Zamboanga City - Obtain Baptismal Certificate

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Procedure

This procedure explains various ways to Obtain Baptismal Certificate in Zamboanga City.

Apply In Person

1. Here are the procedures on how you can obtain a copy of a Baptismal Certificate. The certificate can only be obtained from the parish where the child/you were christened. You can file the request yourself or you can have your parents or legal guardian submit it on your behalf.
2. To start the application process, visit the Parish Office of the church where the child/you were baptized.
3. Ask where you can get a copy of the application or request form.
4. When completing the form, you will need to provide your name or the name of the child and the date when the baptism was held. Now, you may not be sure of the exact date, it's all right, but you need to at least provide the year. Because most churches, specially the old ones, they don't keep their records on a database, their record keeping is done manually so they will have to go through their physical records to look for your baptism record. By providing even just the year or the month would make it easier for them to locate your files.
5. Also, you need to indicate in your request or your application the reason why you need a Baptismal Certificate. For example, if you need the certificate to get married in a church, you need to inform the parish office staff, so that they can put an annotation to the certificate “FOR MARRIAGE PURPOSES ONLY” before they release the certificate to you.
6. Once you have completed the form, submit it and pay the certificate fee.
7. The amount of time it takes to process a request varies per parish. You may be asked by the parish staff to come back the next day or after a couple of days to collect your certificate.
8. To receive the certificate, present official receipt and proof of identity.
9. Before you leave the parish office with your certificate, make sure that you check your document first and see if all the details are correct.

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Required Documents

1. Completed application or request form
2. Authorization letter - for your representative (if applicable)
3. Proof of identity - valid ID
4. If the parish office is having difficulty locating your files, you may also be asked to submit proof that the baptism really took place in the church. In this case you may present pictures that was taken during baptism as your proof.

Office Locations & Contacts

Archdiocese of Manila
Telefax: 527-3962
Cellphone No.: 0923-5136188
Email Address: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RCAMAO/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rcamaoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rcamaoc

Directory of the Archdiocese of Manila

Archdiocese of Cebu
Email Address
[email protected]

Directory of the Archdiocese of Cebu

Find a Catholic church

Eligibility

The following may request a copy of a Baptismal Certificate:

• The child or the person named in the certificate
• The child's parents or legal guardian

Fees

• Varies per parish

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

• The amount of time it takes to process a request varies per parish.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
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Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
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sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
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e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

• Baptismal certificates can only be obtained from the parish where the child/you were christened. You can file the request yourself or you can have your parents or legal guardian submit it on your behalf.
• If the reason why you are requesting a Baptismal Certificate is because you are planning to get married in a church, make sure to mention this in your application so that the parish office staff can properly annotate your certificate. Also, some churches requires the issue date of the certificate not more than three (3) months before the date of the wedding. That means you may not use the baptism certificate that was issued to you so many years ago, you need a new one.

Required Information

• Place and date of baptism. If you are not sure of the exact date, it's all right, but you need to at least provide the year or an approximate year when the baptism was held. This will make locating your file a lot easier and faster.
• Name on the certificate

Need for the Document

• A Baptismal Certificate is a document issued by the parish where and when you were baptized. The certificate also mentions who the minister-in-charge (priest) was, and who are the child's godfathers (ninongs) and godmothers (ninangs).
• Baptismal Certificates are often required in the following cases:
  • When you enroll your child in a faith-based school. Baptismal certificate is often needed because there are some schools that includes religious subjects in their curriculum and performs religious rites that requires student participation. Knowing that the child's beliefs are aligned with the school is important and may determine whether the child will be allowed to enroll or not.
  • When you decide to get married in a church (often in a catholic church), the parish where you would like your marital rites to held will need to check first if you are a member. By presenting your baptismal certificate this proves that you are indeed baptized as a catholic.

Information which might help

• If you will be using the Baptismal Certificate for wedding purposes specially those to be held in a catholic church. Properly time the date when you will be obtaining your certificate to the date of your wedding. All Catholics must produce an updated Baptismal Certificate that has been issued recently, usually within three to six months from the day of the wedding.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Directory of Catholic churches in the Philippines

Others

More information which might help people in Zamboanga City can be listed here.