An Advisory on Marriages is the Philippine Statistics Authority document commonly requested when an embassy, immigration office, court, pension office, or other institution needs to see whether marriage records exist under a person’s name. It is often confused with a marriage certificate or a Certificate of No Marriage Record, but each document serves a different purpose. Knowing which one you need—and how to request it correctly—can prevent rejected applications, unnecessary fees, and weeks of delay.

What Is a PSA Advisory on Marriages?

A PSA Advisory on Marriages, sometimes called an AOM or CEMAR, is a certification showing the marriage record or records found under a person’s name in the PSA Civil Registry System database.

It is generally produced through the same search used for a Certificate of No Marriage Record, or CENOMAR:

If the PSA finds no registered marriage matching the person’s details, it issues a CENOMAR.
If the PSA finds one or more marriage records, it issues an Advisory on Marriages instead.

A CENOMAR is therefore intended for a person with no marriage record, while an Advisory on Marriages reflects that at least one marriage record was found. A person may receive an Advisory even if the marriage has already been annulled, declared void, ended by the spouse’s death, or dissolved abroad. The document reports what is recorded in the PSA database; it does not, by itself, decide the present legal status or validity of each marriage. (PSA Helpline)

Advisory on Marriages vs. marriage certificate

Document	What it shows	Common uses
Marriage certificate	Details of one particular marriage, including the spouses, date, place, and solemnizing officer	Passport updates, benefits, property transactions, visa applications, proof of relationship
Advisory on Marriages	Marriage record or records located under one person’s identity	Embassy checks, immigration cases, annulment or divorce documentation, civil-status verification
CENOMAR	No marriage record was found under the person’s identity as of the search date	Marriage-license applications, fiancé visas, civil-status requirements

An Advisory on Marriages is not a substitute for an annotated marriage certificate when an agency specifically asks for proof that a marriage was annulled, declared void, or recognized as dissolved.

Legal Basis for Marriage Records in the Philippines

The Philippine civil-registration system is principally governed by Act No. 3753, or the Civil Registry Law. It requires marriages, annulments, divorces, changes of name, and other events affecting a person’s civil status to be entered in the civil register. Local civil registrars maintain the original local records and transmit civil-registry information to the national repository now administered by the PSA. (Lawphil)

Under Article 23 of the Family Code of the Philippines, the person who solemnized the marriage must give the spouses copies of the marriage certificate and transmit the original to the local civil registrar within 15 days after the marriage. Actual appearance in the PSA database can take longer because the record must still pass through local registration, endorsement, scanning, indexing, and database processing.

Requests are also subject to the Data Privacy Act of 2012, Republic Act No. 10173. PSA Memorandum Circular Nos. 2019-15 and 2019-15A limit who may obtain civil-registry documents and require a legitimate purpose, appropriate identification, and proper authorization when someone requests a document for another person. (Philippine Statistics Authority)

Who May Request an Advisory on Marriages?

The PSA generally allows the following persons or entities to request an Advisory on Marriages:

The document owner, if at least 18 years old
A duly authorized representative
The legal spouse
A parent
An adult child of the document owner
A court or proper public official acting under legal authority
A government agency acting under its mandate
A lawful guardian when the document owner is a minor
The nearest surviving relative of a deceased document owner, subject to proof of kinship

A boyfriend, girlfriend, fiancé, employer, private investigator, distant relative, or unrelated person cannot ordinarily obtain someone’s Advisory merely out of curiosity. Civil-registry information is protected personal information, and the PSA may issue only a limited certification—or refuse the request—when consent or legal authority is missing.

Information You Should Prepare Before Applying

The PSA search depends heavily on accurate identity information. Prepare the following:

Full first, middle, and last name at birth
Any legally used married surname or previous surname
Sex
Date and place of birth
Father’s complete name
Mother’s complete maiden name
Current civil status
Purpose of the request
Number of copies needed

Use the spelling shown on the person’s PSA birth certificate whenever possible. A missing middle name, reversed surname, incorrect date of birth, or incomplete parental information can cause a false negative result or trigger manual verification.

For a married woman, begin with the maiden name and birth information. If a marriage may have been registered under a different spelling or surname variation, tell the PSA personnel and bring documents showing both versions.

How to Request an Advisory on Marriages at a PSA CRS Outlet

A personal request at a PSA Civil Registry System outlet is usually the least expensive option.

Book an appointment. Visit the official PSA CRS Appointment System, choose a convenient outlet, and select the applicable civil-registry service. Appointment booking is free, and the appointment slip must be in the name of the person who will transact at the outlet. It is generally non-transferable. (Philippine Statistics Authority)
Prepare a valid identification document. Bring the original and a photocopy. Commonly accepted documents include the National ID or Digital National ID, passport, driver’s license, PRC ID, UMID, postal ID, voter’s ID, senior-citizen ID, PWD ID, NBI clearance, police clearance, or another government-issued photo ID. A foreign national may generally present a valid foreign passport or Philippine immigration document.
Appear at the outlet on the scheduled date. Bring a printed or electronic appointment slip. Arrive early enough for security screening and queue-number issuance.
Complete the CENOMAR application form. The PSA commonly uses the green CENOMAR application form for both a CENOMAR and an Advisory on Marriages. Write clearly in block letters and provide complete birth and parental details.
Submit the form and identification documents for screening. The screener will check whether the request is complete and whether the requester is legally allowed to obtain the document.
Pay the prescribed fee. The current PSA outlet fee for a CENOMAR or Advisory on Marriages is ₱210 per copy, consisting of a processing fee and documentary stamp tax. Some outlets accept cashless payment through GCash or Maya, although a convenience charge may apply. (Philippine Statistics Authority)
Wait for release or follow the return instructions. Straightforward records may be released on the same visit, depending on the outlet and queue. Requests requiring manual verification may take several working days. Keep the official receipt and any verification or claiming slip because these may be required upon release.

Walk-in requirements at a glance

Requester	Usually required
Document owner	Appointment slip, completed form, original valid ID, photocopy of ID
Authorized representative	Representative’s valid ID, owner’s ID copy, signed authorization letter or SPA, appointment in the representative’s name
Spouse	Valid ID and proof of marriage or relationship
Parent	Valid ID; the parent should be identified in the document owner’s birth record
Adult child	Valid ID, birth certificate proving relationship, and other supporting civil-registry documents when required
Foreign national	Valid passport; Philippine immigration ID may also be accepted

How to Request an Advisory on Marriages Online

The PSA recognizes two principal online channels: PSAHelpline and PSA Serbilis. Through either service, you normally place a request under the CENOMAR or civil-status-certification category. If the PSA search finds a marriage record, the issued result may be an Advisory on Marriages.

Through PSAHelpline

Go to PSAHelpline.ph.
Select the CENOMAR service.
Indicate whether the request is for yourself or another eligible person.
Enter the document owner’s birth, parental, and civil-status details.
Provide the delivery address and contact information.
Review every entry before paying.
Pay through an available channel such as a credit or debit card, GCash, Maya, 7-Eleven, Bayad, or participating banks.
Track the request using the reference number.
Present the required valid ID when the document is delivered.

The posted PSAHelpline price is ₱420 per copy for a CENOMAR or Advisory on Marriages, inclusive of the PSA document fee, service charges, and domestic courier fee. (PSA Helpline)

For ordinary requests, delivery is generally scheduled for the next working day after PSA release in Metro Manila and within approximately three to eight working days in the provinces. Manual verification can add about seven days, while remote locations, weather, failed delivery attempts, or courier limitations can cause further delay. (PSA Helpline)

Through PSA Serbilis

You may also order through PSA Serbilis, which supports domestic and international requests.

Its published fee for a physical CENOMAR or Advisory on Marriages delivered within the Philippines is generally ₱430 per copy, with reductions for certain additional copies ordered in the same transaction. Delivery outside the Philippines costs more and depends on the destination. Check the current fee displayed before payment because partner charges and courier rates can change. (PSA Serbilis)

Can You Obtain a Digital Advisory on Marriages?

Yes. In March 2026, the PSA launched its E-Certificate Service, which includes digital versions of CENOMARs and Advisories on Marriages.

The PSA E-Certificate is delivered through a secure electronic link as a cryptographically protected PDF. According to the PSA, it carries the same legal validity as the physical PSA document and can be verified through its QR code or the official verification portal. (Philippine Statistics Authority)

Before choosing a digital copy, ask the receiving institution whether it accepts a PSA E-Certificate. Some embassies, foreign civil registries, courts, and local offices may still ask for:

A physical security-paper copy
A document issued within a particular period
A DFA Apostille
A certified translation
Both the Advisory and the corresponding marriage certificate

Requesting from Outside the Philippines

A Filipino or foreign national abroad may use PSA Serbilis, PSAHelpline’s international-access arrangement, or the PSA E-Certificate service.

PSAHelpline’s international option generally processes the document and prepares it for pickup, but the requester arranges and pays for an international courier. PSA Serbilis may offer direct international delivery, depending on the country.

For a representative in the Philippines, prepare:

A signed authorization letter or Special Power of Attorney
A clear copy of the owner’s passport or valid ID
The representative’s original valid ID
Exact details of the requested document
The number of copies and purpose of the request

The authorization should identify the representative, expressly authorize the request for an Advisory on Marriages or CENOMAR, state the purpose, and contain a signature matching the owner’s ID. PSA guidance permits properly signed authorization letters, although an outlet may require additional proof where identity or consent is doubtful.

When using a formal SPA executed abroad, the safest practice is to have it acknowledged before a Philippine embassy or consulate, or notarized locally and apostilled if the country is a party to the Apostille Convention. Confirm the receiving PSA outlet’s requirements before sending originals.

When an Apostille is required

An Apostille authenticates the origin of a Philippine public document for use in another Apostille Convention country. It does not certify that the information inside the document is legally correct.

The Philippines now offers a fully digital eApostille route for eligible PSA E-Certificates. However, acceptance depends on the destination country and the requesting institution. Some jurisdictions or proceedings still require paper authentication, legalization, translation, or additional consular steps. Confirm the exact format before paying for either an E-Certificate or apostille service.

What If the Marriage Does Not Appear in the Advisory?

A missing marriage does not necessarily mean the marriage never occurred or is invalid. Common reasons include:

The marriage was recently celebrated and has not yet reached the PSA database.
The solemnizing officer submitted the certificate late.
The local civil registrar has not yet endorsed the record to the PSA.
The marriage occurred abroad and no Report of Marriage was filed.
The record was indexed under a misspelled or incomplete name.
The marriage certificate is undergoing manual verification.
The local copy exists but the PSA copy has not yet been processed.

Start by contacting the local civil registrar of the city or municipality where the marriage occurred. Request a certified true copy and ask whether the record has been endorsed to the PSA.

For a marriage celebrated abroad involving a Filipino citizen, check whether a Report of Marriage was filed with the Philippine embassy or consulate having jurisdiction over the place of marriage. Reports travel through the Department of Foreign Affairs before national registration with the PSA, so appearance in the PSA database may take several months. (Philippine Embassy in Berne)

What If the Advisory Shows an Annulled or Void Marriage?

An annulled or judicially declared void marriage normally remains in the civil registry. The record should not simply disappear. Instead, the marriage certificate and related PSA records should carry an annotation showing the court judgment.

After a final court decision, the required documents generally include:

Certified copy of the decision
Certificate of Finality
Entry of Judgment, when applicable
Certificate of Registration of the court decree
Annotated local marriage certificate
Annotated PSA marriage certificate

The decree must be registered with the appropriate local civil registrar and transmitted for PSA annotation. Until this post-judgment registration is completed, a newly requested Advisory may continue to show the marriage without the proper notation.

What If There Was a Foreign Divorce?

A foreign divorce decree does not automatically alter a Philippine PSA record.

When Article 26, paragraph 2 of the Family Code applies, the foreign divorce must ordinarily be judicially recognized by a Philippine Regional Trial Court. The petitioner must prove the foreign divorce decree and the relevant foreign law as facts. After the recognition judgment becomes final and is registered, the marriage record may be annotated.

In Republic v. Manalo, G.R. No. 221029, April 24, 2018, the Supreme Court held that Article 26 may apply even when the Filipino spouse initiated the foreign divorce, provided the legal conditions for recognition are established. (Supreme Court E-Library)

An Advisory showing a marriage should therefore be submitted together with the annotated marriage certificate and judicial-recognition documents when an embassy or agency asks for proof of the person’s present capacity to remarry.

What If the Advisory Contains an Error or Another Person’s Marriage?

Do not ignore a marriage record that you believe belongs to someone else. This can affect visa applications, benefits, marriage-license applications, estate proceedings, and background checks.

Take these steps:

Compare the Advisory with the person’s PSA birth certificate and IDs.
Obtain the marriage certificate corresponding to the questioned entry, if legally permitted.
Ask the PSA outlet to place the request under manual verification.
Present documents showing the correct birth date, birthplace, parents, and full name.
Contact the local civil registrar that registered the marriage.
Request the applicable administrative or judicial correction procedure.

Clerical or typographical errors may sometimes be corrected under Republic Act No. 9048, as amended by Republic Act No. 10172. Substantial changes affecting identity, filiation, nationality, marital status, or the validity of a marriage generally require a court proceeding rather than a simple administrative correction.

Common Mistakes That Cause Delay

Entering a married surname when the PSA record is indexed under the birth surname
Omitting the mother’s maiden name
Using a nickname instead of the registered first name
Giving an incomplete birthplace
Booking an appointment in the document owner’s name when a representative will appear
Presenting an authorization letter that does not identify the specific document
Submitting an unsigned letter or an ID copy with an unreadable name or signature
Assuming a foreign divorce automatically removed the Philippine marriage record
Ordering only an Advisory when the receiving institution also requires the marriage certificate
Waiting until immediately before a visa, wedding, or court deadline

Request the document early, particularly where an old, late-registered, foreign, or disputed marriage may require manual verification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did I receive an Advisory on Marriages when I ordered a CENOMAR?

The PSA search found at least one marriage record matching the identity information you submitted. Instead of certifying that no marriage exists, the PSA issued an Advisory showing the record found.

Can I specifically request an Advisory on Marriages online?

Yes. Online systems commonly process the request through the CENOMAR or civil-status-certification service. The resulting document depends on whether the PSA database finds a marriage record.

How much does an Advisory on Marriages cost?

At a PSA CRS outlet, the standard fee is currently ₱210 per copy. PSAHelpline lists ₱420 per copy with domestic delivery and service charges. PSA Serbilis generally lists ₱430 per copy for domestic delivery. Verify the displayed amount before paying because partner and courier charges may change.

How long does it take?

An uncomplicated walk-in request may be released on the same visit, depending on the outlet. Online delivery commonly takes several working days after PSA processing. Manual verification, provincial delivery, foreign delivery, name discrepancies, and older records can extend the timeline.

Does an Advisory on Marriages expire?

There is no general law giving every Advisory a fixed expiration date. However, it reports the database search as of its issuance date. Embassies and other institutions often require a recently issued copy—commonly within three or six months. Follow the receiving institution’s rule.

Republic Act No. 11909 provides permanent validity for PSA birth, death, and marriage certificates, but an Advisory is a status-search certification rather than the individual marriage certificate covered by that law. (Lawphil)

Can my fiancé request my Advisory on Marriages?

Not merely because you are engaged. Your fiancé generally needs proper written authorization and must satisfy the PSA’s identification and privacy requirements.

Can a foreigner obtain an Advisory on Marriages?

Yes, if the PSA has a Philippine marriage record or other searchable record under the foreign national’s identity. The foreign national should provide a valid passport and complete birth and parental details. A foreigner cannot freely request another person’s record without authorization or legal authority.

Does an Advisory prove that someone is still legally married?

Not conclusively. It proves that the PSA search located a marriage record. Present legal status may depend on a spouse’s death, an annulment or nullity judgment, a recognized foreign divorce, annotation status, or another legal event.

Will an annulled marriage disappear from the Advisory?

Usually not. Civil-registry records are preserved. The proper result is an annotation reflecting the final judgment, not deletion of the historical marriage entry.

Can I use an Advisory instead of a marriage certificate?

Only when the receiving institution accepts it. An Advisory summarizes the marriage records found under one person, while a marriage certificate provides the complete registered details of one marriage.

Key Takeaways

An Advisory on Marriages is issued when the PSA finds one or more marriage records under a person’s identity.
It is different from both a CENOMAR and an individual marriage certificate.
A walk-in request generally requires a free PSA appointment, a completed application form, valid ID, and a ₱210 fee per copy.
Authorized representatives need clear written authority and identification documents for both the owner and representative.
Online requests are available through PSAHelpline, PSA Serbilis, and the PSA E-Certificate service.
A missing marriage may be caused by delayed registration, non-endorsement, name discrepancies, or an unfiled Report of Marriage.
Annulment, nullity, widowhood, or foreign divorce does not automatically erase the marriage record.
Always check whether the receiving embassy, court, or agency requires a recent copy, an annotated marriage certificate, an Apostille, or additional supporting documents.