Getting Married in Hong Kong for Foreigners

My husband is a Korean and I am a Filipino so some might think the wedding is either in the Philippines or in Korea. I can consider getting married outside the country of residence for both parties unconventional but I like unconventional. Why Hong Kong?

1. Hong Kong is a neutral ground for us.
2. I get to keep my family name as I please.
3. I was challenged by the fact that I had to file the necessary requirements while I was still in the Philippines and off to HK only days before the actual ceremony.
4. I didn’t like to be involved with the schemes Philippines has to offer for someone marrying a foreigner. I know it will just cause delay of papers and under the table transactions. That’s a known fact.
5. Going to Korea just to get married wasn’t a good idea since I got denied the first time I applied for tourist visa. I thought It’s better not to push on it because maybe it’s not meant to happen there.
6. The instructions posted on the HK Gov’t site was so clear that it backed me up with our decision to go for it.

Here are the things you need to prepare for sending:

1. Passport photocopy for both.
2. Notarized completed Registration of Marriage Form.
3. Notarized Notice of Intended Marriage Form
4. Prescribed Fee for giving and exhibition of Intended Marriage is HK$305. I paid ours in the form of bank draft at BPI Makati, Philippines since they are one of those few banks that have 3rd currency. Payable to: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Note: Make sure that the bank draft is drawable in HK currency or else you’ll have to pay an additional bank handling of HK$100 for exchanging of currency)

All should be sent thru this address: 

The Marriage Registration and Records Office
3/F, Low Block Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway, Hong Kong

After you sent all the requirements, you’ll receive an email from this email address: mrro@immd.gov.hk about the update of your request. You must appear on or before the deadline shown on the email or else you’ll do the process all over again and it will be a waste of time and money. You need to show yourself at 3/F, Low Block Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong (Counter 20) together with your original passports and a print out of the confirmation letter. A nice officer will ask you to verify if all the information on the documents are correct then, you’ll be asked to make an oath. You’ll also get the receipt of the bank draft you sent for the notice of intent of marriage.

On the day of the ceremony…

Things to remember:

1. Don’t forget to bring 2 witnesses above the age of 18 and with valid passports.
2. Don’t forget your passports.
3. The fee of HK$715 will be paid on the day itself before the ceremony starts.
4. It is optional to have wedding rings.
5. Wear formal clothes but if you’re the type who doesn’t want to be too formal to wear a wedding gown at least be decent enough not to wear clothes that are too casual like mini skirt,shorts, and the like.

The ceremony will take less than 30 minutes. Once the ceremony is done, you have to report the marriage on your respective embassies so that it will be properly documented.

For further details you can also visit: http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/marriage/marreg/givingnotice/

The email address they used when they updated me with the status of my documents:
mrro@immd.gov.hk