After Annulment, Here Is The Paperwork You Still Need To Do And File

There’s nothing easy about annulment. Everything, from the cost to the emotional trauma, to the legal process, is complicated and painful. But once it is all done and official, you can finally and truly move on, right?

The paperwork you need to do after an annulment

You have managed to nullify your marriage successfully. While you’re exhausted by the ordeal, you are relieved it’s finally done. But there are few more things to do, especially for women, when it comes to paperwork. Here are a few things you will need to take care of after a successful annulment.

Make sure your records are updated with the Civil Registry and the PSA

Barry Alejandro’s annulment was finalized in 2015. “This was facilitated as part of the annulment process from my ex-wife's end. Since she was the one who filed the case against me, the paperwork included Civil Registry [needed] updating.”

You have to make sure your record at the Philippines Statistics Authority (formerly the National Statistics Office or NSO) are updated, too. Barry says, “I had to make a separate visit to NSO with my old marriage certificate stamped with the nullity of marriage, as well as the judge's decision.”

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How can women change their name back after annulment?

Many women are still very particular about whether or not they should take their husband’s name upon marriage. For women who have their marriage annulled, getting their name back is significant, as it symbolizes getting their freedom. For some, it means getting their identity back.

Esther Buencamino had a troubled marriage, and its dissolution was finalized in November 2015. “I went back to using my maiden name. Unfortunately, some people have insisted on using my married name, so they found themselves off my friends' list on social media and in real life. When my annulment was finalized, I was sent a notarized copy of the decision and NSO form (annulment of marriage).” (Esther's lawyer arranged for the NSO copy to be delivered to her.)

According to journalist Ana Santos, who got her annulment decision in 2007, you can change your name back the same way you changed your name when you got married. “You have to file a request with each and every office that has your records. The point is to align your identity documents with your records.”

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You will need to submit these documents to change your name:

• the annulment decision from the court
• the same annulment decision but filed before Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) for the change to reflect in the civil registry
• the final output from the PSA is an annotated marriage certificate, which reflects the details of the annulment decision, stating that PSA has rectified your marriage certificate to reflect this change.

Ana says, “This document — the annotated PSA-certified marriage certificate — is the most important. You cannot change any government documents, like your passport, without this.”

Back in 2007, Ana had to file her papers at the PSA main office along East Avenue. It took a while for the process to be completed. “They need to check the documents with your court, etc. because there are so many fakes. Then when you get this, you need to update all the documents and records you have: bank, government IDs, insurance policies, properties, even your personal bills.”

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What are the other government agencies and offices you should visit after annulment?

Ana recalls, “After you get your court decision and the annotated PSA-certified marriage certificate, you need to bring that the Church where you got married, so they can also update their own records.” If you travel a lot, especially for work, your passport is one of the first government IDs you want to update.

How do you update your bank records after annulment?

According to Barry, it’s easier if you have separate bank accounts, to begin with, so he didn’t have any problems with this. If you have any joint accounts, you have to submit the same documents to the bank to update their records.

Since Ana’s annulment was finalized in 2007, the bank did not require much proof. “It was easy then because the banks didn't know what to look for. I just presented them with a court decision, and they were like, ‘Uh, we've never had anything like this before. I guess this will be okay.’”

For Esther, whose annulment was more recent, “I simply furnished them with the NSO annulment form and a copy of the court decision.”

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What do you do with insurance policies after annulment?

Whether it’s insurance or your company HMO, you’ll have to update your information to indicate your new civil status, your dependents, and your beneficiaries.

Barry shared, “I submitted to our company HR my approved annulment papers and the NSO certificate and asked them to remove my ex-wife from a list of dependents.”

Basically, think of any utilities, services, and companies that have your name on record, from your electricity bill to your company records. Think of every office where you had to submit your marriage certificate and every company where you had to fill up a form to indicate your name and status change. Those are the places and institutions you have to visit to update your name and status after your annulment.

Read about everything you need to know about how to get an annulment in the Philippines here.

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