K-1 Fiancé Visa (USA)
USCIS requires CENOMAR with DFA Apostille as proof your Filipino fiancé(e) is legally single. Must be issued within 6 months of the petition.
Issued by PSA PhilippinesRequired for K-1 & Spouse VisaWe Retrieve & Ship Worldwide
Updated: April 2026
CENOMAR: What It Means and Why You Need It
CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage Record) is official PSA proof that a Filipino citizen has never been married in the Philippines.
- Stands for Certificate of No Marriage Record — issued only by PSA Philippines
- Required for K-1 fiancé visa, spouse visa pre-registration, and marriage abroad
- Must have DFA Apostille to be accepted by foreign immigration authorities
- Valid for 6 months for most immigration purposes — order at the right time
What Does CENOMAR Mean?
CENOMAR is an acronym used in the Philippines for Certificate of No Marriage Record. It is an official civil registry document issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that certifies a Filipino citizen has no marriage record on file — in other words, that the person has never been legally married in the Philippines.
If PSA finds a marriage record when processing the request, they issue an Advisory on Marriages instead, which lists the marriage details. A true CENOMAR (with "no record found") is only issued to individuals with no registered marriage.
CENOMAR is the Philippine equivalent of what some countries call a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI), Certificate of Single Status, or Affidavit of Single Status — though the PSA CENOMAR carries more legal weight as an official government record.
When Is CENOMAR Required?
Marriage registration abroad
Many countries require proof of single status before registering a marriage with a Filipino national. CENOMAR with DFA Apostille fulfills this requirement.
Spouse visa pre-registration stage
For Japan COE and some other countries, CENOMAR is required at the pre-marriage registration stage. The specific timing depends on the destination country.
CR-1 / IR-1 (if previously unmarried)
For CR-1 and IR-1 spouse visas, CENOMAR may be required depending on the case — particularly if the Filipino spouse's prior marital history needs to be established.
CENOMAR vs. Advisory on Marriages
CENOMAR
Advisory on Marriages
No marriage record found in PSA
One or more marriage records found
Proves legally single status
Lists marriage details on file
Required for K-1 and most pre-marriage applications
Used to confirm existing marriage records
Cannot be issued if a marriage record exists
Issued instead of CENOMAR when married
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ordering CENOMAR when you need a PSA Marriage Certificate
CENOMAR is for people who have never been married. If your Filipino partner is already married to you, you need a PSA Marriage Certificate — not CENOMAR.
Forgetting DFA Apostille
A PSA CENOMAR without DFA Apostille is not accepted by most foreign immigration authorities. The Apostille must be a physical paper original attached to the document.
Ordering too early
CENOMAR is valid for 6 months for most immigration purposes. If you order it before you are ready to submit, it may expire before your interview. Time it carefully.
Need CENOMAR with DFA Apostille?
We retrieve CENOMAR from PSA, arrange DFA Apostille, and ship it directly to you worldwide. No trip to the Philippines required.
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FAQ
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CENOMAR stands for Certificate of No Marriage Record. It is an official PSA Philippines document certifying a Filipino citizen has no registered marriage on file.
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CENOMAR is used as proof of single status for K-1 fiancé visa applications, marriage registration abroad, and other legal proceedings requiring proof of unmarried status.
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CENOMAR is issued exclusively by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). It cannot be obtained from any other office.
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For most immigration purposes, CENOMAR must be issued within 6 months of your submission date. Confirm the validity requirement with your specific authority.
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CENOMAR proves the person has never been married (no record found). PSA Marriage Certificate proves an existing registered marriage. K-1 applicants need CENOMAR; CR-1 applicants need a Marriage Certificate.
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Yes. We retrieve CENOMAR on your behalf from PSA in the Philippines and ship it to you worldwide with DFA Apostille. No travel required.
Related Guides
CENOMAR Retrieval Service
Order CENOMAR with DFA Apostille — retrieved from PSA and shipped worldwide.
How Long Is CENOMAR Valid?Validity periods for K-1, CR-1, and other immigration purposes.
CENOMAR vs. PSA Marriage CertificateWhich document proves what — and which one you actually need.
Document Checklist by Visa TypeFull list of Philippine documents required for each visa type.
※ This is a private document retrieval service by IGRS Inc. We are not affiliated with PSA, NBI, DFA, or any Philippine government agency.