An annulment is a formal decision by a church that a marriage was never valid in the first place. In Catholic teaching, it is not a divorce: it does not end a valid sacramental bond but declares that the essential conditions for a valid marriage were never present. Practically, it lets a person remarry in the church.
What is the difference between annulment and divorce?
A divorce ends a marriage that was valid. An annulment declares that the marriage never began in the church's eyes, so there is no bond to dissolve. Catholics hold that a marriage contracted and consummated cannot be broken, and a civil divorce changes legal status but not the bond of holy matrimony. The Catholic Church issues no "Catholic divorce."
The word comes from Latin annullare, "to make void." People often use "annulment" loosely for any ending of a marriage, but churches that use the term mean a declaration of invalidity, not a divorce.
Which churches grant annulments?
Catholic dioceses use a formal process called a declaration of nullity, handled by a diocesan tribunal. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also issues declarations of nullity, through a stake council of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Most Protestant churches have no annulment process; they speak of divorce, and many teach that marriage is a lifelong covenant.
Eastern Orthodox churches hold that marriage is indissoluble and do not grant annulments, though they may bless a second marriage after a spouse's death. Jewish law ends marriage through the get, a written bill of divorce traditionally given by the husband. Compare how denominations treat marriage in sacraments and ordinances.
Why do people seek an annulment?
Catholic grounds include force or grave fear at the time of the marriage, fraud or serious error about the person, inability to consummate the marriage, an existing marriage bond, and failure to follow the required form, such as the presence of the priest and witnesses. A marriage that failed is not itself a ground. A related process, convalidation, applies when a defect can be repaired, as with a marriage that had the proper intent but not the proper form.
Canon law also considers a spouse's serious inability to assume the essential obligations of marriage. Catholics teach that an annulment does not change the status of children born during the marriage, and parents keep their responsibilities toward them.
What happens during the annulment process?
It starts with a conversation with a pastor, who refers the person to the diocesan tribunal or marriage preparation office. The petitioner supplies a written account of the marriage plus baptism and marriage certificates. If the other spouse contests the case, the tribunal notifies that spouse and hears the case. It then issues a written decision. An uncontested first decision takes effect after the appeal period, and a person hoping to remarry may ask for an executory decree, allowing a Catholic wedding while an appeal is pending.
The process usually takes months rather than weeks, and dioceses charge fees, though many offer reductions or waivers. Contact a pastor first, and review church wedding requirements before planning a second ceremony. You can also find a Catholic church near you and ask about its local process.