Marrying in Singapore as a Filipino: ROM, MOM, and the Embassy, in the Right Order

Filipinos marrying in Singapore may need to clear three offices: MOM, the Registry and the embassy.

Which ones apply depends on who you marry and which pass you hold. Get the order wrong and you can lose your wedding date, or your pass.

Find your track

Two Filipinos: a civil ceremony at the Registry of Marriages (ROM) or at the Philippine Embassy, then a Report of Marriage so the Philippines records it. You do not need MOM approval.

A Filipino marrying a Singapore citizen or PR: if you hold a Work Permit, including domestic workers, MOM approval comes first. On an Employment Pass or S Pass, that step does not apply and you go straight to ROM.

MOM approval

A Work Permit holder must get MOM approval before marrying a Singapore citizen or PR. The rule applies whether the wedding happens in Singapore or the Philippines, and whether it is civil, church or customary.

It still applies after your Work Permit expires, if a Work Permit was your last pass here. It lands hardest on our kasambahay.

Marrying without approval can cost you your right to work in Singapore and can bar you from entering the country for a period.

MOM decides within four weeks of getting your complete documents. Start this step first.

MOM also requires a Work Permit holder who is pregnant or gives birth in Singapore to already be married, with MOM's approval, to a Singapore citizen or PR.

How ROM works

• At least one of you must be in Singapore for 31 days in a row before you submit the application. One visit can cover it; the day you landed does not count.
• Submit the application at least 21 days before your wedding date.
• Both of you attend a Verification of Documents appointment, 1 to 14 days before the ceremony.
• Bring two witnesses, each 21 or older.
• Both of you need to be 21 in most cases. If one of you is 18 to 21, you need a parent or guardian's written consent.

The licence costs S$380 if neither of you is a citizen or PR, and S$42 if one of you is.

ROM asks some foreign couples for a certificate showing they are free to marry. Check its current document list, and ask the embassy whether you need a legal-capacity document from the Philippine side.

Marrying at the embassy

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore can solemnise a marriage between two Filipino citizens who are both free to marry. Bring:

• birth certificates and CENOMAR, each apostilled by the DFA
• passports
• two witnesses aged 21 or older

The embassy publishes your intended marriage for ten days before it sets the ceremony date.

Its consular fee list shows an S$84 solemnisation fee, with other charges possible on top. Confirm the full cost on the embassy site.

Report of Marriage

Until you file a Report of Marriage, your Singapore wedding does not exist in your PSA record. Couples find out when a passport renewal under a married name stalls, or a visa needs a PSA marriage certificate.

The embassy charges S$35, a fee in force since April 2024. Hand in the report form, your Singapore marriage certificate and your passports. The embassy sends the record to the DFA and the civil registrar back home.

File it soon after the wedding. Keep the receipt and the annotated certificate, because you need them to update your Philippine passport after a name change. Our guide on renewing your Philippine passport in Singapore covers that side.

Where to check

These figures are current as of July 2026. Before you pay, check MOM for the approval rule, marriage.gov.sg for ROM steps and fees, and the Philippine Embassy for solemnisation and the Report of Marriage.

Marrying a Singapore citizen or PR opens the door to a Long-Term Visit Pass. Our guide on bringing your family to Singapore covers the passes and costs. For other embassy and MWO services, see our guide to Philippine government services in Singapore.