If you are a Filipino citizen who has ended a marriage abroad, you might be wondering if you are legally free to wed again in your home country.
While the Philippines does not have its own divorce law, it does recognize divorces obtained abroad under specific circumstances.
Why You Need a Court Order
Many people mistakenly believe that simply presenting a foreign divorce decree at the Local Civil Registrar is enough to update their marital status.
You must prove to a Philippine court that the divorce was validly obtained under the laws of the country where it was granted.
Who Qualifies for This Process?
There are generally two situations where this applies:
A marriage between a Filipino and a foreign national where the foreign spouse initiates the divorce.
Naturalized Citizens: Where a former Filipino citizen becomes a naturalized citizen of another country and then divorces their Filipino spouse.
It is crucial to check the citizenship status of both parties at the exact moment the divorce decree was issued.
Step-by-Step Process to Regain Capacity to Remarry
To ensure a smooth transition to your new life, follow these general steps:
Engaging a competent lawyer is the first step remarry after foreign divorce philippines in filing the necessary petition.
Prepare your documents, including the divorce certificate and an official copy of the foreign country's divorce laws.
Authentication/Apostille: Foreign documents must be authenticated or Apostilled in the country where they were issued to be admissible remarry after foreign divorce philippines in Philippine courts.
The court will hold hearings to verify the facts of your case.
After winning the case, the final remarry after foreign divorce philippines step is updating your marriage certificate with a "divorced" annotation.
Moving Forward
Remarrying after a foreign divorce in the Philippines is a remarry after foreign divorce philippines journey remarry after foreign divorce philippines that requires patience and legal expertise.