Legal Guide to Remarrying in the Philippines After a Foreign Divorce

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.

The Essential Requirement: Judicial Recognition
To be legally recognized, the foreign decree must undergo a process called Judicial Recognition of Foreign Divorce.

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?
This covers two main scenarios:

A marriage between a Filipino and a foreign national where the remarry after foreign divorce philippines 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 remarry after foreign divorce philippinesremarry after foreign divorce philippines at the exact moment the divorce decree was issued.

Step-by-Step Process to Regain Capacity to Remarry
remarry after foreign divorce philippines To ensure a smooth transition to your new life, follow these general steps:

Engaging a competent lawyer is the first step in filing the remarry after foreign divorce philippines 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.

After winning the case, the final step is updating your marriage certificate with a "divorced" annotation.

Moving Forward
By securing a Judicial Recognition, you clear the path for a new beginning without any legal clouds hanging over your future.