1) What “CENOMAR” is—and why foreign divorce complicates it

A CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage Record), issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), is commonly used to show that a person has no marriage record on file and is often requested for marriage applications, visa petitions, employment, licensing, and other transactions.

A key point: once a marriage is recorded in the Philippine civil registry/PSA database, you will not truly have “no marriage record” anymore, even if the marriage is later voided, annulled, or a foreign divorce is recognized. Practically, this means:

If you were never married (no record): PSA CENOMAR typically shows “no record of marriage.”
If you were married and later freed to remarry (by annulment/nullity or recognition of foreign divorce): PSA records usually still show that a marriage exists/once existed, but with an annotation (a remark in the record) reflecting the court decision.

Because different agencies still ask for “CENOMAR” out of habit, people who are already in PSA’s marriage database often end up needing one or more of these PSA documents instead (or in combination):

Annotated PSA Marriage Certificate (CEMAR)
Advisory on Marriages (AOM) (a PSA-issued summary/listing of marriage record(s), often reflecting annotations)
Sometimes a CENOMAR is still issued but won’t read like a “single” certificate; it may reflect that a marriage record exists.

Bottom line: after a foreign divorce, what you can obtain from PSA depends on whether the divorce has been recognized in the Philippines and whether the PSA record has been annotated.

2) The controlling rule: foreign divorce is not automatically effective in the Philippines

A foreign divorce decree—even if valid abroad—does not automatically change your Philippine civil status in PSA records. For Philippine purposes, you generally need a Philippine court judgment recognizing the foreign divorce, so the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) and PSA can annotate the marriage record.

This is why many Filipinos experience the “I’m divorced abroad but PSA still shows I’m married” problem.

3) Who can benefit from recognition of a foreign divorce in the Philippines

A) Marriages between a Filipino citizen and a foreign national (Family Code, Article 26(2))

Philippine law recognizes a path for the Filipino spouse to be capacitated to remarry when a valid divorce is obtained abroad in a marriage where one spouse is/was a foreign national, and the divorce allows the foreign spouse to remarry.

Philippine jurisprudence has developed the doctrine so that recognition can be available even when:

The divorce was obtained by the foreign spouse; and
In later rulings, even when the Filipino spouse initiated the divorce abroad, so long as the foreign spouse is/was a foreign national and the divorce is valid and effective.

B) If both spouses were Filipino citizens at the time of divorce

As a general rule, a divorce obtained abroad by two Filipinos is not recognized to dissolve the marriage in the Philippines (because divorce is not generally available to non-Muslim Filipinos under Philippine domestic law). In such cases, the usual remedies are:

Declaration of nullity (void marriage) or annulment (voidable marriage) under the Family Code; or
For Muslims, divorce under the Code of Muslim Personal Laws (if applicable).

C) Special situations that often require careful legal handling

These are common fact patterns that materially affect outcomes:

Change of citizenship (e.g., one spouse later naturalized abroad)
Dual citizenship timing (citizenship status at marriage, at divorce, and at filing can matter)
Divorce vs. dissolution vs. administrative termination depending on the foreign country’s system
Remarriage abroad before Philippine recognition (creates practical and legal risks in PH)

4) What recognition of foreign divorce accomplishes (and what it does not)

What it accomplishes

Once you obtain a final Philippine court judgment recognizing the foreign divorce, and the judgment is implemented with the civil registry:

The PSA marriage record can be annotated to reflect the divorce and the Philippine recognition
You can typically secure PSA documents that show you are legally capacitated to remarry (for Philippine purposes), often through the annotated marriage certificate and/or AOM

What it does not automatically accomplish

It does not automatically revise PSA records without the annotation process.
It does not automatically settle property relations, custody, support, inheritance, or use of surname—these may require additional proceedings or careful treatment depending on facts and the foreign decree.
It does not make your PSA output look identical to someone who was never married; you will still have a marriage history in the registry.

5) The usual pathway: from foreign divorce to PSA-issuable documents

Step 1 — Secure the foreign divorce documents (and authenticate them properly)

Philippine courts require proof of:

The fact of divorce (the decree/judgment/certificate), and
The applicable foreign law under which the divorce was granted (because Philippine courts do not automatically take judicial notice of foreign laws)

Typical documents (vary by country/state):

Divorce decree/judgment/certificate of dissolution (with finality)
Proof it is final and executory (where applicable)
Copy of the relevant foreign statute(s) or official publication, or competent proof of the foreign law and its effect

Authentication:

For many countries, documents are authenticated via Apostille (replacing “red ribbon” legalization for Apostille Convention members)
If the issuing country is not under Apostille Convention or special rules apply, other authentication may be required

Step 2 — File a Philippine court petition to recognize the foreign divorce

The usual filing is with the Regional Trial Court (RTC), commonly framed as a petition for recognition of foreign divorce (often paired with/coupled as a proceeding affecting civil registry entries).

Even if the divorce is clear abroad, the Philippine court still needs to determine:

Existence/validity of the divorce decree
Proof of the foreign law allowing the divorce
That the case falls within the doctrine allowing recognition (commonly tied to Article 26(2) for mixed-nationality marriages)

Evidence is crucial. Many petitions fail or get delayed because parties only present the divorce decree but not the foreign law, or present foreign law in a form the court will not accept.

Step 3 — Obtain the finality of the Philippine recognition judgment

After the RTC decision:

Wait for the decision to become final and executory
Secure an Entry of Judgment / Certificate of Finality (terminology varies by court)

Without finality, civil registrars typically will not implement annotation.

Step 4 — Implement annotation with the Local Civil Registrar (LCR), then PSA

The RTC decision typically directs the appropriate civil registrar(s) to annotate the marriage record. In practice:

Submit the final RTC decision and proof of finality to the Local Civil Registrar where the marriage was registered (and/or where the civil registry record is kept).
The LCR annotates its copy and prepares endorsements/transmittals.
The annotation is transmitted to PSA for updating the national database.

This step is where many people get stuck. Common causes:

Incomplete documents for LCR requirements
Inconsistent names/dates/places across records
Delays in transmittal from LCR to PSA
Needing additional corrections before annotation (see below)

Step 5 — Request the correct PSA document(s)

After PSA updates, you can request:

PSA Marriage Certificate with annotation reflecting the recognition of foreign divorce
Advisory on Marriages (AOM) showing the marriage and its annotated status
Potentially a CENOMAR request may return a result that is not a “no marriage record,” because a marriage record exists; agencies often accept the AOM + annotated marriage certificate instead.

6) What PSA will issue after recognition: setting expectations

You should expect a “paper trail,” not erasure

Recognition and annotation do not erase the prior marriage record; they update it. So PSA documents often show:

The marriage exists (as a record), and
A marginal annotation or remark about the divorce and the court recognition

Which document best proves “capacity to marry”?

In many real-world uses (marriage licensing, visa filing, etc.), the strongest set is usually:

Annotated PSA Marriage Certificate + AOM and, when requested, attach:
Certified true copy of the RTC decision and Entry of Judgment

If an agency insists on a “CENOMAR,” clarify that PSA systems may reflect marriage history and will not treat you as “never married.” The remedy is not “getting a single-looking CENOMAR,” but presenting the annotated PSA record that shows you are free to remarry.

7) Common issues and how they affect CENOMAR/AOM results

A) No annotation yet (PSA still shows “married” with no remarks)

If you already have the foreign divorce but no Philippine recognition and no annotation, PSA will typically still show you as married with no indication you are free to remarry.

B) Name discrepancies / clerical errors

Mismatch among:

Passport vs. marriage certificate vs. birth certificate
Middle name/maiden name usage
Date/place inconsistencies

These may require:

Administrative correction under civil registry laws (e.g., typographical errors)
Or a judicial correction, depending on the nature of the discrepancy

Until corrected, PSA may delay annotation or issue outputs that confuse agencies.

C) Timing of citizenship and divorce

Whether you qualify for recognition often depends on:

Whether one spouse was a foreign national when the divorce was obtained, and
Whether the divorce is recognized as valid and effective under the foreign law

D) Foreign law proof problems

Philippine courts generally require competent proof of foreign law (not just internet printouts without proper foundation). Many litigants underestimate this requirement.

8) Practical checklist: what people typically prepare

Foreign documents

Divorce decree/judgment/certificate (with finality)
Proof of applicable foreign law (statute/official publication/competent evidence)
Authentication (Apostille or equivalent, as applicable)

Philippine documents

PSA Marriage Certificate
PSA Birth Certificate
IDs/passport
If needed: proof of spouse’s foreign citizenship (at relevant times), and marriage particulars

Court output

RTC Decision recognizing the divorce
Entry of Judgment / Certificate of Finality

Civil registry

LCR compliance documents for annotation
Proof of transmittal/endorsement to PSA

PSA requests after annotation

Annotated Marriage Certificate
Advisory on Marriages (AOM)
If needed for a specific transaction: request for CENOMAR output (with realistic expectations)

9) Frequently asked questions

“Can I get a CENOMAR that says I’m single after recognition?”

Usually, no in the literal sense, because the marriage record remains in the system. What you get is documentation showing the marriage record with annotation and that you are free to remarry.

“Can I remarry in the Philippines using only my foreign divorce decree?”

As a rule, Philippine authorities rely on Philippine-recognized civil status. Without a Philippine recognition judgment and PSA annotation, you can expect obstacles (and potential legal exposure) if you remarry in the Philippines.

“Do I need a lawyer?”

Court recognition is a judicial proceeding; in practice, most people engage counsel due to evidentiary requirements, foreign law proof, and coordination with civil registrars.

“How long does PSA annotation take?”

It varies widely depending on the RTC process, finality, LCR implementation speed, and PSA updating. The safest planning approach is to treat it as multi-stage and not assume immediate PSA updates after the court decision.

10) Careful notes on surnames, property, and children

Recognition of foreign divorce primarily addresses civil status and capacity to remarry. Depending on your situation, you may also need advice on:

Surname usage (especially when documents must align across agencies)
Property relations (conjugal/community property issues can be complex when foreign and Philippine regimes intersect)
Child custody/support (foreign orders may not be self-executing locally; enforceability depends on multiple factors)
Inheritance implications and status of subsequent marriage

11) A short “best practice” summary

Don’t stop at the foreign decree. Plan for Philippine court recognition.
Prepare proof of foreign law, not just the divorce paper.
After the RTC decision becomes final, push annotation through LCR to PSA.
For most transactions, expect to use Annotated PSA Marriage Certificate + AOM, plus the court decision if requested—rather than a “single-looking” CENOMAR.

Disclaimer

This article is for general information in the Philippine legal context and is not legal advice. Outcomes depend heavily on citizenship timelines, the foreign jurisdiction’s divorce framework, document authentication, and record consistency. For any planned remarriage or immigration filing, consult a Philippine lawyer with experience in recognition of foreign divorce and civil registry annotation.