It can take 5 minutes, or it can take 5 years. Assuming no kids.
5 minutes if you agree on everything (most importantly both agree to divorce), then it’s just a paper to get signed by both parties and brought to the city or ward office. The end.
5 years if one party doesn’t want to divorce, in which case a certain amount of time (5 years or so) has to be spent living separately, after which finally a judge can finally deem that the marriage is irrevocably broken regardless of the objections of one of the parties, and grants the divorce.
Of course the second option is often used by spouses to extract money from their partner as a negotiation tactic. So then it becomes: 5 years, unless you throw money at the problem/spouse and then it suddenly becomes a couple of months because being given money has obviously made the divorce-averse spouse realize they actually did want to divorce!
At the very minimum you need to consult your local ward/city office. There will be places where it’s easier or harder depending on how much experience that office has with international marriages.
If that doesn’t lead to a resolution then you’ll have to hire a lawyer.
2 comments
It can take 5 minutes, or it can take 5 years. Assuming no kids.
5 minutes if you agree on everything (most importantly both agree to divorce), then it’s just a paper to get signed by both parties and brought to the city or ward office. The end.
5 years if one party doesn’t want to divorce, in which case a certain amount of time (5 years or so) has to be spent living separately, after which finally a judge can finally deem that the marriage is irrevocably broken regardless of the objections of one of the parties, and grants the divorce.
Of course the second option is often used by spouses to extract money from their partner as a negotiation tactic. So then it becomes: 5 years, unless you throw money at the problem/spouse and then it suddenly becomes a couple of months because being given money has obviously made the divorce-averse spouse realize they actually did want to divorce!
At the very minimum you need to consult your local ward/city office. There will be places where it’s easier or harder depending on how much experience that office has with international marriages.
If that doesn’t lead to a resolution then you’ll have to hire a lawyer.