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Jean LambRepostFacebook25
Oct 3

Got married in the Philippines and divorced in Alaska. There's a truck and a motorcycle. My ex signed a notarized deed of sale and a waiver of rights to take herself off the titles, and I even got them apostilled. But the LTO in Bayawan won't accept them. They say she has to do it here in the Philippines only. Help. That's the whole point of an apostille.

필리핀에서 결혼했고 알래스카에서 이혼했습니다. 트럭이랑 오토바이가 있어요. 전처가 명의에서 자기를 빼려고…
Reactions18 of 53 original comments
Needs PH court recognitionStill married in PHWorkaroundsWhich country?Lawyer up or let go
Needs PH court recognition
AmusingMoose2755

An apostille only proves the document is genuine; it does NOT automatically prove the divorce is valid in the Philippines. LTO Bayawan is technically wrong to say it 'must be done here only', but they're right that you need more than the apostilled waiver. Here's why. 1. Foreign divorce ≠ automatically valid in PH -The Philippines generally doesn't recognize divorce -A divorce obtained abroad first has to be judicially recognized by a Philippine Regional Trial Court (RTC) before any government agency, LTO included, will act on it Without that court recognition, LTO's system still has you as legally married 2. The waiver alone isn't enough -Even with an apostille: LTO requires proof that your ex-spouse has the legal capacity to waive rights, and that capacity comes from a recognized divorce -If one spouse is American/foreign, the divorce can be recognized under Article 26 of the Family Code, but it still takes a court case.

Still married in PH
Jeanly Apas6

If you married in the Philippines and divorced in Alaska, the divorce still has to go through the Philippine embassy for the marriage to be dissolved, because if it isn't reported to the embassy you're both still married in the Philippines.

Workarounds
Johan Svenfelt3

Just make an ordinary deed of sale and act like you bought them from your wife. It'll cost a bit to get it notarized, but it's way easier and you don't need any divorce papers.

Which country?
Jan David Narkiewicz9

I read the whole thing and still have no idea which country the truck and motorcycle are in.

Lawyer up or let go
Paul Black2

I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice here, some good and some not so much. My advice on legal matters is always: see a lawyer.

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