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.
The short answer is: Yes, you can remarry, but it is not an automatic process.
Understanding Judicial Recognition of Foreign Divorce
This is a court process where a Philippine judge validates the foreign judgment.
This legal step is mandatory because Philippine courts do not automatically take "judicial notice" of foreign laws or foreign judgments.
Are You Eligible to Remarry?
This covers two main scenarios:
Mixed Marriages: Where a Filipino is married to a foreigner, and the foreigner obtains a valid remarry after foreign divorce philippines divorce abroad.
Filipinos who have acquired foreign citizenship and subsequently divorced their 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 remarry after foreign divorce philippines a foreign court.
The Legal remarry after foreign divorce philippines Steps to Getting Remarried
Here is the typical roadmap for legalizing your foreign divorce in the Philippines:
Engaging a competent lawyer is the first step in filing the necessary petition.
Prepare your documents, including the 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.
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 remarry after foreign divorce philippines the Local Civil Registrar.
Moving Forward
By securing a Judicial Recognition, you clear the path for a new beginning without any legal clouds hanging over your future.