The Short Answer
Generally yes. Under Article 26 of the Family Code, a marriage held abroad that followed that country's laws and is valid there is also valid in the Philippines. There are exceptions: for example, if either of you was under 18, already married to someone else, or closely related. To get the marriage on your Philippine records, file a Report of Marriage at the Philippine embassy or consulate, which is later sent to the PSA.
Example: Jenny Mendoza of Iloilo City Marries in Las Vegas
Names and details in this example are made up.
Jenny Mendoza, a nurse from Barangay Jaro, Iloilo City, works in California. In 2024 she marries Mark, an American, at a wedding chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a Nevada Marriage License. Both were single and over 18.
Is it valid here? Yes. The marriage followed Nevada's law and is valid there, and none of the exceptions apply. So it is valid in the Philippines too. It does not matter that there was no Philippine priest, judge or mayor.
Getting it on her PSA records. Jenny files a Report of Marriage at the Philippine consulate that covers Nevada. She brings the forms, a certified copy of the Nevada Marriage Certificate, both passports and the consulate's fee. The consulate approves it and sends it to the DFA in Manila, which passes it to the PSA. Some months later, her mother in Iloilo orders a PSA copy of the Marriage Certificate online for about ₱365 with delivery. Jenny will need it when she updates her passport to her married name, and when she reports the birth of a future child abroad.
A different story: Rodel. Rodel Santos married Liza in a church in Batangas in 2010. They separated, and in 2023 Rodel, working in Hong Kong, married another woman there. Rodel's first marriage was never declared void or annulled. His Hong Kong marriage is bigamous (he was still married to someone else), one of the exceptions in Article 26, so it is void in the Philippines, and it could expose him to a bigamy case. Getting a foreign Marriage Certificate does not end a Philippine marriage.
The Rule: Valid There, Valid Here
The first paragraph of Article 26 of the Family Code (Executive Order No. 209) says that a marriage held outside the Philippines, following the laws of the country where it was held, and valid there, is also valid in the Philippines. A civil wedding at a city hall, a church wedding, or any other form that country recognizes can count.
Two Filipinos abroad can also marry before a Philippine consul-general, consul or vice-consul, who acts in place of a local officiant (the person who performs the wedding) (Family Code, Art. 10).
The Exceptions
Article 26 does not save a marriage that Philippine law treats as void. A Filipino carries their status under Philippine law wherever they go. So a marriage abroad is not valid here, even if that country allows it, if it is:
- with a party under 18 (Art. 35(1));
- bigamous or polygamous, meaning one of you was still married to someone else (Art. 35(4)), except in the narrow case in Art. 41 of a spouse declared presumptively dead (presumed dead after a long absence) by a court;
- made by mistake about who the other person is (Art. 35(5));
- a later marriage that is void under Art. 53, because the papers on the earlier marriage, property and children's shares were not recorded as the law requires (Art. 35(6));
- with a spouse who was psychologically incapacitated to carry out the essential duties of marriage, as declared by a court (Art. 36);
- incestuous, between close relatives (Art. 37), or void for reasons of public policy (because the law forbids it), such as between certain in-laws or step-relatives (Art. 38).
Whether a particular marriage falls under an exception is a question for a court, so get legal advice if you think one might apply.
Reporting the Marriage: The Report of Marriage
A marriage abroad is recorded in the Philippine civil registry through a Report of Marriage filed at the Philippine embassy or consulate covering the place where you married. The report does not make the marriage valid; the wedding did that. It records it, so the PSA can issue a copy that Philippine offices accept.
- Each post (embassy or consulate) publishes its own list. It usually includes the report form, a certified copy of the foreign Marriage Certificate, both spouses' passports or proof of citizenship, and the fee.
- Many posts take reports by appointment or by mail. A late report usually needs extra papers, such as an affidavit explaining the delay. Ask the post.
- If you are already back in the Philippines, ask the DFA Office of Consular Affairs in Manila how to file.
- After approval, the post sends the report to the DFA in Manila, which passes it to the PSA. It can take months before the PSA copy is available. Ask the post for the transmittal details (when and how it was sent), which help the PSA find the record.
An unreported marriage can often be reported at the same time as your child's Report of Birth. See reporting a birth abroad to the Philippines and getting PSA Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates.
If You Later Divorce a Foreign Spouse
The second paragraph of Article 26 covers a Filipino married to a foreigner. If a divorce is validly obtained abroad that lets the foreign spouse remarry, the Filipino spouse can remarry too. Since Republic v. Manalo (2018), this applies even when it was the Filipino who filed for the divorce.
The divorce does not take effect here on its own. A Philippine court must first recognize it, and your PSA marriage record must be annotated (noted). Until then you are still married on paper here. A divorce between two Filipinos who were both still Filipino when they divorced is generally not recognized. See getting a divorce abroad recognized in the Philippines and is there divorce in the Philippines.
Common Questions
Hindi Namin Na-report sa Consulate ang Kasal Namin. Hindi ba Valid?
It is still valid if it followed the law of the country where you married and no exception applies. The Report of Marriage only records it. Without it, though, the PSA has no copy, which causes problems with passports, benefits and your children's records. You can still file a late report.
Kasal Ako sa Pilipinas, Tapos Nagpakasal Ulit Ako Abroad. Valid ba ang Pangalawa?
No. If your first marriage was never declared void, annulled, or ended by a recognized foreign divorce, a second marriage is bigamous and void under Philippine law, wherever it was held. It can also lead to a bigamy case.
Do We Need a Philippine Marriage License If We Marry Abroad?
Not for a wedding under the other country's law. You follow that country's requirements. Two Filipinos marrying before a Philippine consul follow the Family Code's requirements, with the consul handling the duties of the Local Civil Registrar.
How Do I Get a PSA Copy of a Marriage Reported Abroad?
Once the report reaches the PSA, order it like any PSA Marriage Certificate, online or at a PSA outlet. If the PSA has no record yet, give them the transmittal details from the embassy or consulate.
Is a Church Wedding Abroad Without a Civil Wedding Valid?
It is valid here if it is valid in the country where it was held. Some countries recognize religious weddings on their own; others require a civil ceremony. Check that country's rules.
Not legal advice. This is general information. For advice on your own situation, consult a lawyer. If you cannot afford one, the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) or an IBP legal aid office may help for free.
Government fees, rules and requirements change, so always check with the office concerned before you go. This page explains the general rules; it cannot tell you how they apply to your own family or case. Last reviewed October 8, 2026.