Navigating the legalities of marriage and divorce in the Philippines can be complex, especially since the country remains one of the few in the world without a domestic divorce law.
While the Philippines does not have its own divorce law, it does recognize divorces obtained abroad under specific circumstances.
The Essential Requirement: Judicial Recognition
This is a court process where a Philippine judge validates the foreign judgment.
You must prove to a Philippine court that the divorce was validly obtained under the laws of the country where it was granted.
Are You Eligible to Remarry?
There are generally two situations where this applies:
Mixed Marriages: Where a Filipino is married to a foreigner, and the foreigner obtains a valid divorce abroad.
Naturalized Citizens: Where a former Filipino citizen becomes a naturalized citizen of another country and then divorces their Filipino spouse.
Note: If both parties were Filipino citizens at the time of the divorce, remarry after foreign divorce philippines the Philippine government generally will not recognize the decree, even if it was obtained in a foreign remarry after foreign divorce philippines court.
The Legal Steps to Getting Remarried
Here is the remarry after foreign divorce philippines typical roadmap for legalizing your foreign divorce in the Philippines:
Engaging a competent lawyer is the first step in filing the necessary petition.
Gather Documents: You will need the original or certified true copy of the foreign divorce decree, proof of the foreign divorce law, and your marriage contract.
Authentication/Apostille: Foreign documents must be authenticated or Apostilled remarry after foreign divorce philippines in the country where they were issued to be admissible in Philippine courts.
The court will hold hearings to verify the facts of your case.
Annotation: Once the court grants the petition, you must register the decision with the PSA and the Local Civil Registrar.
Conclusion
Remarrying after a foreign divorce in the Philippines is a journey that remarry after foreign divorce philippines requires patience and legal expertise.