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- How Divorce Works in Other Countries vs. the Philippines’ Annulment-Only System
The Philippines and Vatican City are the only places without civil divorce. See how the US, UK and Japan actually end marriages, and what Filipinos can do instead. - Document Checklist for Filing an Annulment or Nullity Petition in the PhilippinesThe documents you actually need before filing an annulment or nullity petition in the Philippines, the evidence that supports specific grounds, and the separate paperwork required to register a favorable decision and get your PSA marriage certificate annotated.
- Divorce for Filipino Muslims Under PD 1083: How It Differs From Civil Annulment
Filipino Muslims already have a real divorce option under PD 1083 — unlike the civil annulment system everyone else uses. Here are the seven forms of divorce, the court that handles them, and how this track differs from annulment. - Can a Foreigner Married to a Filipino Get an Annulment in the Philippines?A foreign spouse isn’t barred from filing for or facing a Philippine annulment. Here’s how jurisdiction, filing, and summons actually work — and when Article 26 fits better.
- How to Correct a PSA Marriage Certificate in the PhilippinesFind the right route for a wrong entry on a Philippine marriage certificate: RA 9048, Rule 108, records to gather, where to file, and how to verify the PSA copy.
- 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.
- Judicial Separation of Property vs. Legal Separation in the Philippines: How Do They Differ?Judicial separation of property only splits a couple’s property regime; legal separation requires a fault-based ground and carries broader consequences. Here is how the two remedies actually differ, and which one fits your situation.
- Does a Surviving Common-Law Partner Have Inheritance or Property Rights in the Philippines?
When a live-in partner dies, the surviving partner often assumes that years together, or a house bought side by side, automatically means something comes to them. Philippine law… - What Happens to Jointly-Purchased Property When a Live-In Relationship Ends in the Philippines?
Unmarried partners don’t split property 50-50 automatically. See how Family Code Articles 147 and 148 decide ownership, what proof you need, and how to partition jointly acquired property when the relationship ends. - Prenuptial Agreements in the Philippines: Marriage Settlement Requirements and Notarization
What Philippine law calls a marriage settlement (popularly a “prenuptial agreement”) must be in writing, signed by both parties, and executed before the wedding. See the Family Code Article 74-86 requirements, notarization and registration steps, and what to do if a step was missed. - Can a Married Woman Legally Use Her Maiden Name in the Philippines? IDs, Contracts and Passport RulesUsing a husband’s surname is optional under the Civil Code, not mandatory. Here is what Philippine law allows on IDs, contracts and bank accounts, and the passport rule under RA 11983: a one-time reversion to the maiden name.
- Can a 16-Year-Old Marry a 21-Year-Old in the Philippines? Legal Age and RA 11596
No one under 18 can legally marry in the Philippines, not even with parental consent. See why marriage below 18 is void, and what RA 11596’s child-marriage penalties mean for families. - How to Get a Judicial Declaration of Presumptive Death to Remarry in the PhilippinesIf your husband or wife has been missing for years and you want to remarry, Philippine law does not let you simply treat the marriage as over. Remarrying…
- What Surname Can a Child Use if the Mother Is Still Legally Married to Someone Else?
Philippine law presumes a child born to a married woman is her husband’s legitimate child, even if another man is the biological father. Here is what that means for the surname, and the real options available. - Does RA 9255 Apply Retroactively to Children Born Before 2004?Since 2023, PSA rules give RA 9255’s surname process retroactive effect for the whole Family Code period — not an unlimited one. Here is exactly what changed, what it does not cover, and how to apply it.
- How to Change an Illegitimate Child’s Surname to the Father’s Under RA 9255How RA 9255 lets an illegitimate child use the father’s surname in the Philippines: what counts as recognition, the AUSF, where to file, and what the Supreme Court says about who decides.
- Rights of Legitimate vs. Illegitimate Children in the Philippines: Inheritance, Support and Surname
A side-by-side look at how Philippine law treats legitimate and illegitimate children differently on surname and inheritance — and why child support is the one right that does not change. - How to Establish Paternity and Filiation in the Philippines Through DNA TestingHow paternity and filiation are proven in the Philippines: what Article 172 accepts as evidence, when courts order DNA testing under the Rule on DNA Evidence, and how to file a filiation petition.
- 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…
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- What Is Legitimation? How a Child Born Out of Wedlock Becomes Legitimated in the Philippines
Legitimation under the Family Code and RA 9858 is the only way a child born out of wedlock becomes legitimate in the Philippines — and it happens through one specific route. - How to Rectify a Simulated Birth Record in the Philippines Under the RA 11222 AmnestyRA 11222 lets parents who simulated a child’s birth record fix it through an administrative adoption petition with NACC, with amnesty from liability if filed within the 10-year window closing in 2029.
- Can a Foreign Stepparent Adopt Their Filipino Spouse’s Child in the Philippines?A foreign national married to a Filipino citizen can generally adopt their spouse’s legitimate child in the Philippines without first becoming a Philippine permanent resident for five years….
- Is Abandonment a Ground for Annulment in the Philippines? What the Law Actually SaysAbandonment 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.
- Is Adultery a Ground for Annulment in the Philippines? What the Law Actually SaysMany 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,…
- What Happens After an Annulment Decision: Appeal, Entry of Judgment and Registration in the Philippines
Winning — or losing — an annulment or nullity case is not the end of the story. Philippine procedure builds in a mandatory waiting period before any decision…
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