How to Get a Quick Divorce Online
Answer a couple of simple questions to determine how long your divorce might take and whether your situation is suitable for a quick divorce.
What’s the quickest way to get divorced in the UK?
In the UK, the quickest way to get a divorce is to undertake an uncontested divorce, which is simply when a married couple agrees that they want a divorce and parties will cooperate during proceedings to ensure other aspects, such as finances are dealt with.
To expedite the process, both parties should agree on the divorce and all related arrangements, such as division of assets, child custody, and support arrangements. An online divorce service can save time and money, and if everything is agreed upon, it can be the most efficient way to proceed.
Using a divorce provider with the experience of handling over 150,000 cases ensures you achieve a speedy divorce without any hiccups.
A do-it-yourself divorce is the cheapest way to get divorced but it’s certainly not the easiest or quickest for that matter.
What You Need To Know Before Getting a Divorce
You can obtain a quick divorce online in England and Wales in less time than the national average of 42 weeks, but only if your circumstances allow for it.
The divorce process is largely an administrative process that is completed by the family court’s staff.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help speed up the process, one of which is the way they receive your paperwork.
Here’s how to get an uncontested, quick divorce;
- Submit a divorce application (either by yourself or make a joint application)
- The court will send your spouse a copy of the divorce petition and the acknowledgment of service
- 20-week reflection period to discuss your marriage and/or financial/children matters
- Apply to the court to make a conditional order
- Once the court has granted you the conditional order, you must then apply for the final order
- After 6-weeks and 1 day after the conditional order is granted, you apply for the final order to end your marriage
How you file for divorce is likely to be the biggest contributing factor to how long your divorce will take.
The traditional method of filing paper forms is much slower than applying for a divorce online through the government’s digital platform.
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Where you live will also affect how quickly you can obtain a divorce.
If you live in London, it’s even more important that you seek an alternative to a high street solicitor for managing your divorce as timescales are even longer than the national average.
Myths About Getting a Quick or Quickie Divorce
It’s been known for other online divorce providers to advertise divorce services that finalise in less than 12 weeks.
This is very misleading and only causes disappointment.
The government introduced a mandatory reflection period of 20 weeks between the Application and the Conditional Order to give couples more time to reconnect and/or discuss financial or children’s matters.
This change was made under the no fault divorce law, which was introduced on 6 April 2022.
There is also an obligatory ‘cooling off period’ of 6 weeks between the Conditional Order and the Final Order being granted to dissolve your marriage.
This 6 week period is where amicable couples can present their financial agreement to the court via a financial consent order to give the Judge time to make an order.
Furthermore, there are many things that need to happen before you can even get to the cooling-off stage, and 6 weeks is simply not enough time for that to happen.
Divorce, therefore, is a fairly slow process.
According to the latest Government figures on divorce timescales, it takes an average of 31 weeks just to reach the Conditional Order stage of divorce proceedings.
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- Fixed fee of £249 with no hidden costs added
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- We chase the court for updates for you
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an average divorce take?
A typical divorce should take between 7 to 8 months depending on a range of factors, most notably, where you live and how you choose to file for divorce, e.g. via postage or online.
What is classed as a quick divorce in 2024?
Under the new no-fault divorce system, the fastest time you can expect a divorce application to be completed is 7 months and a few days (providing all mandatory steps are taken promptly).
Before introducing the new divorce law, a quick divorce was considered between 4-5 months in England and Wales when filing for divorce online.
What do I need for a quick divorce?
The criteria for a quick and simple divorce usually boils down to the following things:
- You both need to be in agreement on the divorce
- You have an address for your ex-husband or wife
- You have decided if you’re filing solely or jointly
- You have no financial or children arrangements to make or you are dealing with them after the divorce
Can I divorce immediately?
No, in the UK, you cannot divorce immediately. While you can separate immediately after getting married, to get divorced there is a minimum time frame set by law.
You must have been married for at least one year before you can apply for a divorce. Once you apply for a divorce, there is a mandatory waiting period.
The process includes a 20-week reflection period from the time the divorce application is made until a conditional order is pronounced, and then a further 6-week period before the divorce can be finalised with a final order.
This means that even in the most straightforward cases, a divorce will take at least 26 weeks to complete.
Can I get divorced without going to court?
You can get a divorce without going to court if you and your spouse agree on all matters related to the divorce, such as child custody, support, and division of property.
This is known as an uncontested divorce. However, if there are disagreements, you may need to attend court to resolve these issues.
It’s worth mentioning that the majority of divorce applications (99%) go through without the need for either party attending the court.
Do I need a solicitor to get a quick divorce?
Since the introduction of no-fault divorce, many couples are now wondering whether they need a solicitor to get divorced.
While it is possible to manage your own divorce proceedings, having a solicitor can help ensure that all legal aspects are correctly handled, and they can provide valuable advice on complex matters.
If you are aiming for a quick divorce you might choose to proceed without a solicitor and opt to apply for divorce online.
Can my ex-partner delay the divorce?
Yes, an ex-partner can potentially delay the divorce process in the UK. If they refuse to cooperate or deliberately avoid responding to the divorce petition, this can cause delays. However, there are legal mechanisms in place to deal with such situations.
If an ex-partner does not respond to the divorce petition, you can apply for a Conditional Order (decree nisi) and then a Final Order (decree absolute), even if they do not consent, provided certain conditions are met.
It’s also possible to apply to the court for a financial settlement if there are significant delays.
Has no-fault divorce affected timescales?
Many couples believe that the introduction of no-fault divorce is going to mean that a divorce can be instant.
This however is simply not the case. The government has introduced a 20-week reflection period plus a 6-week cooling-off period into the divorce procedure, which means even the simplest of cases are going to take at least 7 months.
So, in actual fact, getting a divorce now is slower for most people compared with the previous timescales.
Find The Most Suitable Divorce Service
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