Divorce is not allowed in the Philippines and divorce secured anywhere by a Filipino is not recognized in this jurisdiction.We already have a number of discussions on this (read more here and here). In certain instances, however, a divorce validly secured abroad by a non-Filipino may be recognized here in the Philippines.
What are circumstances that would make Article (Family Code) applicable?
We have a basic discussion on Article 26 of the Family Code (click here: Divorce and Annulment in the Philippines). Included in that discussion are the two elements that must be shown before the second paragraph of Article 26 is applied:
- There is a valid marriage that has been celebrated between a Filipino citizen and a foreigner; and
- A valid divorce is obtained abroad by the alien spouse capacitating him or her to remarry.
Is this provision applicable to former Filipinos?
Yes. See the discussion here.
This law provides that the divorce must be secured by the foreigner-spouse. What if the foreigner-spouse continually maltreats the Filipino/Filipina spouse, isn’t it unfair that the Filipino/Filipina can’t initiate divorce?
It may be unfair, but that’s the law, consistent with the State’s policy of not allowing divorce for Filipinos. This doesn’t mean, however, that the Filipino/Filipina has no other recourse. If the circumstances fall under the grounds for annulment/declaration of nullity, then the marriage could still be annulled or declared null and void from the beginning.
If there’s already a divorce validly secured abroad (by the foreigner-spouse or the Filipino spouse who became a foreign citizen, losing his/her Filipino citizenship in the process), can the Filipino spouse immediately remarry?
No. The existence of a valid divorce decree, however, does not automatically entitle the Filipino to remarry in the Philippines. The foreign divorce decree must be judicially recognized in the Philippines. This means that the proper action or petition must be filed in a Philippine court. For purposes of re-marriage, the divorce validly secured abroad is not automatically recognized here in the Philippines.
Isn’t it enough that I already forwarded the divorce decree to the Philippine Embassy (or the Department of Foreign Affairs) and the National Statistics Office (NSO)?
No. The foreign divorce decree must be recognized here in the Philippines; a process which may only be done through the courts.
Why should we waste money in filing a petition in court for the recognition of the divorce decree?
This is the requirement of law, unfortunately. The divorce decree must be proven, just like any fact, in court. The presentation of the divorce decree is insufficient. Proof of its authenticity and due execution must be presented. This necessarily entails proving the applicable laws of the jurisdiction where the foreigner-spouse (who could be a former Filipino) is a national. One of the requirements under Article 26 is that the decree of divorce must be valid according to the national law of the foreigner.
Hello i was married in the Philippines to a japanese man year 2002.we divorced yr 2007.now could i use my divorced paper that i got in japan and it translated in japan embassy for applying fiancee visa in the USA.or i need to recognized my divorced here in the philippines before im applying my fiancee visa thanks
Marriage between a Filipina and a U.S. citizen took place in the Philippines. However, when marriage happens, the U.S. citizen’s previous marriage was not yet final in the Unites States. Under Philippine law, was their marriage void? Can you site a particular article on the Family Code of the Philippine that say so?
Thanks a lot for your prompt response.
Atty. Fred, need your advise. My Canadian fiance was divorced twice in Canada. His first marriage (as it was officiated here when he was still a Fil citizen) was filed for Judicial Recognition of Foreign Divorce here in the PH. We want to get married here in PH in October, do we need to have the second divorce filed for Recognition of Foreign Divorce here in PH as well. It was a marriage in Canada when he was already a citizen there.
hi po, about sa apply kong recognition of divorce to a foreign spouse. mag 2 years na po ang waiting ko nkapag down payment na po ako ng 150k at may balance pa na 50k until now wala pa din daw po nsa census na daw po at waiting ng verification tumagal daw po kasi nilipat ng court full out daw po sa bulacan at nilipat sa san juan tapos na daw po ang decision na endorsed sa census at waiting na ng result . ang tanong ko po paano po ba malaman kung totoo or na fake ako? sana po mapansin nyo ang letter ko salamat po
may question po ako.. may anak po ako sa american father.. 7 years old na po ung bata.. nirecognized po nya ung bata sa birth certificate.. sabi nya sa kin divorced na raw po cila nung filipina wife nya sa u.s…but im not sure… kasi hanggang ngaun wala naman xa binabanggit kung may balak b nya akong pakasalan.. mahal na maha ko po xa kaya nagtiis ng walong taon…. i devoted myself to him and to our son… tapo nalaman ko nalang po na may iba pala xang babae pinagsabay sabay nya po kami. masaklap paiba iba babae nya. mula po pregnancy ko hanggang ngaun 10k lang po ung binibigay nyang support.. pinapadagdagan ko at kailangan sa pagpapatherapy ng anak ko pero ayaw po nyang magbigay ng dagda. basta nakafix na sa 10 tapos nalaman ko na nagbibigay pla xa ng support sa mga babae nya.. may rights po ba ako magdemand ng dagdag support sa bata? para naman po sa needs ng bata gagamitin. anu po pwede ko gawin pag nagrefuse xa?
may tanong pa po ako… nung nagdivorced daw po ung american husband at filipina wife sa u.s nung 2012 sabi daw po nung girl na pag nalaman nyang ibang babae ang dahilan ng pag divorced nila kakasuhan daw nya ung american guy ng adultery dito sa pilipinas at pwede nya makuha lahat ng ari arian nung lalaki, pwede po b un e divorced na po cila ngaun?
attrny im divorce na already dito sa japan pero sa pilipinas di pa ako single pano po ang dapat kong gawin? bakit po hindi ako pwed masingle sa pilipinas kong dito nga sa japan single na ako bakit po ganun pwed ko naman po pakita ang certificare of divorce ko..yung dati ko pong asawa single okay na papel nya pero ako till now apelyido pa rin nya gamit ko po?ang hirap po sa katulad kong divorce na nga po dito tapos gamit gamit ko pa apelyido ng dati kong asawa help me po attrny.. maraming salamat po
HELLO PO,
ASK KO LANG PO.
MAY KAIBIGAN PO AKONG KASAL PO NG ISANG KOREAN BEFORE DITO PINAS TAPOS PUMUNTA NA SILA DITO NG KOREA. AFTER 9 YEARS MORE SA KANILANG PAGSASAMA AY HINIWALAYAN PO SIYA THRU COURT AT DIVORCE NA PO SILA NGAYON. AT CITIZEN NA RIN PO.ANG TANONG KO PO, PWEDE NA PO BA SIYANG MAG-ASAWA RITO SA KOREA? PAANO PO ANG STATUS NG KASAL NIYA SA PINAS?
hi atty. my divorce paper po akong hawak .married po ako sa korean 2010 at nag divorced po kami 2011 sa korea ano po gagawin ko para maging single po ako ulit at ano po gagawin ko po sa divorced paper na hawak ko ngayon ? pero naka korean po xa nd po nka english . Thanks po
Hello po Atty.! Magandang Buhay!
Tanong lang po. My bestfriend girl had a relation to a man who was married by civil. matagal na nagkahiwalay ang kanyang nobyo sa kanyang asawa na mga pitong taon na po. Nasa visayas ang asawa ng kanyang nobyo at ang nobyo nya ay nasa mindanao. Ano po ba kailangan o dapat gawin, dahil po gusto nila makasal at magsama. Pwede po ba na makasal sila kahit kasal na sa civil ang kanyang nobyo noong 2004? Di po ako makasagot sa tanong ng besty ko kaya po ako na lang nagtanong dito.
ATTY. are foreigners allowed to file a case for ‘RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN DIVORCE” anywhere in PHILS.?as he was previously married to a Filipina there in PASAY CITY and then they got divorce in CANADA.We been consulting many lawyers already and they have different opinion about it and its puzzles as a lot we don’t want to waste our time and money and just in ended up dismiss by the court here.
Please help us to light up what we should do and what are the documents needed in filing the case,we already authenticated his documents in his embassy as well as in dfa infact we already filed it in manila[civil registrar office]….thank you in advance….
What if both the filipino spouse and alien wife jointly filed for a divorce.. can the filipino have it recognized here
Atty. Fred,
Ask ko lang po, kung nagfile po ng Petition under Rule 108 and in the proceedings dun po ipaparecognize yung decree of divorce, tulad po ng sinabi sa Corpuz v. Sto. Tomas case, san po ang venue kung ang kasal ay sa foreign country?
I have a question.If the US citizen husband who get married here in the Philippines divorce a Filipina via publication,can a Filipina wife still file for annulment or she really needs the divorce paper from the spouse to file a decree of divorce for foreign recognition?