How to Annotate Civil Registry Documents
Annotation is the process of recording supplemental information, court orders, or legal changes on a civil registry document (birth, marriage, or death certificate). Annotations are made at the margin or at the back of the original civil registry document at the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO). Common annotations include adoption, annulment/nullity of marriage, legal separation, legitimation, recognition/acknowledgment, and court-ordered corrections. After annotation at the LCRO, the changes are forwarded to PSA for implementation in the national database.
Annotation at a Glance
Estimated Cost
P200-500 LCRO annotation fee plus P155 for a new PSA copy of the annotated document. Total cost varies depending on the type of annotation and LGU.
Timeline
1 to 2 months for the annotation at the LCRO, plus 2 to 3 months for PSA to update the national database and reflect the changes in new PSA-issued copies.
Key Fact
Most annotations require a court order or legal document as basis. Court-ordered annotations (adoption, annulment) need the original court decree and Certificate of Finality before the LCRO can annotate the record.
Types of Annotations
Civil registry documents may be annotated for various legal reasons. The type of annotation determines the required documents and process. Below are the six most common types of annotations handled by the LCRO.
Adoption
Court Decree Required
Court decree of adoption annotated on the child's birth certificate. Changes the surname of the child and adds the adoptive parents' names, replacing the biological parents' information on the record.
Annulment / Nullity of Marriage
Court Decree Required
Court decree annotated on the marriage certificate, declaring the marriage void or annulled. This annotation reflects that the marriage is no longer legally recognized from the date of the court order.
Legal Separation
Court Decree Required
Court decree annotated on the marriage certificate. The parties remain legally married but are separated. This annotation notes the legal separation decree on the marriage record.
Legitimation
Affidavit Required
Affidavit of Legitimation annotated on the birth certificate. The child becomes legitimate upon the subsequent marriage of the parents. No court order is needed -- only the Affidavit of Legitimation and marriage certificate of the parents.
Recognition / Acknowledgment
Affidavit Required
Affidavit of Acknowledgment annotated on the birth certificate. The father formally recognizes the child as his own. This is used when the father was not originally listed on the birth certificate.
Court-Ordered Corrections
Court Order Required
Court order for substantial corrections annotated on the relevant civil registry document. These are corrections that go beyond clerical errors and require judicial intervention under Rule 108 of the Rules of Court.
Where to File
Annotations must be filed at the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) where the civil registry document was originally registered. For example, if the birth was registered in Manila, the annotation must be filed at the Manila LCRO. For court-ordered annotations, the court itself may direct the LCRO to annotate the document, and in some cases, the court clerk forwards the order directly to the LCRO.
General Requirements for Annotation
| Document | Details |
|---|---|
| Certified True Copy of Court Order/Decree | Required for court-ordered annotations such as adoption, annulment, legal separation, and substantial corrections. Must be a certified true copy issued by the court that rendered the decision. |
| Certificate of Finality | Issued by the court, certifying that the court order or decree is final and executory (can no longer be appealed). This is mandatory for all court-ordered annotations. |
| PSA Copy of the Document to be Annotated | A certified PSA copy of the birth, marriage, or death certificate that will be annotated. Cost: P155 per copy from PSA Serbilis or PSAHelpline.ph. |
| Affidavit of Legitimation or Acknowledgment | Required for legitimation or recognition annotations. No court order is needed for these types -- the notarized affidavit serves as the legal basis, along with the parents' marriage certificate (for legitimation). |
| Valid ID of the Requesting Party | At least one valid government-issued ID with photo and signature (e.g., passport, driver's license, PhilSys/National ID, UMID, SSS ID, PRC ID, postal ID). Bring the original and a photocopy. |
| Filing / Annotation Fee | P200-500, depending on the local government unit (LGU). This fee covers the annotation processing at the LCRO. Exact amounts vary by city or municipality. |
| Authorization Letter or SPA | If filing on behalf of another person, a notarized authorization letter or Special Power of Attorney (SPA) is required. If the requesting party is abroad, the SPA must be authenticated by the Philippine Consulate. |
Step-by-Step: Court-Ordered Annotations (Adoption / Annulment)
The following steps outline the process for annotating civil registry documents based on court orders, such as adoption decrees, annulment/nullity of marriage, legal separation, and court-ordered corrections.
Obtain the Court Order/Decree and Certificate of Finality
After the court has rendered its decision (e.g., decree of adoption, declaration of nullity of marriage), request a certified true copy of the court order or decree from the clerk of court. You must also obtain a Certificate of Finality, which certifies that the order is final and executory and can no longer be appealed. The Certificate of Finality is issued by the court after the reglementary period for appeal has lapsed.
Get a Certified PSA Copy of the Document to Be Annotated
Request a certified copy of the civil registry document (birth, marriage, or death certificate) from PSA. This copy will serve as the reference document showing the current entries before annotation. You can request this through PSA Serbilis outlets, online via PSAHelpline.ph, or by visiting the PSA Civil Registry Service office. The fee is P155 per copy.
Go to the LCRO Where the Document Was Originally Registered
Visit the Local Civil Registry Office of the city or municipality where the civil registry document was originally registered. For example, if the marriage was registered in Quezon City, you must go to the Quezon City LCRO. Bring all your documents and a valid government-issued ID.
Submit the Court Order, Certificate of Finality, PSA Copy, and Valid ID
Present the certified true copy of the court order or decree, the Certificate of Finality, the PSA copy of the document to be annotated, and your valid ID to the LCRO staff. The civil registrar will review the documents to verify their authenticity and completeness before processing the annotation.
Pay the Annotation Fee (P200-500)
Pay the annotation processing fee at the LCRO or at the city/municipal treasurer's office. The fee ranges from P200 to P500 depending on the local government unit. You will receive an official receipt as proof of payment. Keep this receipt for your records.
LCRO Annotates the Original Civil Registry Document
The LCRO staff will annotate the original civil registry document by writing or stamping the relevant information on the margin or at the back of the document. The annotation includes the details of the court order (case number, date, court name) and the nature of the change. The civil registrar signs the annotation.
LCRO Forwards the Annotated Record to PSA
After the annotation is completed at the local level, the LCRO forwards the annotated record, along with certified copies of the court order and Certificate of Finality, to the PSA Civil Registry Service for implementation in the national database.
Timeline: It typically takes 2 to 3 months after the LCRO forwards the documents before PSA updates their records. You can then request a new PSA copy reflecting the annotation.
Step-by-Step: Administrative Annotations (Legitimation / Recognition)
The following steps outline the process for annotations that do not require a court order, such as legitimation (through subsequent marriage of parents) and recognition/acknowledgment of a child by the father.
Execute the Affidavit (of Legitimation or Acknowledgment)
Prepare and execute the required affidavit. For legitimation, both parents must sign the Affidavit of Legitimation declaring that the child was born before their marriage and is now legitimated by their subsequent marriage. For recognition, the father executes an Affidavit of Acknowledgment recognizing the child as his own. Both affidavits must be notarized.
Gather Supporting Documents
Collect the required supporting documents: the parents' PSA marriage certificate (for legitimation), the child's PSA birth certificate, and valid IDs of both parents. For recognition, the father's valid ID and the child's PSA birth certificate are needed.
Submit to the LCRO and Pay the Annotation Fee
Go to the LCRO where the child's birth was originally registered. Submit the notarized affidavit, supporting documents, and valid IDs. Pay the annotation fee (P200-500 depending on the LGU). The LCRO will review the documents and process the annotation.
LCRO Annotates the Birth Certificate
The LCRO annotates the original birth certificate with the legitimation or recognition information. For legitimation, the annotation notes that the child has been legitimated by the subsequent marriage of the parents, and the child's status changes from illegitimate to legitimate. For recognition, the father's name is added to the birth certificate.
LCRO Forwards to PSA
The LCRO forwards the annotated birth certificate and supporting documents to PSA for implementation in the national database. PSA will update the record, and the annotation will be reflected in future PSA-issued copies of the birth certificate.
Timeline: It typically takes 2 to 3 months after forwarding before PSA updates the record. Request a new PSA copy to verify the annotation has been implemented.
Complete Example: Sofia's Adoption Annotation
Sofia was adopted through a court decree in Manila. Her adoptive parents obtained the court order and Certificate of Finality from the Regional Trial Court, then went to the Manila LCRO where Sofia's birth was originally registered. The LCRO annotated Sofia's birth certificate to reflect her adoptive parents' names and her new surname. After the LCRO forwarded the annotated record to PSA, the national database was updated in approximately 3 months.
Court Proceedings Completed
Sofia's adoptive parents filed a petition for adoption at the Regional Trial Court in Manila. After the court hearings and investigation by the DSWD, the court issued a Decree of Adoption. The adoptive parents then obtained a certified true copy of the Decree and a Certificate of Finality from the court clerk.
Documents Gathered and Submitted to LCRO
The adoptive parents obtained a PSA copy of Sofia's birth certificate (P155). They then went to the Manila LCRO and submitted the Decree of Adoption, Certificate of Finality, PSA birth certificate copy, and their valid IDs. They paid the annotation fee of P300.
LCRO Annotation and PSA Update
The Manila LCRO annotated Sofia's birth certificate to reflect the adoption -- her adoptive parents' names replaced the biological parents' information, and her surname was changed to match her adoptive family's. The LCRO forwarded the annotated record to PSA. After approximately 3 months, PSA updated the national database.
Cost Summary for Sofia's Adoption Annotation
This total excludes court/legal fees for the adoption case itself, which can range from P50,000 to P200,000 or more depending on the lawyer and court. The annotation cost covers only the LCRO processing after the court decree is obtained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I annotate a document at any LCRO?
No. The annotation must be filed at the LCRO where the civil registry document was originally registered. For example, if the birth was registered in Cebu City, the annotation must be processed at the Cebu City LCRO. This is because the LCRO needs to annotate the original document in their records. Filing at a different LCRO will not be accepted.
How long does annotation take?
The annotation process at the LCRO typically takes 1 to 2 months from the time you submit the complete documents. After the LCRO completes the annotation and forwards the record to PSA, it takes an additional 2 to 3 months for PSA to update their national database. The total time from filing to receiving an updated PSA copy is usually 3 to 5 months.
Is annotation reversible?
It depends on the type of annotation. Annotations based on final court orders (such as annulment or adoption) cannot be reversed because the underlying court decree is final and executory. However, if a new court order is issued (for example, a reversal of adoption in rare cases), a new annotation can be made to reflect the updated status. Generally, once an annotation is made based on a final court order, it is considered permanent.
Can I request annotation if I live abroad?
Yes. If you are a Filipino living abroad, you can request annotation through the nearest Philippine Consulate or Embassy, which will coordinate with the appropriate LCRO in the Philippines. Alternatively, you can authorize a trusted person in the Philippines to file the annotation on your behalf through a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) authenticated by the Philippine Consulate. Processing through the consulate may take longer due to the additional coordination required.
What is a Certificate of Finality?
A Certificate of Finality is a court document certifying that the court order or decree is final and can no longer be appealed. It is issued by the clerk of court after the reglementary period for filing an appeal or motion for reconsideration has lapsed without any party filing one. This certificate is a mandatory requirement for court-ordered annotations because the LCRO can only annotate a document once the court order is final and executory.
Do I need a lawyer for annotation?
You do not need a lawyer for the annotation itself. The annotation process at the LCRO is administrative and can be done by the requesting party without legal representation. However, you will need a lawyer for the court proceeding that produces the court order (such as the adoption petition, annulment case, or Rule 108 correction). The lawyer handles the litigation; once you have the court order and Certificate of Finality, you can process the annotation at the LCRO on your own.
What happens to the old information on the certificate?
The old information remains on the document but is annotated/noted with the changes. The annotation is written or stamped on the margin or at the back of the original civil registry document. In PSA-issued copies, the annotation appears at the bottom or at the remarks section, indicating the nature of the change, the court order number (if applicable), and the date of annotation. The original entries are not erased or deleted -- they are supplemented with the annotation.
Important Reminders
- Annotation must be filed at the correct LCRO: Always file at the LCRO where the civil registry document was originally registered. Filing at the wrong LCRO will result in your request being denied.
- Court orders must be final and executory: The LCRO will not process the annotation unless you present both the court order and the Certificate of Finality. A pending or appealed court order cannot be annotated.
- Keep certified true copies of all documents: Retain copies of the court order, Certificate of Finality, the old PSA copy, and the official receipt from the LCRO. These may be needed for future reference or government transactions.
- Follow up with PSA after the LCRO forwards the record: The LCRO forwards the annotated record to PSA, but it may take 2-3 months for PSA to update. Request a new PSA copy after this period to verify the annotation is reflected.
- Update other government records after annotation: Once the annotation is reflected in the PSA copy, update your records with other agencies as needed -- SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, passport (DFA), driver's license (LTO), voter's registration (COMELEC), school records, and employer records.
- Fees vary by LGU: The annotation fee ranges from P200 to P500 depending on the local government unit. Check with the specific LCRO for their current fee schedule before visiting.
- Consult with the LCRO first if unsure: If you are unsure about the requirements or process for your specific type of annotation, visit or call the LCRO first for guidance. Each type of annotation may have slightly different requirements depending on the LGU.
Need Help?
Contact Your Local Civil Registry
- Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO): Visit the LCRO at your city or municipal hall where the document was registered
- PSA Civil Registry Service: PSA Complex, East Avenue, Quezon City
- PSA Helpline: (02) 8737-1111
- Email: info@psa.gov.ph
- Website: www.psa.gov.ph
- Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (no noon break)
Disclaimer
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only. The requirements, steps, fees, and procedures mentioned here may vary depending on the Local Civil Registrar you visit. We recommend visiting your nearest Local Civil Registrar first to confirm the specific requirements and process before preparing your documents.