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Got Divorced in California

But Your Ex is Filipino?

Here's How To Make It Official in the Philippines

Document Retrieval & Apostille

18 September 2025

Look, we get it. You're already dealing with the emotional rollercoaster of divorce, and now someone's telling you that your California divorce might not be "valid" in the Philippines? That's the last thing you need right now.

If you married someone from the Philippines and got divorced in California, you're probably discovering that the Philippines has its own rules about recognizing your divorce. The good news? Apostille Pinoy has helped several couples just like you sort this mess out. The bad news? Yes, there's more paperwork involved.

Don't worry though - we're going to break this down so you know exactly what you need to do.

Why Your California Divorce Isn't Automatically Valid in the Philippines?

The Philippines doesn't usually allow Filipinos to get divorced. Sounds weird, right? But when a Filipino marries someone from another country, and they get divorced abroad, the Philippines will recognize it - but only if you file a case with the Philippine courts to have your divorce recognized.

Think of it like this: California says you're divorced, but the Philippines says "prove it." And they want specific proof, not just any proof.

The most common mistake people make? They think their regular divorce papers are enough. Nope. The Philippines wants to see the actual California law (called a statute) that your divorce was based on, and it needs special certification called an apostille.

It's like the difference between showing someone a photocopy of your driver's license versus the real thing - they want the real deal with all the official stamps and signatures. That's exactly where Apostille Pinoy comes in - we know exactly what the Philippines wants and how to get it for you.

What Papers Do You Actually Need?

Here's what the Philippines wants to see, and what Apostille Pinoy specializes in getting for you:

The Must-Have Documents

Your Divorce Decree (The Official Version)

This isn't the copy you keep in your files. You need a certified copy from the court - basically a copy that the court clerk has stamped and signed saying "yes, this is real." Apostille Pinoy handles all the court communication so you don't have to figure out which clerk to talk to or what exactly to ask for.

The California Divorce Law (Statute) Documentation

This is the tricky part that trips up most people. The Philippines wants to see the actual California law that allowed your divorce to happen. Most people don't even know this exists, let alone how to get it. This is Apostille Pinoy's specialty - we know exactly which statutes apply to your case and how to get the certified copies the Philippines requires.

Apostille Stamps on Everything

An apostille is basically California's way of telling the Philippines "yes, these documents are legit." It's like a super-official stamp that other countries recognize. Apostille Pinoy is based in California, so we can process your apostille with the Secretary of State in Sacramento.

Your Marriage Certificate (Also with Apostille)

Yep, they want proof you were actually married in the first place. We handle the retrieval and apostille of this too (if you were married outside the Philippines).

California Apostille Certificate [Apostille Pinoy]

California Divorce Statute (Law) [Apostille Pinoy]

Apostilled and Certified Copy of California Divorce Statute (Law)

Get Your Legal Documents Processed with Ease.

Trusted legal document procurement services for individuals and businesses outside the Philippines.