As people everywhere start to finish up their Christmas holidays and head back to work, we head towards what has been dubbed ‘Divorce Day’.
Divorce Day is a day when solicitors across the country expect to see a spike in couples considering divorce.
Divorce isn’t always a bad thing – divorced women are happier and it can be a fresh start for everyone involved – though a divorce after three minutes of marriage might be pushing it.
But if the messy process is off-putting, is it possible to get a divorce online?
Can you get an online divorce?
You can get an online divorce in England and Wales if:
- You have valid grounds for divorce.
- You are in agreement with the divorce – it is uncontested.
- Your marriage has lasted at least 12 months.
- You see England or Wales as your permanent home or be domiciled in England or Wales if you live abroad.
You can apply for the divorce and pay the fees through Gov.uk’s website, but if you still want the help or expertise of someone else, there are specialist online divorce companies.
What do you need to get an online divorce?
Even if you apply for an online divorce, you have to pay the necessary fees.
Equifax reported on how much a divorce costs – and an uncontested, amicable divorce still requires the petitioner (the person filing for divorce) to pay £550 for filing the petition as a minimum.
To get a divorce, online or through a solicitor, you need to:
- Find valid grounds for your divorce
- Pay the service fees
- Apply for a decree nisi – a document that says that the court does not see any reason why you cannot divorce.
- Apply for a decree absolute – this decree legally ends your marriage.
How long does an online divorce take?
Each divorce is different, as every couple has different circumstances.
If the divorce is uncontested and everyone happily agrees to everything, you’re still looking at about 12 weeks from applying to receiving your decree absolute.
Legally, there must be a six-week gap between applying for the decree nisi and the decree absolute anyway.
When is Divorce Day 2020?
The national Divorce Day came about after solicitors noticed a spike in n couples asking for a divorce after the festive period.
It usually falls on the first working Monday after the Christmas period – wouldn’t want to spoil the Boxing Day buffet now, would we?
Head of family law at legal firm Slater & Gordon Andrew Newbury told The Independent in 2019: ‘We’ve seen the number of inquiries double around this time and then in late January it tails off.
Over the last two or three years I’ve noticed that people even inquire a little bit earlier between Christmas and New Year.’
Perhaps this is why couples are becoming more selective about getting married in the first place.
MORE: Miley Cyrus spends Christmas with ‘America’s most dysfunctional family’ after divorce settlement
MORE: I feel lucky to be a child of divorce at Christmas
source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/06/can-you-get-divorced-online-and-how-long-does-it-take-12003617/
0 Comments