What we handle for clients overseas
Four matters bring most people to us from abroad. Each one is run end to end from Manila while you sign where you are.
Foreign divorce recognition
A divorce granted abroad changes nothing on your PSA record until a Philippine court recognizes it. See the recognition guide.
Property due diligence
Title, seller, annotations and deal structure checked before your money moves. See the due diligence guide.
Mixed-marriage prenups
Marry here without a settlement and absolute community of property applies by default. See the prenup guide.
Estates & succession
Philippine estates with heirs abroad, and foreigners holding Philippine assets. See the estate guide.
Divorced abroad? Start with the country
A divorce obtained abroad has no effect on your Philippine civil status until a Philippine court judicially recognizes it. It is the most common problem we solve for clients overseas, and the whole case — from documents to PSA annotation — can be handled without you flying home. Start with the country where you divorced:
Buying property in the Philippines from abroad
Whether you are a foreigner eyeing a condominium, a balikbayan buying back home, or a dual citizen reclaiming land rights, the ownership rules are strict and the workarounds people whisper about are criminally risky. Our property due diligence service checks the title, the seller, the annotations, and the structure of the deal before your money moves — the guide covers what foreigners can and cannot own, the 40% condominium rule, and what to do if you already paid. Buyers from China, Hong Kong or Macao have a dedicated Chinese-buyer guide, with a 中文指南.
Marrying a Filipino or Filipina? Put the prenup first
Marry in the Philippines without a marriage settlement and the default regime of absolute community of property applies — nearly everything either of you owns becomes common. A prenuptial agreement only works if it is executed before the wedding, in the right form, and properly recorded. Our mixed-marriage prenup guide covers the hard deadline, the formal requirements, and how a Philippine prenup travels to your home country.
Estates that cross borders
A foreigner who owned Philippine assets, or a Filipino estate whose heirs are scattered across three continents — either way, succession runs into Philippine procedure, the decedent's national law, estate tax, and the practical problem of signing documents from abroad. Our expat estate & succession guide covers whose law governs a foreigner's estate, foreign wills and reprobate, and settling an estate without flying home.
How working with us from abroad actually works
You are not the exception here — most of this practice is run for people who are not in the country. Four things make that ordinary rather than difficult:
Consultation across time zones
Paid (₱3,500) and scheduled around your hours, over call, WhatsApp, or Viber.
An SPA instead of a plane ticket
Executed at a Philippine embassy or consulate, or apostilled locally. An attorney-in-fact then handles filings and follow-through here.
Documents handled where they live
Apostille or attestation in your country, translations, and the Philippine-side records, coordinated as one package.
Payment from anywhere
International transfer or card. The fee structure is discussed openly at the first meeting.
Frequently asked questions
Can you handle my Philippine legal matter while I live abroad?
Yes — that is the point of this practice area. Recognition of foreign divorce, property due diligence, prenuptial agreements, and estate settlement can all be run through counsel with a Special Power of Attorney executed at a Philippine embassy or consulate, or apostilled where your country is an Apostille Convention member. Petitioners in decided Supreme Court cases litigated entire recognition cases through attorneys-in-fact without returning to the Philippines. Annulment is the exception: it is court litigation, and the rules do not allow the petition to be filed through an attorney-in-fact, so some steps still need you or a Philippine consulate.
I was divorced abroad. Am I free to remarry in the Philippines?
Not automatically. A foreign divorce must first be judicially recognized by a Philippine court, and the decision registered and annotated on your PSA records. We maintain dedicated country guides for divorces obtained in Japan, the United States, South Korea, Australia, Canada, the UAE, and China.
Can a foreigner buy property in the Philippines?
Foreigners cannot own land in the Philippines, but they can own condominium units within the 40% foreign-ownership cap of a project, and can hold long-term leases. Former natural-born Filipinos and dual citizens have broader rights. Because the rules are strict and workarounds are criminally risky, due diligence before money moves is essential.
How do consultations work across time zones?
Consultations are paid (₱3,500) and scheduled to fit your time zone, over call, WhatsApp, or Viber. Clients abroad typically pay by international transfer or card. Fees for the engagement itself are discussed openly at the first meeting.