Here’s a full, plain-English guide. It’s educational, not legal advice. Procedures and fees vary by court and facts, so always review your own documents and local court issuances.

Annulment Process and Cost (Philippines)

First, the vocabulary (so you pick the right remedy)

Declaration of Nullity – for a void marriage (it was never valid from day one). Common bases include: psychological incapacity (Art. 36), no marriage license (with narrow exceptions), no authority of the solemnizing officer, bigamy, incest/void by public policy, mistake in identity, or marriage of a party below legal age.
Annulment – for a voidable marriage (valid until annulled). Grounds: lack of parental consent (for 18–21), insanity, fraud, force/intimidation/undue influence, impotence that is incurable, serious sexually transmissible disease existing at the time of marriage (Family Code).
Legal separation – spouses remain married (no remarriage), but live apart; property relations/liability/custody/support are settled.
Recognition of foreign divorce – if either spouse is a foreigner or a Filipino obtained a valid foreign divorce (per Supreme Court doctrine), the Filipino may ask a PH court to recognize that divorce. Often faster/cheaper than annulment/nullity.

If your goal is to remarry in the Philippines, you need either a decree of nullity/annulment or a court decree recognizing a foreign divorce (plus civil registry updates).

Grounds—what they actually mean (high level)

A) Void marriages (Declaration of Nullity)

Psychological incapacity (Art. 36) – a deeply rooted condition existing at the time of marriage that renders a spouse truly unable to assume essential marital obligations. Recent jurisprudence treats it as a legal (not purely medical) concept; no specific test or DSM label is required, but clear, case-specific proof of gravity, juridical antecedence, and incurability is still expected.
No marriage license/authority/essential formalities – e.g., fake/absent license (outside the valid exceptions like marriages of exceptional character), or the officiant had no authority and parties were not in good faith.
Bigamous/polygamous – a prior subsisting marriage exists.
Incest/other unions void by public policy, mistake in identity, underage marriage (below legal age).

B) Voidable marriages (Annulment)

Lack of parental consent (ages 18–21 at the time; must file within a set period).
Insanity existing at the time of marriage.
Fraud (e.g., concealment of a serious crime, pregnancy by another, etc. within statutory examples).
Force, intimidation, or undue influence.
Incurable impotence.
Serious STD existing at the time of marriage. These marriages are valid until a final decree annuls them; ratification (e.g., free cohabitation after the vice ceases or after turning 21) can bar annulment.

Who files, where, and what you ask the court to do

Who: a spouse (or the proper representative/guardian if incapacitated).
Where: the Family Court (RTC) of the petitioner’s residence, or of the respondent’s residence (venue rules apply).
What: a Verified Petition with a prayer for:
1. Declaration of nullity or annulment;
2. Custody and support for minor children;
3. Property relations (liquidation of the absolute community/conjugal partnership or separation of property as applicable);
4. Use of surnames post-decree (optional); and
5. Civil registry directives (to annotate PSA records).

Mandatory participants:

Public Prosecutor – to investigate collusion.
Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) – the State is a party; the OSG may appear or submit pleadings.
Social Worker – may be directed to report on child welfare.

Evidence you typically need

Your narrative (detailed, dated incidents).
Independent corroboration (family/friends/co-workers).
Documents (marriage certificate, birth certificates of children, medical/psych records, messages, emails, social media posts, police/barangay blotters if any).
Psychological evaluation – not legally mandatory, but commonly presented in Art. 36 cases to help show gravity/antecedence/incurability. The psychologist/psychiatrist should testify; a report without testimony often carries little weight.

The step-by-step process (typical flow)

Consult & case-build – gather facts, grounds, and documents; decide remedy (nullity vs annulment vs recognition of foreign divorce).
Psych eval (if using one) – clinical interviews/testing; draft report.
File the Verified Petition – with annexes; pay filing fees.
Raffle to a Family Court – case assigned to a branch.
Summons to respondent – personal service; if unlocatable, service by publication (with court leave).
Prosecutor’s collusion investigation – usually a hearing; report submitted.
Pre-trial – define issues; possible stipulations; mark exhibits; mediation (courts sometimes try settlement on custody/support/property—not on the marital status question).
Trial – petitioner’s testimony; corroborating witness(es); expert (psychologist) if any; cross-examination by the prosecutor/OSG; respondent’s side if they appear.
Decision – court grants or denies the petition; if granted, the court also resolves custody, support, and property consequences.
Finality (Entry of Judgment) – after lapse of appeal period or after appeal is resolved.
Civil registry implementation – the court orders the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) and PSA to annotate records. You’ll later request annotated PSA copies (marriage certificate; sometimes birth certificates of children).
Post-decree admin – change civil status with government agencies and banks as needed; CENOMAR will eventually reflect the decree.

Appeal is possible; add months/years to the timeline if pursued.

Effects on children, property, surnames, and the right to remarry

Children’s status
- Voidable marriage annulled: children conceived or born before the decree remain legitimate.
- Art. 36 (psychological incapacity) nullity: children are legitimate.
- Other void marriages have specific rules (e.g., children may be illegitimate unless covered by legitimation or specific statutory protections). Always check the particular ground and timing.
Custody & support – determined by best interests of the child; both parents owe support proportionate to resources.
Property relations
- Voidable marriage annulled: the conjugal partnership/absolute community is liquidated; forfeiture rules may apply against the guilty spouse regarding net profits.
- Void marriage: if both acted in good faith, a co-ownership solution is typical (net profits split); if one is in bad faith, different forfeiture rules apply.
- Donations between spouses and testamentary provisions can be affected/voided depending on the ground.
Surnames
- A wife may continue or drop the husband’s surname depending on circumstances and judicial pronouncement; if she was the innocent spouse, she may usually retain; otherwise the court can order reversion.
Remarriage
- Only after a final and registered decree (or a recognized foreign divorce). Update your PSA record first.

Timelines (real-world)

Simple, uncontested cases with solid evidence: roughly 1–2+ years from filing to finality/PSA annotation.
Contested/appealed cases or those with publication issues, congested dockets, or OSG appeals: 2–5+ years. Timelines vary widely by court workload, witness availability, and whether the OSG appeals.

Cost breakdown (typical ranges; your mileage may vary)

There’s no fixed national price tag. Lawyers price by complexity, venue, evidence, and hearings required. Below are ballpark figures used in practice:

Attorney’s professional fees
- Basic/nullity or annulment package: ~ ₱120,000–₱350,000 spread over stages (drafting, filing, pre-trial, trial dates).
- Complex/contested/with multiple witnesses or appeals: ₱350,000–₱900,000+.
- Some lawyers charge per hearing appearance (e.g., ₱5,000–₱20,000 per date) on top of acceptances.
Out-of-pocket litigation costs
- Filing fees (court/legal research/sheriff): typically ₱4,000–₱12,000+ (depends on venue; add ₱1,000–₱5,000 if with custody/property prayers).
- Psychological evaluation: ₱25,000–₱120,000+ (higher if the expert testifies and travels).
- Publication (summons by publication): ₱10,000–₱35,000 (newspaper rates vary).
- Transcript of stenographic notes (TSN): ₱30–₱60/page; a full trial can run ₱5,000–₱30,000+ in TSN costs.
- Document procurement (PSA certificates, clearances): ₱500–₱5,000 total depending on volume/courier.
- Miscellaneous (notarizations, courier, photocopying, travel): ₱3,000–₱20,000.
Total common spend
- Lean/uncontested: around ₱170,000–₱300,000+ all-in.
- Average: ₱250,000–₱600,000.
- Contested/appealed/complex: ₱600,000–₱1,000,000+.

Recognition of foreign divorce petitions are usually cheaper/faster (often ₱60,000–₱200,000+ total), because you’re proving the fact and validity of the foreign divorce, not litigating marital grounds.

Practical tips to control cost, time, and risk

Choose the right remedy (nullity vs annulment vs recognition of foreign divorce). If a foreign divorce exists or is feasible, that route is often faster.
Grounds drive success – be fact-heavy. Courts look for specific, dated acts showing incapacity/fraud/force, not labels or conclusions.
Corroborate – line up at least one credible witness (not just the psychologist).
If using a psych expert – engage one who will appear and testify; align report with legal elements (gravity, antecedence, incurability for Art. 36).
Keep the State in mind – the Prosecutor and OSG can and do challenge weak cases; expect cross-exams.
Parallel issues – prepare proposed custody/support terms and property inventories early; settlement on those narrows trial issues.
Be realistic on timelines – build in scheduling slack for postponements and publication.
Insist on completion steps – after judgment, follow through on: Entry of Judgment → Civil Registrar/PSA annotations → get annotated PSA copies.

Quick checklists

A) Documents to gather up front

PSA Marriage Certificate (latest copy).
Your and spouse’s birth certificates; children’s PSA birth certificates.
Proof of residence.
Photos, messages, emails, medical/psych records, police/barangay records (if any).
IDs, proof of employment/income (for support issues).
Property documents (titles, car CR/OR, bank statements) for property/custody/support prayers.
Foreign divorce decree and foreign law proof (if going the recognition route).

B) What to ask your lawyer (to avoid surprises)

Strategy: nullity vs annulment vs recognition of foreign divorce.
Total fee structure (acceptance, per-hearing, success fee?) and estimated OPE.
Plan for witnesses and expert (who, when, cost).
Timeline by stage and risks for delay.
Post-decree steps (who handles PSA annotations? at what cost?).
Appeal posture (what if the OSG appeals? how are fees handled?).

FAQs (fast answers)

Do I need a psychologist? Not strictly, but in Art. 36 cases it’s common and often persuasive when paired with solid fact testimony.
If my spouse doesn’t show up, do I automatically win? No. The court still needs substantial evidence; the Prosecutor/OSG can oppose.
Can we “agree” to annul? No. Collusion is forbidden and checked. You can, however, settle custody/support/property issues.
After the decree, can I remarry right away? Wait for Entry of Judgment and PSA annotation.
Are children affected? Children from annulled (voidable) marriages remain legitimate; those from Art. 36 nullity are legitimate. Other void grounds have specific effects—ask counsel for your scenario.

Bottom line

Pick the correct legal route, build a fact-driven record, budget for the professional + out-of-pocket costs, and follow through until your PSA records are updated. That’s what turns a court decision into practical freedom to move on—legally and administratively.

If you want, tell me your city, whether there’s a foreign divorce, your likely ground, and whether you expect it to be contested. I can sketch a costed plan (stages, witnesses, likely timeline) tailored to your case.