Annulments in the Philippines
The Philippines and Vatican City are the only countries/places in the world that do not have divorce laws. Therefore, in order for a previously married Filipino person, whose spouse is still alive, to be able to marry again is to get a legal civil annulment.
If an annulment is what you require then it is best to have an idea of what the process is in order to be prepared as much as possible. We at Olvis, the Immigration, Visa and Travel Experts in the Philippines, cannot offer legal advice as we are not lawyers, however based on our knowledge and experience with assisting personnel with marriage, immigration and visa matters, we would like to explain the generally-accepted process of civil annulment.
Step 1 is to consult with and hire an attorney. An attorney’s fees for an annulment can range from 70,000 pesos (approximately 1,600 USD) to 120,000 pesos (approximately 2,700 USD). One should be careful to ensure the hiring of an actual certified lawyer as there are many people in the Philippines that will offer to handle the annulment quickly for a larger amount of money, but in fact will most likely do nothing or come back with reasons why they need a little more money and time.
The time it takes to complete the annulment process is another non-exact amount. This will depend on the talent and abilities of the lawyer as well as the court schedules. The time can be from 6 months to 4 years for an uncontested annulment case (when the spouse does not show up in court) depending on the availability of witnesses, custody of children or property issues to name a few. If the spouse does appear and any issues are contested then it may take even longer.
In order to ensure things stay on track and get accomplished it is important to frequently follow up with your lawyer.
Step 2 is to document the relationship and marital history from beginning to end. It should include a detailed description of the circumstances in which the couple first met, the relationship after marriage and details of separation and end of the relationship.
Chapter 3: Void and Voidable Marriages of Executive Order 209 (The Family Code of the Philippines) describes the conditions of which a marriage may be invalid from the start and/or become voidable after the marriage in Articles 35 through 44.
Article 45 of Chapter 3 states that a marriage may be annulled for any of the following causes, existing at the time of the marriage:
(1) That the party in whose behalf it is sought to have the marriage annulled was eighteen years of age or over but below twenty-one, and the marriage was solemnized without the consent of the parents, guardian or person having substitute parental authority over the party, in that order, unless after attaining the age of twenty-one, such party freely cohabited with the other and both lived together as husband and wife;
(2) That either party was of unsound mind, unless such party after coming to reason, freely cohabited with the other as husband and wife;
(3) That the consent of either party was obtained by fraud, unless such party afterwards, with full knowledge of the facts constituting the fraud, freely cohabited with the other as husband and wife;
(4) That the consent of either party was obtained by force, intimidation or undue influence, unless the same having disappeared or ceased, such party thereafter freely cohabited with the other as husband and wife;
(5) That either party was physically incapable of consummating the marriage with the other, and such incapacity continues and appears to be incurable; or
(6) That either party was afflicted with a sexually-transmissible disease found to be serious and appears to be incurable.
Psychological Incapacity is commonly used in the Philippines as grounds for an annulment and is covered in Article 36 of the Family Code.
Step 3 is the psychological evaluation process. The person filing the annulment must undergo a psychological evaluation. Your lawyer can recommend a psychologist/psychiatrist to conduct the evaluation and be a witness in court. The evaluation may cost from 15,000 pesos to as high as 40,000 pesos. This may or may not include an appearance in court fee. Frequently these fees are included in the attorneys initial fee, be sure to ask.
Step 4 is for the lawyer to draft and file the petition, which the requesting party must sign, with the court system. Once filed, the case will be assigned to a branch of the Regional Trial Court. The non-filing spouse will then be notified by summons to answer the petition within a number of days from receipt of the summons.
Collusion of marriage is when both parties agree to file an annulment. This will be investigated by a public prosecutor that is assigned to the court and will be asked to determine if the parties involved are conspiring to file a case. Collusion – mutually agreed-upon separation – is not an acceptable condition and will result in a dismissal of the annulment petition.
Once the case goes to trial witnesses will be called that normally includes the petitioning party, a corroborating witness (who knew the couple and what happened to the marriage), and the psychologist who will testify on the evaluation made. Questions will also be asked by the public prosecutor representing the Government.
At the completion of the trial the case is then submitted for a decision. This may take 90 days or more.
Note: The presence of the non-filing spouse at the trial is not required. In fact, in the majority of annulment proceedings the non-filing spouse does not participate at all. This actually makes the process faster as there is no need for questioning the non-filing spouse or their witnesses.
Disclaimer: The information above provided by Olvis, the Immigration, Visa and Travel Experts in the Philippines, is for informational purposes only as we strive to assist our customers as best we can and in no way should be construed as actual legal advice.
I think you guys are thinking that I am an attorney. I am not and cannot give legal advice. However abuse is grounds for annulment but it needs to have police reports to prove you should really contact an attorney. If your lady is in the Cebu area we can refer you to a really outstanding experienced and highly respected one here in Cebu City
This attorney is highly respected and very good, she has a great reputation this is why we use her always
-Atty. Kim Grace Mendoza
MENDOZA LEE Law Offices
Skype ID : kim.grace.mendoza
Viber: 639228348060
SUITE 3E JL Building, Don Jose Avila St. Capitol Site Cebu City 6000 Philipppines
(at the back of Bo’s Coffee-Capitol Branch, across Cebu Doctors Hospital)
Tel.# (6332) 5112619 Smart Cel # (63)9088891964 Globe Cel # (63) 9165297428
Sun Cel # (63) 9228348060 Fax # (6332) 2660516
You should call your attorney and ask him, there is no way that I would know anything about your case?
Is an extra marital affair and dissertation grounds for an annulment, in the Philippenes?
Not really any grounds at all but there could be other circumstances, you should contact an attorney, Here is the info on a very good highly respected attorney that we use all the time.tty. Kim Grace Mendoza
MENDOZA LEE Law Offices
Skype ID : kim.grace.mendoza
Viber: 639228348060
SUITE 3E JL Building, Don Jose Avila St. Capitol Site Cebu City 6000 Philipppines
(at the back of Bo’s Coffee-Capitol Branch, across Cebu Doctors Hospital)
Tel.# (6332) 5112619 Smart Cel # (63)9088891964 Globe Cel # (63) 9165297428
Sun Cel # (63) 9228348060 Fax # (6332) 2660516
How about if the partner abandoned his family and no communication at all, no support to the children, is this grounds for annulment?
You Are asking questions that only an attorney that talks to you and gets all of the details can answer your questions. We are not attorneys and do not give legal advice however I will give to name of the attorney we use
you should contact an attorney, Here is the info on a very good highly respected attorney that we use all the time.Atty. Kim Grace Mendoza
MENDOZA LEE Law Offices
Skype ID : kim.grace.mendoza
Viber: 639228348060
SUITE 3E JL Building, Don Jose Avila St. Capitol Site Cebu City 6000 Philipppines
(at the back of Bo’s Coffee-Capitol Branch, across Cebu Doctors Hospital)
Tel.# (6332) 5112619 Smart Cel # (63)9088891964 Globe Cel # (63) 9165297428
Sun Cel # (63) 9228348060 Fax # (6332) 2660516
How about if the partner previously cheated on? Could this be useful for annulment? Or other thing is that both parties were forced to marry because the girl was pregnant and the parents requested for it?
I understand that you do not understand what I am trying to tell you BUT WE Are NOT ATTORNEYS and you are asking questions that we cannot answer see below.
We are not attorneys and do not give legal advice however I will give to name of the attorney we use
you should contact an attorney, Here is the info on a very good highly respected attorney that we use all the time.Atty. Kim Grace Mendoza
MENDOZA LEE Law Offices
Skype ID : kim.grace.mendoza
Viber: 639228348060
SUITE 3E JL Building, Don Jose Avila St. Capitol Site Cebu City 6000 Philipppines
(at the back of Bo’s Coffee-Capitol Branch, across Cebu Doctors Hospital)
Tel.# (6332) 5112619 Smart Cel # (63)9088891964 Globe Cel # (63) 9165297428
Sun Cel # (63) 9228348060 Fax # (6332) 2660516
How long the process of annulment?because my husband always hurting me in physically and he always treat me that he can kill me in anytime,and he want to kill by using a knife..and im so scared and i am getting trauma and i want to end our relationship i want to be free a again.pleasw help me…it is faster processing annulment if he always hurting me in physically and he always treating me?
You Are asking questions that only an attorney that talks to you and gets all of the details can answer your questions. We are not attorneys and do not give legal advice however I will give to name of the attorney we use
you should contact an attorney, Here is the info on a very good highly respected attorney that we use all the time.Atty. Kim Grace Mendoza
MENDOZA LEE Law Offices
Skype ID : kim.grace.mendoza
Viber: 639228348060
SUITE 3E JL Building, Don Jose Avila St. Capitol Site Cebu City 6000 Philipppines
(at the back of Bo’s Coffee-Capitol Branch, across Cebu Doctors Hospital)
Tel.# (6332) 5112619 Smart Cel # (63)9088891964 Globe Cel # (63) 9165297428
Sun Cel # (63) 9228348060 Fax # (6332) 2660516
You Are asking questions that only an attorney that talks to you and gets all of the details can answer your questions. We are not attorneys and do not give legal advice however I will give to name of the attorney we use
you should contact an attorney, Here is the info on a very good highly respected attorney that we use all the time.Atty. Kim Grace Mendoza
MENDOZA LEE Law Offices
Skype ID : kim.grace.mendoza
Viber: 639228348060
SUITE 3E JL Building, Don Jose Avila St. Capitol Site Cebu City 6000 Philippines
(at the back of Bo’s Coffee-Capitol Branch, across Cebu Doctors Hospital)
Tel.# (6332) 5112619 Smart Cel # (63)9088891964 Globe Cel # (63) 9165297428
Sun Cel # (63) 9228348060 Fax # (6332) 2660516
Paano nlang kung 9yrs na po kmi hwlay aabot pa ba ito ng 4yrs? Lalo na wla kmi communication smula 201w until now 2020
You Are asking questions that only an attorney that talks to you and gets all of the details can answer your questions. We are not attorneys and do not give legal advice however I will give to name of the attorney we use
you should contact an attorney, Here is the info on a very good highly respected attorney that we use all the time.Atty. Kim Grace Mendoza
MENDOZA LEE Law Offices
Skype ID : kim.grace.mendoza
Viber: 639228348060
SUITE 3E JL Building, Don Jose Avila St. Capitol Site Cebu City 6000 Philippines
(at the back of Bo’s Coffee-Capitol Branch, across Cebu Doctors Hospital)
Tel.# (6332) 5112619 Smart Cel # (63)9088891964 Globe Cel # (63) 9165297428
Sun Cel # (63) 9228348060 Fax # (6332) 2660516
I met this woman in the Philippines and she been separated for more than 14 years and wants to see if she can qualify for annulment
In order for her to get an annulment there are many considerations, This is a subject that needs investigation, If she is located in Cebu then we can assist her or if you give me your phone number I can call you and we can try and decide if she even has a chance before we refer you to a better authority on the subject. We are involved in many annulments and all are different.
You Are asking questions that only an attorney that talks to you and gets all of the details can answer your questions. We are not attorneys and do not give legal advice however I will give to name of the attorney we use
you should contact an attorney, Here is the info on a very good highly respected attorney that we use all the time.Atty. Kim Grace Mendoza
MENDOZA LEE Law Offices
Skype ID : kim.grace.mendoza
Viber: 639228348060
SUITE 3E JL Building, Don Jose Avila St. Capitol Site Cebu City 6000 Philippines
(at the back of Bo’s Coffee-Capitol Branch, across Cebu Doctors Hospital)
Tel.# (6332) 5112619 Smart Cel # (63)9088891964 Globe Cel # (63) 9165297428
Sun Cel # (63) 9228348060 Fax # (6332) 2660516
Hi. Interesting article. Is it possible to get an annulment in 12-18 months if the parties have agreed and will not dispute the case? Also can you recommend a lawyer who can guarantee the said annulment in the Laguna area? Thanks.
Hi There my name is Mike and I am the owner of Olvis. I think it would be much better if you gave me your phone number and a good time ( your local time) to call you to explain the process , But let me state one thing, there is no real Lawyer that can guarantee that you will get the annulment and for sure no one can guarantee the time it takes, remember this is the Philippines. I will be very happy to explain the process to you and the problems that can arise.
Regards
Mike
how many trials does it take to get judge’s decision after the collusion?
Thanking you in advance
There is no set number it all depends on each individual case. You should ask your attorney about this.
mike
Hello,
Can you recommend a good annulment lawyer in manila or panay?
Do not know any attorneys in that area only in Cebu..
Sorry