Executive Summary

“Annulment” is often used as a catch-all, but Philippine law distinguishes between:

Declaration of Absolute Nullity of Void Marriage (e.g., psychological incapacity, lack of marriage license/authority, bigamy), and
Annulment of Voidable Marriage (e.g., lack of parental consent for minors, vitiated consent, impotence unknown to the other, STD unknown to the other).

Both cases are filed in the Regional Trial Court (Family Court). The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) participates and a public prosecutor investigates collusion. Timelines vary widely by court congestion and case complexity. Realistic total duration is ~12 to 36 months (sometimes faster, sometimes longer). Total out-of-pocket costs commonly range from about ₱150,000 to ₱500,000+, driven by lawyer’s fees, psychological evaluation/expert testimony (if used), filing/service/publication, transcripts, and post-judgment civil registry work. Indigents can seek fee waivers and PAO assistance.

What Drives Duration

Below is a typical sequence with practical time windows. These are indicative, not promises—each court’s calendar differs.

Case Building & Filing (2–8 weeks)
- Gather PSA certificates (marriage, children’s birth, CENOMAR if needed), IDs, photos, medical/psych records, sworn statements.
- Draft and notarize the petition; pay filing and sheriff’s fees.
Raffle & Docketing (1–3 weeks)
- Assignment to a Family Court branch.
Service of Summons (1–3 months)
- If respondent is local and reachable, this can be quick.
- If address unknown/abroad, expect service by publication and/or foreign service—adds 2–6 months.
Collusion Investigation & Pre-Trial (1–4 months)
- Prosecutor confirms there is no collusion.
- Pre-trial narrows issues, marks exhibits, sets witness schedule.
Trial Proper (3–12+ months)
- Petitioner’s evidence: testimony, documentary exhibits.
- Expert psychologist/psychiatrist (often used for psychological incapacity cases) testifies; scheduling experts often causes delay.
- Respondent’s evidence (if they appear and contest).
- OSG position/cross-exam participation.
Memoranda, Judgment, and Finality (2–8 months)
- Court decision; MR (motion for reconsideration) periods; Entry of Judgment when final.
Civil Registry & PSA Annotation (1–3 months)
- Annotate the marriage record with the Local Civil Registrar and PSA; secure annotated copies.

Typical Total: ~12–36 months end-to-end. Faster matters (cooperative respondent, reachable address, light docket) can close near 9–12 months; complex or contested cases (unreachable respondent, heavy docket, multiple settings) may run 2–4 years.

What Drives Cost

Costs fall into five baskets. Ranges below reflect common, real-world figures across cities; your mileage will vary.

Professional Fees
- Lawyer’s acceptance & professional fees: ₱120,000–₱400,000+
  - Billing styles: fixed fee, staged fee per phase, or appearance-based (₱5,000–₱25,000 per hearing).
  - Complex, contested, or out-of-town cases trend higher.
- Psychological evaluation & expert testimony (if used): ₱25,000–₱120,000+
  - Separate fees for report, court appearance, and possible rebuttal.
Court & Service Fees
- Filing fees & sheriff’s fees: roughly ₱5,000–₱15,000 (varies by court and add-ons).
- Publication (if required for summons): ₱10,000–₱30,000+ depending on newspaper and run length.
- Transcript of stenographic notes (TSN): ₱1,500–₱3,500+ per hearing (length-dependent).
Document Procurement & Incidental Costs
- PSA copies, certifications, notarization: ₱1,000–₱5,000 (more if multiple sets).
- Medical/clinical records, school/work records (if relevant): ₱500–₱5,000.
Post-Judgment Costs
- Certified copies of decision/entry of judgment, LCR/PSA annotations: ₱1,000–₱5,000.
- Notices to agencies/banks/insurers (if needed): courier/legalization incidental costs.
Opportunity & Logistics
- Work absences, travel/parking, childcare: case-specific but real. Build a buffer.

Budgeting tip: Ask counsel for a phase-by-phase fee schedule and a cost ledger you can update after each hearing.

Low–Mid–High Scenario Budget (Illustrative)

Scenario	Lawyer	Psych Eval/Testimony	Court/Service	TSN & Docs	Post-Judgment	Estimated Total
Low (straightforward, no publication, quick settings)	₱120k	₱0–25k	₱6k–10k	₱6k–10k	₱1k–3k	₱133k–168k
Mid (with psych eval, a few hearings)	₱180k–260k	₱40k–80k	₱10k–20k	₱10k–25k	₱2k–4k	₱242k–389k
High (publication, multiple settings, contested)	₱280k–450k+	₱70k–120k+	₱20k–40k+	₱20k–50k+	₱3k–5k	₱393k–665k+

These are planning ranges, not quotes.

Grounds & Strategy Notes (Affects Time and Cost)

Psychological Incapacity (void marriage): Often uses expert evidence. Quality of factual anchors (court-observed behaviors, records, third-party accounts) matters more than buzzwords.
Lack of License/Authority, Bigamy, Underage, Invalid Formalities (void): May be document-driven and faster if records are clear.
Annulment of Voidable Marriage (e.g., consent vitiation, concealed impotence/STD): Requires proving ground existed at marriage and timely filing within statutory periods.

Tactical levers to reduce duration/cost:

Ensure respondent’s accurate address for quick service.
Front-load complete exhibits and sworn statements; avoid repeated re-settings.
Coordinate early with your expert’s calendar.
Be responsive to OSG comments and court directives.

Children, Property, and Support (Parallel Issues)

Courts can—and typically do—address custody, support, visitation, and property relations within or parallel to the case.

Children’s status is not affected by nullity/annulment; they remain legitimate if conceived/born in wedlock (subject to legal presumptions).
Support remains enforceable.
Property regime (absolute community/conjugal partnership) dissolves; expect inventory, liquidation, and partition—this can add time if heavily disputed.
Use of family home and protective orders may be tackled via interim reliefs.

After the Decision Becomes Final

Secure Entry of Judgment and certified true copies.
File for civil registry annotation with the Local Civil Registrar where the marriage is recorded; the LCR transmits to PSA.
Order PSA-annotated copies of the marriage certificate.
Update IDs, records, and beneficiary designations if relevant (banks, HMO, GSIS/SSS, Pag-IBIG, insurers).

Cost-Control & Risk-Management Checklist

Written engagement letter with fee structure, scope, and out-of-pocket estimates
Document plan (PSA, medical, school/work, communications, photos)
Witness map with availability
Expert plan (if using psych evidence): deliverables, timelines, hearing fees
Calendar discipline: appear on time, avoid re-settings
Address service strategy (personal vs. publication)
Post-judgment registry steps diarized

Indigency and Alternatives

PAO may represent indigent litigants (income/assets thresholds apply).
Courts can grant pauper’s litigant status (waives/defers certain fees) upon proper showing.
Legal Separation (if you cannot or do not wish to nullify) addresses support, custody, and property separation but does not allow remarriage.
Church annulment is separate (ecclesiastical); it has no civil effect unless you also secure a civil decree.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can we “speed it up” if we both agree? Agreement can streamline service and pre-trial, but the court still needs evidence, a collusion investigation, and OSG participation. It cannot be granted “by agreement alone.”

Q2: Is a psychological report enough? No. Courts evaluate totality of evidence: lay testimony + documents + expert opinion. A report without solid factual bases rarely suffices.

Q3: Can I work or travel during the case? Yes—just attend hearings (or appear online if allowed) and coordinate with counsel. If abroad, plan for judicial affidavits, video testimony, or special power of attorney where permitted.

Q4: When can I remarry? Only after the decision is final and the PSA annotation is in place.

Q5: Will the court award damages or attorney’s fees? Sometimes, but plan your budget assuming none; awards are discretionary and case-specific.

Bottom Line

Expect ~12–36 months from filing to PSA annotation, and budget ~₱150,000–₱500,000+ depending on complexity, publication, expert use, and counsel’s fees. You can shorten timelines and control costs by front-loading evidence, securing clean service of summons, coordinating expert schedules, and maintaining strict hearing attendance. Indigent litigants should explore PAO and fee waivers.