Marriage Certificate Annotation in the Philippines

(Everything you need to know as of April 26 2025)

1. What “annotation” means and why it matters

An annotation is a marginal note that the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) prints on a civil-registry document to reflect a legally significant supervening event—e.g., an annulment decree, a clerical-error correction, or a recognised foreign divorce. Until that note appears on the PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage (COM), government agencies, courts, and private entities will continue to treat the un-annotated certificate as the operative proof of a person’s civil status. (Marriage Certificate | Philippine Statistics Authority)

2. Principal legal bases

Instrument	Key points for annotation
Family Code, Arts. 52-53	A decree of annulment or nullity, together with the partition of property, must be recorded in the civil registry; remarriage is void if the decree is not annotated. (Executive Order No. 209 - The Lawphil Project)
Republic Act 9048 (2001), as amended by RA 10172 (2012)	Allows the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) or Consul General to correct clerical errors/change first name (RA 9048) and day/month of birth or sex (RA 10172) administratively; the approved petition and “Action Taken” of the Civil Registrar General (CRG) become the basis for annotation. (R.A. 9048 - The Lawphil Project, [R.A. No. 9048 as amended by R.A. No. 10172
A.M. 02-11-10-SC (Rules on Nullity/Annulment)	Courts must order the civil registrar to annotate the decree once final. (Annulment and Legal Separation in the Philippines - respicio.ph)
Recognition of foreign divorce (SC doctrine, 1985-2024)	A Filipino may remarry only after a Regional Trial Court recognises the foreign divorce and the decree is annotated on the COM. Recent SC decision (Sept 20 2024) clarified recognition even of divorces by mutual agreement abroad. (SC: Recognition of Divorce Not Limited to Those Decreed by Foreign ...)
PSA Memorandum Circular 2024-24	Rolled out the Electronic Copy of the Action Taken system—regional outlets now receive CRG approvals digitally, cutting RA 9048/10172 annotation time to ±30 days. (rsso07.psa.gov.ph)
Decentralized Copy Annotation Process (DeCAP, 2023-2024)	Lets PSA Serbilis outlets annotate and release RA 9048/10172 and Supplemental Report cases locally.

3. Common situations that require annotation

Administrative corrections – misspelt names, wrong first name, day/month of marriage, or clerical error in parties’ sex (RA 9048/10172).
Supplemental Report – adding an omitted entry (e.g., middle initial).
Court-ordered annotations
- Annulment or declaration of absolute nullity
- Judicial corrections outside RA 9048/10172 (e.g., change of surname, legitimacy)
- Judicial recognition of a foreign divorce
- Adoption, legitimation, or change of gender under RA 11210 (for gender-affirming court orders)
Foreign events routed through Philippine posts – Reports of Marriage abroad, subsequent divorce or death of spouse. (Annotation on the annulment/declaration of nullity of marriage, Annotation on the effects of divorce declared in a foreign country)

4. Actors and platforms

Actor	Role in annotation
Local Civil Registrar Office (LCRO)	Accepts petitions, registers court decrees, issues “Certificate of Registration” and transmits the packet to PSA.
Philippine Statistics Authority – Civil Registration Service	Through EAS/DeCAP, examines documents, encodes annotation, and releases annotated copies. (1st semester 2023-2024 Decentralized Copy Annotation Project (DeCAP))
Regional Serbilis / CRS ITP2 outlets & PSAHelpline.ph	Front-line issuance of annotated copies; online tracking of status.
Courts / Consulates	Render decisions (annulment, foreign divorce recognition, RA 9048 appeals abroad).

5. Step-by-step processes (with indicative timelines 2025)

A. Clerical-error or first-name/sex correction (RA 9048/10172)

File notarised petition and docs with any LCRO/Consulate (fees: ₱1,000-₱3,000 + ₱30 DST). (Philippine Statistics Authority - FAQs - Google Sites)
Publication (for first-name or sex/day/month changes): 2 consecutive weeks in a newspaper.
CRG approval issued electronically under MC 2024-24.
DeCAP encoding & printing – 15-30 days average.
Request annotated COM (₱210 per copy) from PSA outlet or PSAHelpline.

B. Annulment or declaration of nullity

Obtain RTC decision + Certificate of Finality.
Register decision with LCRO of court’s seat → LCRO of place of marriage.
LCRO transmits packet (decision, finality, registration certificate, un-annotated COM) to PSA. (Annotation on the annulment/declaration of nullity of marriage, Annulment Finalization Document Requirements - respicio.ph)
PSA annotation: 3-6 months (DeCAP courts near 90 days if all docs complete).
Secure annotated COM & updated CENOMAR before remarrying (Arts. 52-53 FC). (Articles 52, 53 and 54 of the Family of Code - Blogger)

C. Recognition of foreign divorce

Petition for Recognition in RTC where Filipino spouse resides.
Present authenticated foreign divorce law & decree.
After finality, follow same LCRO-PSA route. Processing time: 6-12 months (court) + 1-3 months (PSA). (Recognition of Foreign Divorce in the Philippines: Process and Requirements)

6. Documentary checklist (core set)

Situation	Must-have documents (certified true copies unless noted)
RA 9048/10172	Approved petition; CRG “Action Taken”; Certificate of Finality; 1 annotated & 1 un-annotated COM; supporting IDs/evidence.
Annulment/Nullity	Court decree; Certificate of Finality; LCRO Certificate of Registration; un-annotated COM. (Annotation on the annulment/declaration of nullity of marriage)
Foreign divorce	RTC decision recognising divorce; foreign decree & law (authenticated); Certificate of Finality; LCRO registration. (Annotation on the effects of divorce declared in a foreign country)
Supplemental Report	Affidavit of Supplemental Report; COM bearing “with supplemental report” remark.
Legitimation/Adoption	Court/administrative order; Certificate of Finality; related birth certificates.

7. Fees snapshot (2025)

Item	Statutory / typical fee
RA 9048 clerical error	₱1,000 (city/municipality); ₱150 overseas post
RA 9048 change of first name	₱3,000 (city, mun.); ₱150 overseas post + publication cost
RA 10172 sex/day/month	₱3,000 + publication
PSA copy issuance (any certificate)	₱210 walk-in; ₱365 online (incl. courier)
Court filing (annulment / foreign divorce recognition)	₱2,000-₱4,000 filing fee + lawyer’s fees (market-rate)

Fees may vary by LGU; always confirm locally.

8. How to track or expedite

E-Status Inquiry: PSAHelpline.ph “Check Status” lets you see if the annotation is “for issuance,” “in process,” or “no record yet.”
Follow-up letters: LCRO → PSA CRS Records Management Division (RMD) can issue a docket number.
Return-to-sender corrections: If PSA finds defects (blurred decree, missing page), it will send an RQs (return for queries) to LCRO—delay is often weeks. Remedy: supply clearer copies promptly. (Annotation on the annulment/declaration of nullity of marriage)

9. Practical pitfalls & tips

Pitfall	How to avoid
Using an old COM for immigration after annulment	Always secure the freshly annotated copy—some embassies reject a COM issued >6 months ago.
Incomplete packet sent by LCRO (e.g., missing Certificate of Registration)	Personally verify the transmittal list; keep photocopies.
Unpublished RA 9048/10172 petitions	Publication is mandatory for change of first name or sex; PSA will refuse to annotate if proof of publication absent.
Rushing remarriage	Under Art. 53 FC, the registration & annotation must precede a new marriage license; otherwise the second marriage is void. (Articles 52, 53 and 54 of the Family of Code - Blogger)

10. Recent developments (2023-2025) you should know

MC 2024-24: digital “Action Taken” copies mean no more mailing of thick folders; turnaround fell from 90-120 days to ~30 days in pilot regions. (rsso07.psa.gov.ph)
Supreme Court 2024 (Ng v. Republic): clarified that Japanese kon-in todoke (mutual agreement divorce) can be recognised; expect uptick in foreign divorce annotations. (SC: Recognition of Divorce Not Limited to Those Decreed by Foreign ...)
DeCAP full roll-out (2024): 17 regional outlets now annotate RA 9048/10172 and Supplemental cases in-house.
Online payment integration (2025 beta): PSAHelpline now accepts Maya & GCash for annotated-copy requests.

11. Frequently asked questions (quick answers)

Question	Answer (2025 rules)
How long before PSA prints my annulment annotation?	8-12 weeks average after PSA receives complete court packet; longer if any defect.
Can I DIY foreign divorce recognition?	No. Recognition is a court action; you need a lawyer and authenticated foreign law.
Is death of a spouse annotated?	No; PSA issues a separate Death Certificate; your CENOMAR will show “DEATH OF SPOUSE” instead.
Can I walk in at PSA Main to request “rush” printing?	Only for humanitarian or medical emergencies, and upon endorsement by CRG; otherwise standard queue.

12. Key take-aways

No annotation, no effect. A court decree or LCRO approval is merely preparatory; the PSA annotation is what changes your official civil status.
Paperwork discipline—complete, legible, and certified documents are the biggest time-savers.
Check the latest PSA memoranda (they change every few months) for new e-workflows or fee adjustments.
Plan backward: if you intend to remarry or migrate, secure your annotated COM months ahead.

Still unsure which path fits your situation? Feel free to ask follow-up questions or detail your specific scenario, and I’ll help you map the exact documentary and procedural route.