As a divorce lawyer Singapore, I handle at least 20 divorces every month. One of the first questions my clients have in mind is: How to file for divorce in Singapore?
My clients range from those in their early 20s to those in their late 60s. It is a trend. In the early 90s, divorce is taboo in many customs. Not many people file for divorces. Later on, it gets easier to file for divorce. Divorces are more widely acceptable. The number of divorces increases.
The divorce rate in Singapore increases every year, even now.
In UK, more senior citizens are getting divorced as people are healthier and live longer. At the same time, people are marrying at an older age. Even in their 60s, people still feel that they have many years ahead of them and want to be freed from an unhappy marriage.
See: “‘Silver splitters’ – are over-60s divorcees creating a new generation rent?”, The Guardian, 12 June 2017
How to file for divorce in Singapore? – Uncontested Divorce Singapore
With the advancement in technology, filing for divorce in Singapore is no longer difficult and complicated. This is especially so if your divorce is uncontested, with all terms agreed.
The steps are as follows:
- Get a lawyer. Go for the most efficient and cheapest if you can. Make sure that your lawyer is contactable and you are not merely dealing with a paralegal/ legal executive/ legal manager/ assistant/ assistant of an assistant. Always ask your lawyer what is the net costs. You do not want to be shocked by unexpected additions to your bill!
- Your lawyer will draft the divorce papers.
- Your lawyer will arrange for signing.
- Your lawyer will submit the papers to Court.
- The Court will grant the divorce judgments.
- The end.
It is easy to figure out that step 1 is the most important. The rest will be handled by your good divorce lawyer Singapore.
How to file for divorce in Singapore? – Divorce Singapore (Terms not agreed)
The steps are as follows:
- Get a lawyer. See step 1 above!
- If you have a child, you need to sign up for the Mandatory Parenting Programme. It is a one-off counselling session. After the counselling session, you will receive a certificate, which you can use to file for divorce.
- If you have a HDB flat with your spouse, your lawyer will write to HDB to request for information. This needs to be done even if you already have the required information at hand.
- Your lawyer will draft the divorce papers.
- Your lawyer will serve the papers on your spouse, by hand.
- Your lawyer will attend mediation with you.
- Settlement reached.
- The end.
Still wondering about how to file for divorce in Singapore? Contact us today! Your divorce papers will be in your email inbox within 72 hours!
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2. Annulment (Nullity) of Marriage