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This could be a complex question because of the many ways it can be interpreted.
Regarding conversion to Catholicism, this does not require that you obtain an annulment to your marriage. Any marriage you may have contracted is valid since marriage is both a natural and supernatural (sacramental) institution. Only Catholics are obliged to contract a sacramental marriage. If you were not Catholic at the time of your marriage, this obligation was not incumbent upon you and you validly entered into a natural marriage contract. The Church wishes you to continue strong in that marriage and earnestly wishes for the conversion of your spouse that you both can have your marriage blessed and raised to the dignity of a sacrament with all the graces particular to it. If you have any reasonable doubt as to the validly of your marriage in its original context - that being when it was contracted prior to your conversion - you can consult with a priest. However, the Church will assume your marriage is valid.
There are, however, the following circumstances that may have prompted this question:
* If you have decided to convert, but your spouse is so opposed to it to such a degree as to reject you or make life unreasonably difficult, you may decide to separate, but this does not affect your ability to be received into the Church. Neither is this grounds for an annulment.
* If your marriage was preformed with a person of a different Christian religion, no religion, or a Pagan religion, the marriage is still considered valid and you do not need an annulment for you to be received in the Church. If your marriage was contracted according to one of the more fringe religions, such as involving polygamous unions, or denying the very purpose of marriage or at least some of its basic principles, perhaps your current status needs to be addressed and remedied before moving into a new life as a Catholic.
* If your marriage was to a Catholic who did not receive a dispensation from the Church to marry you, then the marriage was automatically invalid since your Catholic spouse cannot contract a non-sacramental marriage without a dispensation. You are therefore not married in the eyes of the Church and there is nothing to be annulled. If you want others to understand this situation, you may ask the Church (through your priest) to issue an official declaration that all may become public knowledge. However, the above situation should not impede your reception into the Church unless there is some sort of misunderstanding that has led to public scandal. Such a situation may need to be remedied out of prudence before the Church receives you. * If you desire to obtain an annulment in order to marry again upon becoming Catholic, that issue is completely irrelevant and does not affect your being received into the Church unless you are only converting in order to get an annulment. Such a reason would not be a sufficient cause in order to be received into the Church and a priest would refuse to baptize you. The annulment process is begun by your local parish priest. He will ask you for any religious or civil documentation, witnesses, reasons, etc. If the state of your marriage is not obvious, he will then forward your case to a proper canon lawyer or recommend one to you. This process is not free and normally costs thousands of dollars and takes around two years to complete. Only begin down this path if you have serious doubts about the validity of your marriage and are prepared for the consequences of the final decision of the Church, which may or may not "grant" the annulment. The bottom line, however, is that you do not need to annul your marriage in order to become Catholic. If there are specific circumstances that have led you or others to this conclusion that are not addressed above, perhaps submit these circumstances in a new question. Otherwise, continue, become Catholic and may God bless your marriage.
What else can I help you with?
Do you get annulment first before marry again in Catholic Church?
Yes, you must obtain an annulment before you can remarry in the Catholic Church. Otherwise you will auto-ecommunicate youself from the sacraments and can not become a full Catholic until you obtain an annulment from your first marriage.
Can a Catholic woman who has gotten a divorce and an annulment marry a single Catholic man?
Yes, if marriage was annulled she can marry a single catholic man as long as he was not previously married and divorced
Can a widowed man marry a divorced catholic in the church?
Roman Catholic AnswerIf the divorced Catholic has an annulment (a decree that no valid marriage ever existed), then yes, she would be free to marry. If there is no annulment, the Church assumes a valid marriage and she could not marry again. She would have to take the case up with her pastor and the diocesan marriage tribunal.
Can you remarry in the Catholic Church even if your marriage has not been annulled?
You can not marry in the Catholic Church and are considered as an adulterer if you marry without an annulment. The Church does not recognize civil divorce.
Can a divorced non Catholic bride marry in the Catholic church?
Yes sure ANSWER: after she resolves (through the annulment process) her 1st marriage.
How long could you be married in order to qualify for an annulment?
Depending on the grounds for annulment (i.e., the Catholic couple did not marry in the Catholic Church) an annulment may take only a few months. Catholics are forbidden to marry outside the Catholic Church. For example, if one or 2 Catholics were merely married by a Justice of the Peace ("the secular state"), no sacramental marriage existed in the first place. An annulment would still be required if the couple divorced and one or both wanted to marry another in the Catholic Church. That annulment, however, could be pretty easily and quickly attained. Most annulments take between 1 to 2 years to obtain. And, not all Catholic marriages can be annulled. There must be legitimate grounds on which to annul any marriage.
Is Mexico's Catholic annulment the same as US's Catholic rules?
A Catholic annulment is the same in any jurisdiction.
Can a Catholic woman marry a divorced Orthodox man in an Orthodox church?
No. Not unless the Orthodox man is able to obtain an annulment.
Does a divorced Baptist man need an annulment to marry a Catholic in the Catholic Church?
A divorced Baptist male may or may not need an annulment of his prior marriage from the Catholic Church in order to marry a Catholic in the Catholic Church. Although Baptists are able to re-marry after divorce, Catholics may divorce but may not re-marry unless the sacrament of the first marriage has been declared null. If the divorced Baptist did not have a valid Christian marriage (that is, one spouse was not a validly baptized Christian, or the ceremony was not Christian, then the annulment process is much simpler - but any prior marrriages still need to be declared null). If the first marriage was a valid Christian ceremony, then the couple desiring a marriage in the Catholic church will have to go through the 'formal' annulment process which takes considerably longer and is very thorough but very worthwhile if you love this person. The Catholic person cannot enter into a valid marriage unless this is done.
Idaho annulment requirements?
Consult a Idaho state divorce lawyer to determine how to obtain a secular/state annulment. This is the Catholic Answer section. Obtaining an annulment in the Catholic Church has nothing to do with secular/state law except to the extent that the couple seeking an annulment in The Catholic Church must first obtain a Decree of Divorce from the state.
Can you marry in a Catholic church if you are divorced?
In the Catholic Church, individuals who are divorced may be able to marry again in a Catholic church under certain circumstances, such as obtaining an annulment of their previous marriage. It is important to consult with a priest or a marriage tribunal for guidance on this matter.
Can a divorced non-catholic man marry a catholic woman if his previous marriage was a civil ceremony performed at home without the declaration of nullity?
If the man was baptized Catholic, married in a civil ceremony and then divorced, yes, he can marry a Catholic woman in a Church ceremony in the presence of the priest or deacon with proper paper work completed. He could also marry again in a civil ceremony. You need to talk to a priest and apply for an annulment which is a ruling from the Church that no sacramental marriage is present from the civil marriage.
