Check whether a divorce record is final
Locate the court that issued the final decision and ask how to obtain the form requested by the Philippine registrar. A filing petition and a final dissolution record are different documents. If a decree is lengthy, ask the registrar what it needs rather than sending partial pages of your own choosing.
Explain a difference in names
Put your passport, birth record and previous-marriage records in date order. Identify where the name changed and which document connects the two names. Present the discrepancy as a question. Do not alter a scanned record to make it look consistent.
Separate each partner’s legal history
An American applicant’s previous marriage and a Filipino partner’s previous marriage can raise different legal questions. If recognition of a foreign divorce or the legal effect of an order is uncertain, seek case-specific advice from the relevant authorities or qualified counsel before arranging a ceremony.
Before your next appointment
- Final record and competent issuing office
- Marriage or name-change record explaining differences
- Registrar’s written instructions on acceptance