What Factors make my Divorce International?

A number of factors can give rise to there being an international element to your divorce and it is important to consider these upon separation as they often provide an extra level of complication.

If any of the below apply to your situation you may have an International Divorce:

• You or your spouse are a national of another country or have dual nationality;
• You or your spouse are living overseas;
• You or your spouse own property overseas;
• You or your spouse have business interests overseas;
• You or your spouse have pension rights overseas;
• You or your spouse intend to relocate overseas;
• Your marriage took place overseas;
• You have already divorced overseas but have property in England & Wales; 
• You have already divorce overseas but you or your spouse are now living in England & Wales.

It is very important to ensure you get legal advice at the earliest opportunity if you have an international element to your divorce as the divorce laws differ so much from county to county. It is crucial that you know what the most appropriate and preferred country is to hear your divorce.
Making an informed decision upon where your divorce case will be heard is essential to achieving the best possible outcome. Deciding this may require legal advice from more than one lawyer in more than one country and so advice from lawyers in all countries where the divorce could be heard should be sought early on.  
It is also important to be aware that timing is key in most international divorce cases. If you do not act quickly your spouse could initiate divorce proceedings first, in a country that is less favourable to you, and there may be little you can do about it. 
Our specialist divorce lawyers are recognised in Tier 1 Legal 500 and are highly experienced in representing clients based overseas and are more than happy to facilitate Skype, FaceTime or telephone conferences for ease. We have represented many clients on divorce where there are international properties or assets to consider. We have worked with clients from many European countries and places further afield, such as the UAE, Russia and the United States.

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Our specialist divorce lawyers are recognised in Tier 1 Legal 500 and are highly experienced in representing clients based overseas and are more than happy to facilitate Skype, FaceTime or telephone conferences for ease. We have represented many clients on divorce where there are international properties or assets to consider. We have worked with clients from many European countries and places further afield, such as the UAE, Russia and the United States.

The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changed since this article was published. Readers should not act on the basis of the information included and should take appropriate professional advice upon their own particular circumstances.