CONSULAR ADVISORY NO. LTC- 001- 2009 SUBJECT : DIVORCE DECREE ISSUED BY FOREIGN COURTS Please be reminded that divorce is not allowed in the Philippines and divorce secured anywhere by a Filipino is not recognized in the Philippines except in the case of a marriage between a Filipino citizen and a foreigner and a divorce is thereafter validly obtained abroad by the alien spouse.

Consequently, the Filipino spouse can remarry under Philippine law. However, before a subsequent marriage can be performed, the following guidelines shall be followed in the annotation of the foreign issued divorce decree with the Office of the Civil Registrar General, Philippines. 1. The foreign divorce decree must be judicially enforced in the Philippines by filing the proper civil action at the Philippine Regional Trial Court 2. The divorce decree must be proven in court. Proof of its authenticity and due execution must be presented. 3. The court decision shall be registered in the Local Civil Registry Office. 4. The registered document shall be submitted to the Local Civil Registrar where the affected civil registry documents (birth, marriages, etc.) are registered. The decision of the Philippine Court is the basis for the annotation of the divorce decree issued by the Foreign Court. (signed) LUIS T. CRUZ Ambassador