Use this resource hub to distinguish annulment, declaration of nullity, legal separation and separation in fact, then move to the focused guide that matches your question.
Start with the legal remedy—not the label
These terms are not interchangeable. The correct route depends on the legal status of the marriage, the available ground, the supporting facts and evidence, and the legal result being sought. A church process is also separate from the civil process that determines marital status under Philippine law.
| Your question | Where to begin |
|---|---|
| What is the difference among annulment, nullity and legal separation? | Read the complete comparison guide. |
| Was the marriage legally invalid from the beginning? | Begin with declaration of nullity and the specific ground that may apply. |
| Was the marriage valid but potentially voidable? | Begin with annulment, its limited statutory grounds and applicable filing rules. |
| Do the spouses need to live separately without ending the marriage bond? | Begin with legal separation and its legal effects; legal separation does not permit remarriage. |
| Are children, support or property the immediate issue? | Use the related custody, support and property hubs below alongside the remedy guide. |
| Was there a foreign divorce or a foreign spouse? | Go to Foreign Divorce and International Families. |
Decision pathway
Marriage status → potentially available remedy → statutory ground → supporting facts and evidence → Family Court procedure → effects on status, children and property → registration and next step.
Featured guides
- Annulment vs. nullity vs. legal separation
- Psychological incapacity under Article 36
- Legal separation: grounds, process and effects
Annulment, nullity and separation guides
These guides are pulled automatically from the Annulment, Nullity and Separation category. Future articles will appear here when published and assigned to the category.
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What Is the Current Status of the Absolute Divorce Bill in the Philippines?
The House passed an absolute divorce bill in 2024, but it lapsed when the Senate never voted. Here’s exactly where the bill stands now, and what options exist today.
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Can a Serious, Incurable Sexually Transmissible Disease Be Grounds for Annulment in the Philippines?
Philippine law does not require a spouse to prove their partner hid anything to seek an annulment over a serious sexually transmissible disease — a disease present at the wedding, on its own, can be enough. But this ground is easy to confuse with a related, differently-defined one that does require proof of concealment, and…
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Is Physical Incapacity (Impotence) a Valid Ground for Annulment in the Philippines?
Physical incapacity to consummate a marriage can be grounds for annulment under Article 45(5) of the Family Code, but Philippine courts presume potency, require strong evidence, and the deadline is only five years from the marriage.
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What Kinds of Fraud Are Grounds for Annulment in the Philippines Under Article 46?
Article 46 of the Family Code lists only four kinds of fraud that can void a marriage: an undisclosed conviction, concealed pregnancy, a concealed STD, or concealed addiction, alcoholism, or homosexuality/lesbianism. Here is what qualifies and what does not.
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Can Force, Intimidation, or Undue Influence Be Grounds for Annulment in the Philippines?
Philippine law allows annulment when a spouse’s consent to marry was obtained through force, intimidation, or undue influence — but the legal standard is narrower than family pressure or a “shotgun wedding,” and the five-year deadline runs from when the coercion ended, not the wedding date.
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Is Lack of Parental Consent (Ages 18 to 21) a Ground for Annulment in the Philippines?
Marrying between 18 and 21 without parental consent makes a marriage voidable under Article 45(1) of the Family Code — but only certain people can sue, only within strict deadlines, and the right can be lost through ratification.
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Is Unsound Mind a Valid Ground for Annulment in the Philippines?
Marrying while of unsound mind can make a Philippine marriage voidable under Article 45(2). Learn the legal test, who may file, the deadline rule, and how the ground is lost.
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Is Abandonment a Ground for Annulment in the Philippines? What the Law Actually Says
Abandonment is not one of the six Family Code grounds for annulment. See why it is a legal-separation ground instead, the faster property remedy it triggers, and how it differs from presumptive death.
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Is Adultery a Ground for Annulment in the Philippines? What the Law Actually Says
Many people searching for a way out of a marriage after a spouse’s affair assume that the affair itself is the legal ground they need. Under Philippine law, it is not. Article 45 of the Family Code lists only six specific causes for annulling a marriage, and adultery or infidelity is not one of them.…
What a focused guide should help you check
- The legal remedy and the exact statutory ground being considered
- The facts, records, testimony and other evidence relevant to that ground
- The correct Family Court procedure and required participation of government counsel
- Possible effects on marital status, children, support, property and inheritance
- The court decision, finality, civil-registry annotations and next steps
Latest annulment, nullity and separation guides
These related guides are ordered by publication date, with the newest guidance first.
Can Annulment Lawyer Fees Be Paid via Installment or Milestone Plans in the Philippines?
Yes, installment and milestone payment for annulment lawyer fees is legal in the Philippines. See what the Rules of Court and CPRA require, what to put in
Read guide
Do Both Spouses Need to Agree to an Annulment? Uncontested and In Absentia Cases in the Philippines
Philippine law never lets a court grant an annulment based on the spouses’ agreement alone. Learn what “uncontested” really means, why de
Read guide
How Long Does Each Stage of an Annulment Take in the Philippines?
Philippine annulment procedure fixes exact day-count deadlines for some steps (answering, collusion investigation, reconsideration, appeal, registration) b
Read guide
Do Annulment Costs Differ in Metro Manila vs. the Provinces?
Court and filing fees for annulment are fixed nationwide under Rule 141 — they do not change by region. Here is what is actually fixed by law and what genu
Read guide
The Cost of a Psychological Evaluation and Expert Witness Testimony in a Philippine Annulment Case
What actually drives the cost of a psychological evaluation and expert witness testimony in an Article 36 case, and whether it’s still legally requir
Read guide
Court Filing Fees and Other Court Costs in a Philippine Annulment or Nullity Case
What the sheriff’s fee, motion fees, filing/docket fees, and certification fees actually cover in a Philippine annulment or nullity case — and why th
Read guideRelated family-law resource hubs
- Marriage in the Philippines
- Children, Custody and Parental Authority
- Child Support and Family Obligations
- Property, Money and Spousal Rights
- Family Documents and Legal Procedures
- Foreign Divorce and International Families