Divorce Decree, Certified or Normal?

[Gaiden79 14]

Hey all,

 

Getting all my docs prepared for my daughter's CRBA in the Philippines. I do have a Divorce Decree, but it's just a scanned copy that the court emailed to me. 

 

For the requirements, will I need to make sure it's certified first? I know that the Embassy wants originals, would certified be the way to go? Just trying to make sure I am giving them the right one. Thanks!

[MSS 0]

I cannot answer your question as to certified or not, but I want you to know that as of May15, 2019, the Philippines became a member of the Hague Convention, so now divorce (and other) documents that used to need to be certified (red-ribboned) by the U.S. Emabassy or Consulate, now get APOSTILLED by the Secretary of State where your divorce was signed by the judge that granted the divorce.

To get my divorce Apostilled, I was able to download an Apostille Request Form from the Secretary of the State of South Carolina, mail the form, my original divorce document (and a "DHEC" document), and a $10 fee ($5 per document, not per page), and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the state capital.  The state office attached the Apostilles and sent them back to me.  My divorce attorney would have charged $270 to get the 2 Apostilles.  I did it myself for less than $25 ($10 fee + $7.44 for Priority Mail there + $7.44 back).  There are also many Apostille businesses that would have charged $200 t0 $300 to mail my documents to South Carolina, but I was easily able to do it myself.  

[Gaiden79 14]

20 minutes ago, MSS said:

I cannot answer your question as to certified or not, but I want you to know that as of May15, 2019, the Philippines became a member of the Hague Convention, so now divorce (and other) documents that used to need to be certified (red-ribboned) by the U.S. Emabassy or Consulate, now get APOSTILLED by the Secretary of State where your divorce was signed by the judge that granted the divorce.

To get my divorce Apostilled, I was able to download an Apostille Request Form from the Secretary of the State of South Carolina, mail the form, my original divorce document (and a "DHEC" document), and a $10 fee ($5 per document, not per page), and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the state capital.  The state office attached the Apostilles and sent them back to me.  My divorce attorney would have charged $270 to get the 2 Apostilles.  I did it myself for less than $25 ($10 fee + $7.44 for Priority Mail there + $7.44 back).  There are also many Apostille businesses that would have charged $200 t0 $300 to mail my documents to South Carolina, but I was easily able to do it myself.  

I appreciate the detailed response. I was completely unaware of this requirement. You would think it would be on the instructions if that is now the requirement. 

 

I will look into it thanks!

[Gaiden79 14]

28 minutes ago, MSS said:

I cannot answer your question as to certified or not, but I want you to know that as of May15, 2019, the Philippines became a member of the Hague Convention, so now divorce (and other) documents that used to need to be certified (red-ribboned) by the U.S. Emabassy or Consulate, now get APOSTILLED by the Secretary of State where your divorce was signed by the judge that granted the divorce.

To get my divorce Apostilled, I was able to download an Apostille Request Form from the Secretary of the State of South Carolina, mail the form, my original divorce document (and a "DHEC" document), and a $10 fee ($5 per document, not per page), and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the state capital.  The state office attached the Apostilles and sent them back to me.  My divorce attorney would have charged $270 to get the 2 Apostilles.  I did it myself for less than $25 ($10 fee + $7.44 for Priority Mail there + $7.44 back).  There are also many Apostille businesses that would have charged $200 t0 $300 to mail my documents to South Carolina, but I was easily able to do it myself.  

I am a bit curious. What does the Philippines being part of Hague Convention have to do with US government requirements for people becoming a US Citizen? It doesn’t really make sense for the Philippines to dictate an extra requirement that is being accepted by a US Embassy. Correct me if I'm wrong.