# annulments



## deano0071 (Apr 10, 2015)

hi guys
anybody know anything about annulments in the PI regards deano


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## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

deano0071 said:


> hi guys
> anybody know anything about annulments in the PI regards deano


My wife had to get one before we got married. What do you need to know?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

deano0071 said:


> hi guys
> anybody know anything about annulments in the PI regards deano


A very grey area and can be very expensive. An annulment is not a given, although the Philippines being the land where money talks you can usually get one by paying enough the the right people. It will also be very time consuming.

I would also be pretty shore of this before spending what can be thousands of dollars as there are many scams about.


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

There are few loopholes to seek annulment including adultery or Sexual disease (one of which was quoted by the president's sister, to fast forward her annulment I think ..)

A well paid lawyer will find the right clause and manage the judges too, or the judge may get greedy and drain you totally dry


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## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

Gary D said:


> A very grey area and can be very expensive. An annulment is not a given, although the Philippines being the land where money talks you can usually get one by paying enough the the right people. It will also be very time consuming.
> 
> I would also be pretty shore of this before spending what can be thousands of dollars as there are many scams about.


Let me give you all a short description of my experience with PI annulments. Luz had been married to a stone cutter for over 15 years. She left him after 5 years because he was a drunk and could not hold a job. They had one son together and Luz and her ex hadn't seen each other in 10 years when Luz and I met.
Luz was up front with me about her previous marriage and we started to educate ourselves about annulment laws. 'We found ourselves an experienced lawyer in Manila and hired him. The process took over three years and not counting the trips I took for moral support the entire thing cost me about $10,000.00 US.
Let me be clear about this, EVERYONE, from the prosecuting attorney to the court reporter wanted a bribe. It is just how it works there. If you refuse to give the bribe your case gets put on the bottom of the pile. When it comes back to the top they will ask for their "additional costs" again. If you do not pay the case goes right back to the bottom.
Avoid "fixers" as all costs!! They will take your money, give you false hope and in the end make things worse.
There are a million hoops to jump through, most you don't know about until the last minute. You must pay for and acquire psychological interviews from both parties and the Dr must be paid to testify. You must hire a private investigator to interview the spouse and his family. He also must be paid to testify.
In the end they will take every last dime they think they can get away with and it is still a crap shoot if you are granted an annulment. 
My best advice is to be patient and not worry about all the unexpected costs. There is nothing you can do to make it cheaper or faster. You are playing in their sandbox remember and they make the rules.


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## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

I have a few updates on my previous post. I just talked to my wife and she said that her friends in PI are reporting that things are starting to get a little better when it comes to annulments. 
Luz got hers in '05-'06. She is telling me that there have been reforms to the law to make it easier to get an annulment. They are also cracking down on the bribery which is driving it underground. It is still there but more hidden rather than the overt requests outside the courtroom door. Luz also said that PI is considering allowing divorce. 
I would still remind you that this is PI and not America. Things work very differently and you must keep this in mind when you are dealing with them.
One other point I really need to make clear. With any dealing with lawyers, the government or the judicial system LET HER TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. When they see a westerner is involved the costs and problems multiply. It is better if no one but your girlfriend knows where the money is coming from. I didn't even go to any of the hearings even though I was in town at the time.


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## deano0071 (Apr 10, 2015)

HI, thanks for all your info,and it sort of confirmed what my wife had said anyway this is our story !!! she married a filipino who did not work and is a know drug taker after 11 years she left him and a little later came to the UK and after 2 years divorced him, after 1 year meet and then married me, so for no problems.
then after 5 years of marriage we are looking to retiring in the PI buying a house and taking it a little more relaxed but if she buys any thing he can make a claim on it so need to know if its going to be possible to get an annulment ???? any ideas


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## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

deano0071 said:


> HI, thanks for all your info,and it sort of confirmed what my wife had said anyway this is our story !!! she married a filipino who did not work and is a know drug taker after 11 years she left him and a little later came to the UK and after 2 years divorced him, after 1 year meet and then married me, so for no problems.
> then after 5 years of marriage we are looking to retiring in the PI buying a house and taking it a little more relaxed but if she buys any thing he can make a claim on it so need to know if its going to be possible to get an annulment ???? any ideas


We did it so all isn't lost. It will take a while, cost a lot of money and require multiple trips to Manila for hearings that may or may not happen that day. 
My wife said that it is getting easier now so you might want to contact a good lawyer in Manila and ask.


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## pakawala (Sep 10, 2014)

deano0071 said:


> HI, thanks for all your info,and it sort of confirmed what my wife had said anyway this is our story !!! she married a filipino who did not work and is a know drug taker after 11 years she left him and a little later came to the UK and after 2 years divorced him, after 1 year meet and then married me, so for no problems.
> then after 5 years of marriage we are looking to retiring in the PI buying a house and taking it a little more relaxed but if she buys any thing he can make a claim on it so need to know if its going to be possible to get an annulment ???? any ideas


Based on the situation you described, she may not need the annulment but instead file a case for Judicial Recognition of Foreign Divorce in the Philippines.

Here is an example. 

Philippine Embassy – Tokyo, Japan | Judicial Recognition of Foreign Divorce

Google Judicial Recognition of Foreign Divorce in the Philippines and you may want to Google annulment scams, Philippines where you can read everything from fake judges signatures to some were never married to begin with, took the money and ran.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

pakawala said:


> Based on the situation you described, she may not need the annulment but instead file a case for Judicial Recognition of Foreign Divorce in the Philippines.
> 
> Here is an example.
> 
> ...


Exactly....embassy officer told me that philippines is second most corrupt country,with mexico number one. Question: why would she need to file it? She filed divorce abroad and got it. She is remarried now.


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## pakawala (Sep 10, 2014)

lefties43332 said:


> Exactly....embassy officer told me that philippines is second most corrupt country,with mexico number one. Question: why would she need to file it? She filed divorce abroad and got it. She is remarried now.


Because he stated this;

then after 5 years of marriage we are looking to retiring in the PI buying a house and taking it a little more relaxed but if she buys any thing he can make a claim on it so need to know if its going to be possible to get an annulment ???? any ideas


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

lefties43332 said:


> Exactly....embassy officer told me that philippines is second most corrupt country,with mexico number one. Question: why would she need to file it? She filed divorce abroad and got it. She is remarried now.


There are a lot of mysterious processes in Philippines... so if you wanna live there you gotta do what they ask you to do 

Did you forget the thread on change of status for Filipino marrying a foreigner ? 

The commission of Filipinos overseas et al


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

pakawala said:


> Based on the situation you described, she may not need the annulment but instead file a case for Judicial Recognition of Foreign Divorce in the Philippines.
> 
> Here is an example.
> 
> ...


That only works if it is the foriegner who divorces the filipina. If the filipina divorces abroad or though legal in that country the divorce will not be recognised in the Philippines. It would not be impossible for the filipina to be charged with adultary if she enters the Philippines having remarried. Unlikely but not impossible if someone wanted to cause trouble or raise some cash.


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