Divorce abroad

Dear atty, i would like to seek advice about my situation. I received my divorce certificate from abroad with a copy of translation. Now my questions
1. Can i still declare that i am married here in phils? Reason is i cant go yet on court for it to be recognized because i dont have money for it.
2. I am applying for immigrant visa in canada with my common law partner, can i declare my marital status as divorce on my NBI clearance? Or they need the court order here in phils.? I am just worried that canada might be confused with my documents.
Thanks in advance.

were you married to a foreigner?

Dear Atty.
Magtatanong lang po ako. Pinoy po ako pero canadian citizen po status ko ngayun. Meron po ako common-law partner dito sa canada at nagkababy po kami. Ang partner ko po ay kasal sa pinas. Nag file po sya ng divorce dito sa canada kaya po na-honor dito ang common-law partner status namin at kaya ko po sya na-sponsoran para maging PR sya. Yung x-wife nya po nasa pinas. Meron din po documents na pinirmahan yung X nya na nagsasabing wala na syang pakialam at hindi na maghahabol anuman ang gawin ng partner ko dito. Notarized po ang documents na yun. Pero lately po nanggugulo sa amin ung x nya at sinasabing sya parin ang asawa. Alam ko nman po yun na kasal prin sila sa pinas kahit divorce sila dito. Atty., kapag umuwi po ba kami ng anak ko sa pinas meron po bang pupwedeng e-file na reklamo against sa akin yung x wife ng common-law partner ko? Maraming Salamat po.

Bellatorn.... yung common-law partner ko same status sayo. Naalala ko married ang nilagay nya nung kumuha sya ng NBI sa pinas. Hope this answer help you.

Hi, i was married to a foreigner abroad.
Thanks monica.
Our marriage lasted only for few months so i went back here in phils. We tried to get back 4 yrs ago around 2013-2014 kaso wala tlaga e. Last year, i received the divorce cert. Now im living with my common law partner and we want to immigrate to canada through express entry. Partner ko ang principal applicant and im the dependent. Mataas score namin so were just waiting for ITA.
So ok lang pala na married pa rin ako dito sa phils? But when applying in canada i am common law? I asked about NBI and other docs kasi baka magkaprob ako na married pa rin lahat ng docs ko dito sa pinas. Another thing, we are same sex couple as common law partners kaya we want to go to canada instead. Any advice?

@Need-monica
hindi kayo pwedeng kasuhan sa pangyayari na naganap sa ibang bansa. yung divorce ng partner mo kikilalanin yan sa buong mundo except sa pinas so in case uuwi kayong pamilya sa pinas, hindi kayo pwedeng magsama ng partner mo since sa batas ng pinas, kasal padin ang asawa mo at liable kayo for bigamy kung magsasama kayo.

@xtianjames
Thank you sa response. Follow up po. Paano kung maging canadian citizen na din po itong partner ko? Valid parin po ba yung kasal nya sa pinas?

@bellatorn
I am not very sure this pero yung partner ko, any documents na kinuha nya from Phils. married ang status nya. Then any documents that has to do with canadian gov. is common-law ang status na declared nya. I know it sounds very complicated pero yan ang ginawa namin. At nakuha naman nya ang PR nya.

Thanks monica. Nung nag apply ba sya ng PR nandito sya sa pinas or nasa canada na with you? Saan naprocess yung docs nya? I am just worried kasi pag dito sa pinas madami pa docs hingin and baka may interview pa. Although madami naman kami proof na pwede ipresent na we are common law living together.

Ay Oo nga pala andito na sya nung magprocess kami ng PR nya. In-Canada application ang ginawa namin. Bale nag apply na kami bago pa man ma-expire docs nya at pauwiin sya ng pinas. May anak sya jan sa pinas sa X nya kaya before sya mabigyan ng PR, umuwi sya jan at pinamedical ang anak nya as part of the process kahit hindi namin sya kinuha. So madami din sya papers/documents na inasikaso jan as married status. Ang hindi ko lang alam ay kung magkaiba ang magiging processing nyo ng partner mo keysa sa kanya since anjan kayo pareho. Pero alam mo, ituloy nyo lang ang application nyo then kung may hihingiin sila na supporting documents ibigay nyo agad. Based on my experience kasi ako lahat nagprocess ng papers ko hanggang sa makuha ko ang canadian citizenship ko. Pati na din yung sa partner ko. Kailangan lang talaga response ka agad every documents na hingiin nila. Goodluck!

Kung magiging Canadian citizen na sya, pwede na sya magparecognize ng divorce sa pinas para maging single sya sa mata ng batas ng pinas.

Oh okay. Maraming Salamat po. Glad i found this site.

Thanks again monica. Ano kaya yung docs na dapat namin iprepare or nasubmit nyo? For reference lang.

A copy of final divorce certificate, NBI. And to prove na genuine ang relationship nyo, photos, copy of joint acct from the bank, life insurance cert that shows na beneficiary mo partner mo or vice versa. We even had to submit a copy of telephone and internet bills na andun ang name namin pareho. Basta anything na magpapatunay na nagsasama talaga kayo. Iisa ang home address nyo. Hope that helps. Wishing you and your partner's success. I really wish na one day mabalitaan ko din na nakarating na kayong dalawa dito. Maraming successful couples dito like you guys. 😊 Magpursige lang. Makukuha nyo yan. Goodluck!

xtianjames wrote:@Need-monica
hindi kayo pwedeng kasuhan sa pangyayari na naganap sa ibang bansa. yung divorce ng partner mo kikilalanin yan sa buong mundo except sa pinas so in case uuwi kayong pamilya sa pinas, hindi kayo pwedeng magsama ng partner mo since sa batas ng pinas, kasal padin ang asawa mo at liable kayo for bigamy kung magsasama kayo.

It's not bigamy especially that they are not yet married or if married in Canada, still cannot be sued for bigamy since the crime (bigamous marriage) happened outside the Philippines, hence outside of our court's jurisdiction.  Please take note of the principle of territoriality in criminal law.

At most, if you live together as husband and wife (common-law or not legally married) in the same house, his wife can file a criminal case for Concubinage against you (the concubine) and your partner.  Fortunately, the penalty for the concubine is only destierro or exile and not imprisonment.

However, the legal wife may also file a civil case for damages against you based on Article 26 of the Civil Code which gives the offended party a cause of action for a third party’s meddling with, or disturbing, a person's private life or family relations.

This cause of action is commonly called "alienation of affection." It seeks compensation for a third party’s malicious act of estranging a person from his/her lawfully wedded spouse or family.

I wish you good luck and have a great new year!

@mrs_scofield
Tanong po.... Meron po pinagawa na sworn affidavit ang X wife nya. Pina-notarized din po nya. Each of us po meron copy. Pirmado nya. Nakalagay po doon na anuman ang gagawin ng lalake (bale yung partner ko) wala na po syang pakialam at hindi na sya makikialam. Naka-specify pa po dun ang pagkakaroon ng lalake ng bagong pamilya. Yan po ang napagkasunduan nilang gawin noon. Tanong ko lang po, pwede po bang hindi nya sundin or pwede po ba syang lumabag at baliwalain yung nakalagay sa affidavit nya? Salamat po.