Steps in Annulment and Declaration of Nullity of Marriage

You thought you’ve found your perfect match. You thought your marriage is bound to last forever, or, at the very least, until the last breath. You’ve thought wrong, you say, and you now think of seeking legal remedy to end your marriage. Here are “steps” or suggestions in deciding whether to step out of the ring or not (for the court procedure, see Procedure in Annulment of Marriage and Declaration of Nullity of Marriage):

1. Make sure it is the last resort. As stated in a previous post, love and marriage are supposed to be forever. Try all options, like counseling, to make it work. If there’s no progress, weigh your options. On the other side of the scale is the reality that getting into another relationship or marriage, while the first marital bond is still existing, is a sure way of courting criminal liability (adultery, concubinage, bigamy). A subsequent petition for declaration of nullity/annulment of marriage is not a defense in the criminal action.

2. Realize that it will cost you. Getting out of marriage is sometimes more expensive than getting into one. Expenses include the fees for your lawyer or counsel, filing fees, professional fees for the psychiatrist or psychologist (if the ground is psychological incapacity), etc.

3. Discuss the custody of children, visitation rights, property arrangements and support. Custody over children and separation of properties in annulment are among the most bitter issues in annulment. As much as possible, discuss and agree on these matters beforehand.

4. Make sure to invoke a valid ground. Marriage is an inviolable social institution and any doubt is resolved in its favor. Hence, make sure there’s sufficient basis to go through the procedure discussed below.

5. Prescriptive period. Make sure that the petition is filed within the time provided under the law. There are separate rules for counting of the prescriptive period for each ground. [See Prescriptive Periods for Annulment of Marriage]

The procedure is provided under the Rules on Declaration of Absolute Nullity of Void Marriages and Annulment of Voidable Marriages. [See Procedure in Annulment of Marriage and Declaration of Nullity of Marriage]

Atty.Fred

309 thoughts on “Steps in Annulment and Declaration of Nullity of Marriage

  1. prosecutor josa

    Just a little clarification on the role of the State. The certification from the prosecutor that there is no collusion between the parties is different from the certification from the Solicitor-General opposing or agreeing with the petition. The former is still the prevailing requirement while the latter has already been dispensed with.

    Reply
    1. Ferdie

      Hi attorney,
      I am having a problem with my marrage now,isa po akong ofw here abroad,im still supporting my kids.nkipag hiwalay npo skin ang asawa ko but not in a legal wAy,moral pressure po.irreconcilable differences,conflicting personalities.ano pa ba ang dapat kung gawin.pwede po ba ako mag file ng de fecto.
      Maraming salamat po..
      Ferdie

    2. vnus

      Can I file go annulment if my husband is living with another girl for 5yrs now but they don’t still have a child
      And he still see my kids once a month..but me….no…we haven’t speak to each other for 4yrs.
      Noted that on the last part of me being with him he become aggressive and he beats me
      Would it a ground for annulment

    3. Lyn

      Good day di na po Kami nagkakasundo ng husband ko at nahuli ko na May babae siya. Ako na rin po ang naghahanap buhay at nagpapaaral sa 5 anak namin ako rin po ang sumasagot ng mga bills at addict pa po cya. Salamat po

    4. imellda

      bkit ganun ang gastos kpag nagpa annull..hirap ka na nga tapos lalo pang pahihirapan sa gaztos sa pag aanull ng kasL

    5. Karen

      Good day!
      Atty. Tanong ko lng po i have 3kids then my husband had already an afair s ibang babae 3 na po ang anak nila 5 years na po kami hiwalay then my kids are supported my.father in law in school tuition fee and needs.he never supported with my kids kasi po wala siya work.anu po ang dapat kung gawin.im planning to file an annulment.i need ur advice
      .thank you so much

    6. Marry jean

      Helo po..i jst want to ask… kung papaano po malalaman na legal ung ksal….in my case po my bf got married 3yrs back.. first they tried to marry here in singapore but wascancelled kc klngn ng babae ng parents aproval…lahat po ng seminar at klngn n requirements s kasal naayos nla s singapore nung mag appky cla…at dahil po hindi natuloy ung kasal nla dto s singapore…((by the way po ung bf ko citizen ng singapore kya dto cla ngplan mgpaksal))… so they plan to ge marriend n sa pinas and that time d n aproved ung parents ng bf ko kc ung babae ngpakita n ng di kaaya ayang ugali…. ang tanong ko po… can they still used those requirements theyve apply to be married in singapore dyaan s pinas!??? Is it valid s pinas,? Or they need to apply another requirements such ung seminar etc….ung babae po ung ng asikaso lahat dw ng klngn s kasal nla dyan s pinas and even the his sign wla xa…my bf ddnt know anything s requirements nung inaply ng babae….. yhen the day has come…. my bf came home s pinas jst to settle and jst cancel their marriage..the family and the girl wer ok about it,,they even do for a movie then suddemly d girls mother called them that ung magkakasal s knla nasa bahay n nla..so umuwi cla..and ung ngksal s knla ministry… the ceremony happens sa bhay ng babae.. aftr 6months they broke up… everytime ds girl see a woman on my bfs pos on fb even jst a friend she threat them even me…. she told my bf he jst have to send 15k and annulment is ok,.she even send him that their marrieage s alredy annuled jst send 49k as his part..and this girl send him marriage certificate to prove thay she married already…. shes pregnant and already have live in partnerin the philippines but continue to threatened my bf to file a case bcz wer on a relationship…..she even threat me that my son will die…..(not my bf child)… i need ur advise….. she used to threat my bf and people around,,,hope i can get any rply

    7. mac

      For your Singapore problem you have to ask a singaporean lawyer.
      Ang haba ng kwento mo, walang pakialam ang court sa mga kewntong pamilya, If you can produce a certificate of no marriage from PSA (NSO) then you are free to marry whoever you want.

    8. Jessica

      Attorney is it possible to file an annulment since husband abandon us for 10 years, what are the requirements, and also i have my children to witness it- that their father abandon us that long…

    9. mac

      check ka sa google, daming attorney offering services that you wanted. cost run from 200 to 300K

    10. Matet

      Kinasal po ako nuong 18 yrs. old ako at ang lalaki naman po ay 20 yrs. old. Valid po ba ang kasal namin? Kinasal po kami nuong 2006. Inabandona po kami ng mga anak ko at ngayon po ay may kanya kanya ng buhay. Ako po ay may kinakasama ng iba at ganun din po sya ngunit wala pong suportang natatanggap ang mga anak ko mga limang taon na po. 13yrs old at 11yrs old po ang mga anak ko. Salamat po

    11. Wilma

      Hi Attorney, Paano po mag file ng declaration of nullity of marriage? Nagpa kasal po ako noong March 1994 pero may tunay siyang asawa dahil buntis na ako at kahihiyan sa magulang ko napilitan ako magpakasal kahit alam Kong kasal siya. Ngunit after July 1994 bigla na lng cia nawala at na balitaan ko na bumalik cia sa asawa nya. From that date Hindi ko na cia nakita at Hindi ko na din cia ginambala pa. Paano ko kaya mapapawalan ng bisa ang aking kasal? Hindi po ako nag change ng status kahit kailan ta kahit saan po na mga id ko at persona docs ang ginagamit ko ay apelyido ko sa pagka dalaga. Wala naman ako balak sa kahit anong sustento dahil npatapos ko na po ang anak ko. Please attorney I need your help. Wala akong sapat na pera para sa annulment dahil sa pagkaka alam ko npka laking pera ang kailangan. Sana po sagutin nyo ang aking liham. Madaming salamat.
      God bless and More Power.
      Ima

    12. mac

      you have to get an attorney to annul the marriage. hindi po yan nakukuha sa papepeles lang

    13. grayeggy

      null and void yun marriage nyo in the first place kasi kasal na sya bago kayo ikasal. consult a lawyer para mas maliwanagan ka.

    14. J.J.V

      True. It doesn’t need a Judicial Decision since it is null and void from the very beginning if his prior marriage is valid.

    15. Sheena

      Panu ko po malalaman kung annulled at wala ng bisa ang kasal ng asawa ko??? Plsss plss plss po I need ur help

    16. Larry

      Hi po attorney gusto ko lng po malaman sa case ko.Dec.2,2010 po kinasal Ako sa civil tapos bumalik Ako ng Saudi dec 31 2010 tapos after 1year nalaman ko nlng po n nabuntis ang asawa ko sa ibang lalaki Jan sa pinas n nsa Saudi Ako at May ebedensya Ako na hawak ngaun ung passport ko at at ung birth certificate ng anak ng asawako.ang tanong ko lng po maipapanalo ko po kya ang kaso.Slmat po

    17. richelle

      hello po… question lng po pwde po b maannual ang kasal ng wla akong alam or pinipirmhn?in my case naannual po kasal nmn ng aswa without my permission.. thnks po

    18. marites

      Hi po..ask LNG ako.. Pinsan ko may bf na foreigner at blak nlang mgpkasal Sa huwes..pro yong pinsan ko Hindi pa annull Sa dati nyang asawa..hwalay na cla for 10yrs..is it possible na mkasal cla dito pinas ng bf nyang foreigner… Reply asap pls

    19. mac

      Hindi siya pwedeng pakasal kasi married pa siya sa legal term. Mag file siya ng annulment, it will take at least 3 years

    20. Kristine

      How can apply a annulment while im in abroad and since we dont have kids…we are 6years marriage i need your ans.and how much it will cost…tnx godless

    21. Ann

      Good day prosecutor.

      I have a question, is the marriage void if the wife use other name and the husband knew it after 3 years the have been married. The wife already married before using her real name and they get married 3 years ago in kasalang bayan. Since kasalang bayan didn’t have any requirements they got married. But now, the husband want to get a paper that their marriage is void, what will the husband has to do with it?

    22. Dette

      Hello po..ofw po ako dto sa saudi.gusto ko sna magfile ng annulment for 8 years of marriage ako po ang naghahanap buhay at sumusoporta sa 1 nming anak d po kami nag sama sa isang bahay dahil sa manila ako nag wowork pag umuuwi lng pi ako ng week end dun po ako tumutuloy sa bahay nila dahil doon sya nakatira at umuuwi po kami sa amin dahil doon nakatira ang anak nmin at ang nag aalaga ang nanay ko..nung nag abroad po ako madalas po kami mag away sa fon dahil madami kami d pinagkakasunduan gaya ng ayw nya tumira sa amin kasi mahihirapan daw sya d rin po sya nagbibigay ng sustento para sa anak nya at dahil dun sya naktira sa bahay nila. D naein po nya dinadalaw ang bata at d nrin po kami naguusap.ang tanong ko po pano po ba magfile ng annulment pag ofw?

    23. Jhun

      Hello atty..gud day po ask ko lng po..may asawa po ako pero tibo po xa at nagamit din po nang bawal na gamot! ..after last year nung 2017 nag dei de ako na hindi na bumalik pero wala po kaming anak..may alotment po kaming pinirmahan na ganun ang makukuha nya..dahil un sa pambayad nang bahay ilaw at tubig. Den pagbalik ko nalamn ko na di na xa nag stay sa bahay namin dun na xa sa father nya and take note po nahingi pa po xa anng same amount sa pinirmhan namin..which is half of may salary..seaman po ako..bago kami kinasal may waiver xa sa father na approved nila na magpakasal anak nila. ..ngaun po eh nanggugulo po sa ofis dahil sa mababa na daw po ang padala ko , sinadya ko talagang baguhin un para mbaba lng makuha nya..ano po b ang best advice na maibigay nyu..plano ko pong mg file nang annulment lag uwi ..thnx

    24. Maria theresa

      Im married in civil i want to do annulment coz my husband have another lady now. 3years now they are together and I’m here in abroad. I want to ask if can be I do Cade annulment even im outside of my country? Thank you

    25. Tin

      hellow atty..nagpakasal po aq s isang foreigner n taga finland,sa una po ok xa kaso nung pgkakasal n nmin saka q nakita n hnd nya aq mahal at mas mahalaga s knya ang pera nya,hnd nya aq binibigyan ng pera,at lahat ng nagagastos nya kinukwenta nya sakin at gz2ng pabayaran sakin,nambabae dn po xa at marami xang ka chat n ibang babae,naisip q po n ginamit nya lng aq para magkaroon xa ng residence visa d2 s pilipinas.,nung hnd n po aq sumusunod s mga gz2 nya nagalit xa sakin at gumawa xa ng bagay n pag aawayan nmin,pinagbintangan nya aq n nkikipag usap daw aq s iba at boyfriend q n daw,eh hnd nmn po 22o..kaya nung nagalit n dn aq,umalis po xa ng basta dala lahat ng gamit..nabalitaan q nlng po n bumalik muna ng finland pero babalik dn daw po after six month..sinisiraan nya dn po aq s lahat ng kakilala nmin,n binayaran nya lng daw aq ng 100k at ngpapadagdag p daw ng 300k kaya daw xa umalis ay dahil hnd xa pumayag n magdagdag..na hindi nmn po 22o.,may mga mkkapagtunay nmn po samin qng anu ang tunay nming sitwasyon..pati po ung motor n pag aari q at nkapangalan sakin kinuha nya dn at cnsv sakin n ibinenta n daw nya..anu po ang karapatan q s sitwasyong ito?
      maraming salamat po.

    26. Jhen

      ikinasal po ako 17yrs old lang ako ang dinaya o pineke ang birth cert na pinasa ng ex ko..4 yrs din kami nagsama bilang mag asawa.at sa huli nagkahiwalay din kami..15 years na po kaming hiwalay,at may iba na po syang pamilya,walang anu mang suportang pinansyal gling sa knya pra sa mga anak namin,,,napagtapos ko na po ng college ang panganay namin at ang bunso naman ay grade 11 na.anu anu po b ang pwede ko gawin at unahin?gusto ko po na mgbigay sya ng suporta sa mga anak namin pra sa mga taon na di sya nagbigay,gusto ko din po na idemanda sila ng bago nyang kinakasama,at mapawalng bisa na din ang kasal namin,lubos ko pong tatanawing maalaking utang na loob at habang buhay na pasasalamatan ang pwedeng makatulong sakin na magawa ko lahat paRA maipaglaban ang karapatan ng mga anak ko, at karapatan ko.Maraming salamat po…

    1. marites

      To all atty.,
      Paano po b kung kasal ako sa judge and hiwalay na po kami since 2010.at from that hindi sya nagbigay ng support at hindi n kami nag uusap..so 6 n kmi hiwalay.paano po b ako mag aaply ng annulment kasi ayaw ko na sanang gamitin yong apelyedo niya.

    2. thed

      yes.. you can file you must be go to the nearest phil embassy..and you can take the form..for filling annulment..

  2. k_pm

    I would like to inquire about the role the state regarding filing a bigamy case. Can anyone file the charges if somebody they know commited the crime? A family member of the spouse or friend?

    Reply
  3. eiruj03

    to all the attorneys,

    i would like to know if the same name but different spelling is still valid especially when it comes to legal matters? i am very confused…pls help me. thank you

    Reply
    1. Hanzel

      To all attorneys i need your help. My petioner from the us send a petition approval here in the philippines which qualifies me to get an interview. but i found out that he is still married here in the philippines but they have no communication for more than 15 years after that church wedding. And the girl re-marry again in 2006 without papers of annulment or void? How could it be possible? And its also a church wedding? She just said because the first marriage with my petioner is invalid because of the typographical errors of the legal papers. Is it possible?

    2. mac

      your birth certificate is the proof of your official and legal name, all other name are just aliases.

  4. Atty.Fred

    k_pm, your question was already answered somewhere in this site.

    eiru03, it really depends on what particular legal transaction you’re referring to. Correction of a mispelled name is now relatively easy. Please check this article. Good luck.

    Reply
  5. Atty. Fred Post author

    Liv, there’s another post on that here. Please try the search function at the right sidebar (specially for future questions). In the meantime, let me make your search easier – click here to go to that article.

    Reply
  6. YVR_BC

    Considering you know all the answers, would you please briefly give me an estimate of how long it will take and how much it will cost to get an annulment these days? I tried reading everything I can find but it’s too much of an eyesore. I hope you don’t mind giving a quick reply.

    If you need to know the grounds and complication of the matter, to be able to do an estimate, please read on;
    I got married in January 1996, I left Manila 3 days later and haven’t been back since. The person I married have been living with someone else for years now and they also have, last I heard, 5 kids. I think they don’t even make enough to live, so as much as they’d like to do so, applying for an annulment is not possible in their part. I would like to do them a favour by filing an annulment myself but am not sure if I want to shoulder the cost considering I haven’t got a need as I haven’t got plans to remarry nor do I want to go thru so much trouble again. I do not wish to be with this person nor do I want to take this person away from the children. For the sake of the children, I might consider it.

    Thanks for your time.

    Reply
  7. Atty. Fred Post author

    YVR_BC, it usually lasts about a year, but it could be faster or it could drag on longer depending on contingencies. As mentioned before, for costs, this is properly discussed between you and your lawyer (or, if you want, you can get the contact details here).

    By the way, allow me to clarify some matters. I don’t mind giving a quick reply, but, in most instances, I just can’t; I have hearings and clients to attend to (plus, I have to balance that with my baby boy and wife). I can’t give any legal opinion on your situation because I am prohibited from doing so. Lastly, I don’t know all the answers, and, in such instance, I’d admit that I don’t know.

    Good luck and God bless.

    Reply
    1. IR

      Hi Atty. Fred, I only have a house and lot as my only property. Aside from the filing fee, is there an additional cost regarding this property like a certain percentage of the property tax when filing for a petition?

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