic ...
- Then go to the Ministry of Justice in Kuwait City to present all those papers and make the marraige contract in the same day... process may take 3 to 4 hrs ... but as april q8 said above, marraige contracts can be done in certain days of the week, not everyday.
- Some things have to be translated in arabic, and others dont .. i just dont remember exactly what, but translation here is easy, but has to be revised by an arabic reader who you trust because they make fetal mistakes, like in names and stuff like that .. translation costs usually 3 to 4 kd / paper ( ie. 10 to 14 US $)
- You have to have 2 witnesses with you with Kuwaiti civil id numbers (residences or citizens) for the marraige contract.
As i said, you can get the contract in the same day usually, all time is wasted for preparing the requirements.I hope the above helps .. wishing you two all the best in you life .. Congrats .. :))