The legal landscape of marriage and its dissolution for Filipinos living overseas is often complex and filled with questions.
A common scenario occurs when a couple is married in the philippines but divorced in the us. Under the Civil Code, Philippine laws regarding family status follow Filipino citizens wherever they go.
The Critical Requirement: Judicial Recognition
For those who were married in the Philippines and later divorced in the US, the foreign judgment does not automatically change your civil status at the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The legal basis for this is found in the second paragraph of Article 26 of the Family Code of the Philippines. The law states that if a Filipino is married to a foreigner and a valid divorce is obtained abroad, the Filipino spouse shall also have the capacity to remarry.
Specific Cases: Australia, Canada, and Japan
This legal framework isn't limited to American decrees.
Australian Divorce Recognition: Australian "no-fault" divorces are recognizable, but you must submit an authenticated copy of the decree and the relevant Australian law.
Divorce in canada recognized in philippines : For Filipinos in Canada, the process involves proving that the divorce is final and effective under Canadian law.
Divorce in japan recognized in philippines : Recent Supreme Court rulings have confirmed that Japanese administrative divorces are recognizable.
Filing for Divorce as a Filipino Citizen
A common question is: can a divorce in us but married in the philippines filipino file divorce abroad? However, for that divorce to be recognized in the Philippines, at least one of the spouses must have been a foreign citizen (or a naturalized citizen of that foreign country) at the time the divorce was finalized.
Final Thoughts
Navigating the complexities of being married in the philippines and divorced in the us (or elsewhere) requires patience and legal expertise.