Philippine law bars divorce for two Filipinos who marry abroad

Two Filipino citizens cannot legally divorce abroad; Philippine law does not recognize a foreign divorce if both spouses remained Filipino citizens at the time. Foreign divorce may be recognized only when one spouse is a foreign national and the divorce is valid under that spouse’s national law. A Philippine court must still approve the divorce through a recognition petition before the Filipino can remarry. The Philippines and Vatican City remain among the few countries without a general civil divorce law. A divorce bill lapsed after Senate inaction, though new versions have been refiled in the 20th Congress.