Kinda Confused

[TomM]

I have a big problem. MY fiancee that has been with me for ten months now and plan on marrying her June 18th. MY divorce decree from Guam will be done and I should have it around March 15th or so. The problem is I was reading the Article 26 and it said that marriages solemized outside the philippines and the foriegn spouse obtains a divorce will be recognized and both parties will be able to remarry.I married in the Philippines went to Guam it is almost over but am lost as to what to do after I get the divorce decree papers. I have talked to several attorney's here and have read on the internet. One attorney the well dressed intelligent looking fella told me that all I needed to do is send a certified copy of the divorce decree to the home town registry's office and they will register it with the NSO.I have also been told by a PHL attorney it is a court process and it would cost me 30k pesos but i mentioned bringing it to the NSO (the divorce decree) and he said that might work also.I have talked with the main office of the NSO and one lady told me that it as simple as bringing my divorce decree to the NSO and they annotate it depending on which NSO you go to it varies. MY fiancee is very upset and me too because everything seem to be going good. If anyone has ever done this before married a filipina in the philippines went back to the US got a divorce and got remarried to another filipina woman I would appreciate the input. The girl I am with now is what I dreamed of when coming here to get married in the first place. I guess it don't matter what I say now like I said in my other topic I am getting a publication divorce and don't require my soon to be ex's signature. Just have to wait 30days till after she is served her summons. I have19 days left and she wrote me an email saying she will never sign the divorce papers. Great works for me just to know how to make my fiancee happy and reassure her that it is possible for us to get married. She is waiting for responses kinda mad as hell telling me I am a liar and she has wasted ten months for nothing and we cant get married so any positive things you could say would help. She will be waiting and me too.I haven't been on here because of the whole situation didn't want to talk about things. But it is almost over and ready to participate. TomM

[Jollygoodfellow]

I have a big problem. MY fiancee that has been with me for ten months now and plan on marrying her June 18th. MY divorce decree from Guam will be done and I should have it around March 15th or so. The problem is I was reading the Article 26 and it said that marriages solemized outside the philippines and the foriegn spouse obtains a divorce will be recognized and both parties will be able to remarry.I married in the Philippines went to Guam it is almost over but am lost as to what to do after I get the divorce decree papers. I have talked to several attorney's here and have read on the internet. One attorney the well dressed intelligent looking fella told me that all I needed to do is send a certified copy of the divorce decree to the home town registry's office and they will register it with the NSO.I have also been told by a PHL attorney it is a court process and it would cost me 30k pesos but i mentioned bringing it to the NSO (the divorce decree) and he said that might work also.I have talked with the main office of the NSO and one lady told me that it as simple as bringing my divorce decree to the NSO and they annotate it depending on which NSO you go to it varies. MY fiancee is very upset and me too because everything seem to be going good. If anyone has ever done this before married a filipina in the philippines went back to the US got a divorce and got remarried to another filipina woman I would appreciate the input. The girl I am with now is what I dreamed of when coming here to get married in the first place. I guess it don't matter what I say now like I said in my other topic I am getting a publication divorce and don't require my soon to be ex's signature. Just have to wait 30days till after she is served her summons. I have19 days left and she wrote me an email saying she will never sign the divorce papers. Great works for me just to know how to make my fiancee happy and reassure her that it is possible for us to get married. She is waiting for responses kinda mad as hell telling me I am a liar and she has wasted ten months for nothing and we cant get married so any positive things you could say would help. She will be waiting and me too.I haven't been on here because of the whole situation didn't want to talk about things. But it is almost over and ready to participate. TomM

I am certainly no expert but my understanding is simply all you need to do is have a certified copy of your divorce when applying for the marriage licence. I dont believe you have to have it registered anywhere in the Philippines as it is a legal divorce but as with all new marriages all applicants that have been married before must have proof of no marriage.Anyway,relax we are here to try our best to help and I am sure everything will be fine.

[Mr Lee]

Hi Tom, good to see you back on. :541: I have heard it both ways and have been told by people who did it, that all they had to do was go into the NSO and register their divorce, but like everything else in the Philippines, it could be at the discretion of the boss in a particular office of the NSO, so my advice would be to ask, and also remember that things also seem to change on a daily basis, so what might have been OK before might no longer be OK, and what was taboo before, may now be OK. . I do not like hearing that your lady thinks she wasted 10 months, because her being with you should be reward enough, just as you having been with her all those months is probably enough for you. I know of many expats who live with their ladies for many years and both partners seem to be quite happy, so I would tell G to cool down and wait to see what happens and the worst that could happen might be the need to spread some cash around, or possibly to go to Hong Kong or Singapore to get married, but I am a firm believer in, what is meant to be is meant to be, so if it is meant for you two to be together for life, then it will happen one way or another. I wish I could be of more help, and I hope someone else who has gone through this process can give you a better answer and possibly a trip down to the NSO in your area might help to clarify what needs to be done.

[Old55]

I know of several American citizens who have married Filipinas in the Philippines and divorced them in the States and the remarried a second or THIRD Filipina. This is not a problem and you will not have any issues. Not to delve into your relationship but your girl needs reassurance that you will marry her and that you love her. You must tell her that very clearly the worst thing that would happen is a short delay.It could be some local “crabs” are whispering things into her ear. Sadly it’s common for friend’s even family members to be jealous or just mean-spirited and try to poison a success. For her to marry a Foreigner is a big deal.

[Jake]

I know of several American citizens who have married Filipinas in the Philippines and divorced them in the States and the remarried a second or THIRD Filipina. This is not a problem and you will not have any issues. Not to delve into your relationship but your girl needs reassurance that you will marry her and that you love her. You must tell her that very clearly the worst thing that would happen is a short delay.It could be some local “crabs” are whispering things into her ear. Sadly it’s common for friend’s even family members to be jealous or just mean-spirited and try to poison a success. For her to marry a Foreigner is a big deal.

Hello TomM,It's really frustrating trying to keep the peace with your anxious fiancée. Old55 made a good point about the "crabs"(crab mentality). It really is an instant change in status symbol of your fiancée to become married to a foreigner. The whole neighborhood or village will know about it and some of those folks will naturally be motivated with jealousy.I'm sure you have done your homework but the below link is here for your review:http://manila.usemba...v/marriage.htmlRespectfully -- Jake

[Dave Hounddriver]

I do not like hearing that your lady thinks she wasted 10 months, because her being with you should be reward enough, just as you having been with her all those months is probably enough for you. I know of many expats who live with their ladies for many years and both partners seem to be quite happy, so I would tell G to cool down and wait to see what happens

Absolutely! My 'wife' and I have been together for over 3 years but we are not 'legally married' and she accepts me for who I am. Many guys are in the same situation and candid chats with locals will convince you that the Philippines is rapidly following the way of the west with regards to common law marriages. Still there are some who are very old fashioned and it sounds like the opening poster has one of those. (At least I hope that is what it is because the alternative raises all kinds of red flags.)

[TomM]

She is very old fashioned and polite and kind. She treats me better than I deserve. We would just like to start a family and want everything to be legite.

[United Army]

Hi Tom,My best to you and Grace. I think if you do not get the answer you want from NSO then go to another NSO office and see if they will do what you want with your divorce papers. I know in the PH sometimes something simple is not so simple....

[TomM]

There are alot of male attorney's here in the PHL that did not pay attention in law school. We called the NSO here and she got the answer from the guy that just to bring the divorce decree in etc... Then I called back to see how long it would take got another person, she told me I had to go thru the courts bla bla bla. Went to an attorneys office he had no clue he said the divorce was no good here have to get an annulment and a bunch of other bull. I told him striaght up that is BS.We went down the street to a female attorney she had clear cut answers: We take the divorce decree to the US embassy get it authenticated and while there get Certificate in lieu of Marriage. The laws of the PHL do not apply to US citizens if my ex wants to remarry she has to prove in a court of law that she is authentically divorced. It's her problem not mine.All is good a great Valentine day gift for her and I so simple just had to find a person that actually read the law books while in law school. Thanks all for your input. Tom

[Mr Lee]

There are alot of male attorney's here in the PHL that did not pay attention in law school. We called the NSO here and she got the answer from the guy that just to bring the divorce decree in etc... Then I called back to see how long it would take got another person, she told me I had to go thru the courts bla bla bla. Went to an attorneys office he had no clue he said the divorce was no good here have to get an annulment and a bunch of other bull. I told him striaght up that is BS.We went down the street to a female attorney she had clear cut answers: We take the divorce decree to the US embassy get it authenticated and while there get Certificate in lieu of Marriage. The laws of the PHL do not apply to US citizens if my ex wants to remarry she has to prove in a court of law that she is authentically divorced. It's her problem not mine.All is good a great Valentine day gift for her and I so simple just had to find a person that actually read the law books while in law school. Thanks all for your input. Tom

The main problem in the Philippines that I have personally experienced, is that all laws and rules are open to the interpretation of the person reading them, so if you ask enough people, then you will eventually get the answer that you desire. Now will that answer actually work for you, that is to be seen. I always ask for the persons name I speak to and write down the name, date and time of the conversation and what was said to me, and that way I go back and ask for them if the answer they gave was the one I sought. If G knows who she spoke to, then all you have to do is seek that person out once it is all done, and then you would be all set to marry again, otherwise IMO it will be a crap shoot. Seems to me that nothing in the Philippines is written in stone and most of us find that extremely upsetting but it can be used to our advantage if one thinks about it. :lol: Please keep us informed.