What do I do if I married abroad and my certificate is written in a foreign language?
You will need a certified translation of your marriage certificate. We have a list of approved court translators that we can appoint on your behalf. Normally, a professional translator will provide a translated certificate within 72 hours.
I have been separated for years and don’t know where my spouse is. Can I still start a divorce?
The court will always expect you to make an effort to locate your spouse before starting divorce proceedings. Sometimes, this may involve some social media digging or contacting your spouse’s family or friends to obtain an address. We appreciate that this is not always possible so you may need to appoint a ‘no trace, no fee’ process server to locate your spouse.
If you have exhausted every avenue trying to locate your spouse, we can apply to the court on your behalf and ask them to dispense with service. Please note that this is an additional application for which we charge £150.
I have not fully agreed the finances with my spouse, can I still get divorced?
Yes, however, if you have chosen one of our managed divorces with a clean break or consent order, we cannot draft the order until both of you are in full agreement.
I have young children. Do I need to agree who they are living with before I start my divorce?
Ideally, yes. It is possible to start divorce proceedings without an agreement on living arrangements for the children, however, this can lead to arguments as the divorce progresses.
Can I issue a divorce application if me and my spouse are still living together?
Yes, provided you have not resumed your relationship. Sometimes people live within the same house but have divided the property into 2 separate households and do not share washing, cooking, or other domestic chores. In this case, we often need additional details of how you are ‘living apart’ within the same house. We have known occasions where a judge has requested a simple sketched map of who lives where in the house and how it has been divided up!
I am a foreign national but my spouse lives in England/Wales. Can I still use your service?
Yes, provided your spouse is habitually resident or domiciled in England and Wales.
What happens if my spouse is living abroad?
Provided you live in England and Wales, it is rarely a problem. Of course, you will need your spouse’s foreign residential address for the purpose of serving the divorce application.
If you do not know the address, it is possible to appoint an international trace agent/process server to find out where your spouse currently lives. The cost and time varies from country to country although we have a list of approved process servers and can discuss this with you should the need arise.