Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much will a divorce cost?
2. How long will it take?
3. How long must I be separated before I can apply for a Divorce?
4. On what grounds can I file an Application?
5. What happens if I have not been married for more than 2 years?
6. Do I need to be present in Australia to apply for a Divorce?
7. Can my spouse refuse a Divorce?
8. What happens if my spouse wants to oppose the divorce?
9. What happens if I cannot locate my spouse?
10. What happens if my spouse and I still reside under the one roof?
11. What if we were married overseas?
12. Do I have to attend Court?
13. Can I remarry straight away?
14. What happens if there are children of the marriage?
15. Are children of a prior relationship regarded as children of the marriage?
16. What about arrangements for children, maintenance or property?
17. Can I revert back to my maiden name after my Divorce? What about my children's surname?
18. Does a divorce affect my Will/Superannuation?

1. How much will a divorce cost?

The fees will vary depending upon your circumstances. However they will start from $795. Please register to obtain a personal quote.

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2. How long will it take?

It will take at least four months to obtain a final Divorce Certificate, longer if there are difficulties in serving your spouse. You shouldn't plan a remarriage without allowing enough time for the divorce to be finalised.

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3. How long must I be separated before I can apply for a Divorce?

You can only apply for divorce in Australia after you have been separated for a period of at least twelve months. If you have been separated, but reconciled for 3 months or more, then the 12 months period starts after the reconciliation.

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4. On what grounds can I file an Application?

Family law in Australia is no longer fault based. To file an Application you must:

• Prove that the marriage is irretrievably broken, that is, that you have been separated for a period of no less than 12 months.
  
• Have lived separately for this 12 month period.
  
• Have been married for more than 2 years or attended the required counselling with the Family Court.

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5. What happens if I have not been married for more than 2 years?

If you have been married less than 2 years and want to apply for a divorce you must:

• Before filing the Application attend mediation with a court approved family and child mediator to discuss the possibility of reconciliation and then file a certificate completed by the counsellor with your Application. You must attend this mediation session with your spouse.
  
  
• You may file an application seeking the Court's permission to proceed within 2 years of the marriage. There are special circumstances in which this may be done. Please speak to a member of our firm to get more advice.

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6. Do I need to be present in Australia to apply for a Divorce?

To be able to apply for a Divorce, at the date of filing at least one spouse must be:

• an Australian citizen;
  
• domiciled in Australia; or
  
• resident in Australia for 12 months.

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7. Can my spouse refuse a Divorce?

If you have been separated for more than 12 months, there are no grounds to oppose a divorce.

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8. What happens if my spouse wants to oppose the divorce?

Your spouse must file a Response to your application and then serve the Response on you before the hearing date. If a response has been filed both of you must attend the hearing. If a Response is filed, the Court might not grant the divorce application at the first hearing.

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9. What happens if I cannot locate my spouse?

If you do not know the whereabouts of your spouse, you can apply to the Court for the divorce to go ahead. However, you must show the Court that you have tried to contact your spouse. If this is necessary, it will take longer to get the divorce and will cost a little more.

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10. What happens if my spouse and I still reside under the one roof?

It is possible to prove separation even if you still live in the same house as long as the three elements of separation are present. The action of separating must involve an open and complete break from the marital relationship and may include:

• the ceasing of sexual activity
  
• living in separate rooms
  
• operating separate bank accounts
  
• not sharing meals
  
• not providing household services
  
• not sharing mutual entertainment inside or outside the home
  
• not representing to relatives, neighbours or friends that the marriage is continuing

If the parties contend that they have separated even though they still live under the one roof they will have to give the court evidence of this.

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11. What if we were married overseas?

You can apply for divorce if you were married overseas as long as either you or your former partner

• are Australian citizens or residents, or
• regard Australia as your permanent home.
  

You will need a copy of your marriage certificate. If your marriage certificate is not in English, you will need:

• an English translation of the marriage certificate, and
• an affidavit from the translator which:
  • states his or her qualifications to translate
  • attaches a copy of the marriage certificate
    
  • attaches the translations
    
  • states that the translation is an accurate translation of the marriage certificate
    
  • states that the attached copy of a marriage certificate is a true copy of the marriage certificate translated.

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12. Do I have to attend Court?

Generally, no. We will attend for you. If you have children, it is sometimes better if you do attend. We will advise you about this when we know your individual circumstances.

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13. Can I remarry straight away?

It is illegal to remarry before the divorce becomes final. To do so is an offence (bigamy) and the second marriage is not legal. Your Divorce will not become final until the expiration of one month after the divorce was granted.

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14. What happens if there are children of the marriage?

Where there are children of the relationship under the age of 18 the court will not grant a divorce unless proper arrangements have been made for their care and welfare and those arrangements have to be explained to the Court. We will advise you about this.

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15. Are children of a prior relationship regarded as children of the marriage?

All children that were treated as a family member immediately prior to separation are included as children of the marriage. This includes step children and foster children. The arrangements for all children have to be disclosed.

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16. What about arrangements for children, maintenance or property?

The granting of a divorce does not determine issues of children, maintenance or property. These are separate issues which we may assist you with prior, during or after your divorce is granted.

Please note that you must file an application for maintenance or application for property division within 12 months of your divorce becoming final.

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17. Can I revert back to my maiden name after my Divorce? What about my children's surname?

You can use your maiden name even before your divorce if you want. Changing your children's names is more complex; we can advise you about that if you wish.

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18. Does a divorce affect my Will/Superannuation?

Almost certainly it does, as any gift in a Will to a spouse becomes invalid on divorce. You should seek our advice about a new Will and nomination of a beneficiary for your superannuation and life insurance.

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