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International Divorce Lawyers in London

International Divorce Lawyers in London

Divorce procedures share the same goal of dissolving a marriage irrespective of the jurisdiction they take place in. However, the international recognition varies depending on each country’s particular laws. While in some cases couples can divorce in one country and have the dissolution of their marriage recognized in jurisdiction, legal particularities might make it so that this is not always possible.

In order to make sure that your marriage is legally dissolved internationally, you may wish to work with our international divorce lawyers in London in order to sort the issues that may arise as best as possible.

What can we help you with?

Divorce cases vary in complexity and a multi-jurisdictional or international element tends to make matters even more complex in some cases. With an ever-growing number of immigrants in the UK, even as the effects of Brexit are settling in, international divorce solutions are looked for as partners decide to no longer share a life, especially if they resolve to live in different countries.

Our international divorce lawyers in London help clients based in London who are not of UK origin or handle divorce cases when their former spouses have the same nationality or when they have different citizenship.

Overseas divorce cases can have a more complex nature when Sharia law is involved. In this situation, it is possible for a woman of Middle Eastern origin living in London to commence the divorce proceedings in order to avoid the process of having to start the divorce under Sharia law in her home country.

We briefly summarize below the services provided by our international divorce lawyers in London:

  • Deciding on the legal system: when you cannot decide where to file for divorce, our team can help you with a solution that will best suit your needs;
  • Child maintenance: our team can help you sort the child maintenance amount with your former spouse;
  • Child custody: can be based on whether or not the child was born in the UK and the nationality of the parents; in all situations, our lawyers in London will keep the child’s best interests in mind so as to disrupt his or her life as little as possible;
  • Financial issues: we help clients sort the distribution of their assets, especially when their joint property is divided between the UK and another country (or countries).

You can reach out to us if you need more information about any of these services. Our divorce lawyer in London assists clients of all nationalities who live in the UK or abroad. If you are currently in the United Kingdom, and your spouse is not a UK national, nor does he or she have settled status, our team will be able to evaluate your case and present you with your options. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions, even before you start the separation process.

When should you contact us?

Talking to our team of international divorce lawyers in London before filing for divorce can be very helpful. We can walk you through the mandatory steps and help you understand how UK law will apply In your case.

We can help you if you and your partner are England or Wales residents as well as if you are citizens of an EU/EEA country living in the United Kingdom. A special division of our team also handles cases involving Sharia law and talaq divorce (which takes place according to traditional Islamic law).

How long will my international divorce take?

The answer depends on the complexity of the case as well as other factors. Starting with January 2021, the UK-EU cross-border divorce cases and family law disputes are handled in a different manner as the EU laws applicable to family proceedings are no longer followed in the United Kingdom. This affects the manner in which decisions issued in one country are enforced in another. Your divorce case may last longer as a result of these changes.

Uncontested divorces are the most straightforward and, for cases that take place in England and Wales, they can last approximately six months.

Divorce statistics in the UK

The annual divorce rates in England and Wales, as presented by the Office for National Statistics are the following:

  • there was an 18.4% increase in opposite-sex couples divorces in 2019 compared to 2018, from 90,871 to 107,599;
  • the divorce rate in 2019 was 8.9 divorces per 1,000 married man and women aged 16 and more, compared to a 7.5 rate in 2018;
  • 822 same-sex couples divorced in 2019, almost twice as more as in 2018; out of these, 72% were between female couples;
  • the most common reason for divorce in 2019 was unreasonable behaviour (which includes adultery), cited by 49% of the wives and 35% of the husbands; it was also the most common cause for divorce among same-sex couples (approximately two-thirds divorced for this reason);
  • the average duration of a marriage in 2019 at the time the former couple filed for divorce was 12.3 years for opposite-sex couples.

Are you an expat living in the UK and wish to separate from your spouse? Contact our international divorce lawyers in London for more information about how we can help you.