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.
The short answer is: Yes, you can remarry, but it is not an automatic process.
The Essential Requirement: Judicial Recognition
Unfortunately, a foreign divorce paper is not self-executing in the Philippines.
Once the court issues a Finality of Judgment, you can then annotate your marriage record at the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Eligibility for Remarriage After Foreign Divorce
According to the Family Code, the primary condition for recognition is that one of the parties must be an alien (a non-Filipino citizen) at the time the divorce was obtained.
Mixed Marriages: Where a Filipino is married to a foreigner, and the foreigner obtains a valid divorce abroad.
remarry after foreign divorce philippines Filipinos who have acquired foreign citizenship and subsequently divorced their spouse.
Note: If both parties were Filipino citizens at the time of the divorce, the Philippine government generally will not recognize the decree, even if it was obtained in a foreign court.
The Legal Steps to Getting remarry after foreign divorce philippines Remarried
To ensure a smooth transition to your new life, follow these general steps:
Hire a Lawyer: remarry after foreign divorce philippines You will need a Philippine-based attorney to file a Petition for Judicial remarry after foreign divorce philippines Recognition in the Regional Trial Court.
Prepare your documents, including the remarry after foreign divorce philippines divorce certificate and an official copy of the foreign country's divorce laws.
Ensure all foreign-issued papers are properly Apostilled for legal use in the Philippines.
Court Proceedings: Your lawyer will present evidence to prove the validity of the divorce.
After winning the case, the final step is updating your marriage certificate with a "divorced" annotation.
Conclusion
While the process may seem daunting, it is the only legal way to ensure your next marriage is valid and protected under Philippine law.