When can you remarry after the divorce? The answer is immediately. If your divorce is uncontested (with all terms agreed), you can get married immediately after receiving your Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final. It will take about 4 months to get your hands on the Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final, assuming there is no delay on the signing and the draft divorce papers are prepared within 48 hours you engage a lawyer.
Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final- Contested Divorce
Assuming that all terms are resolved by the mediation stage, you can expect to receive your Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final between 6 to 9 months from the date you engage a lawyer.
The process is as follows:
- You engage a lawyer. The lawyer sends a “standard query form” to HDB requesting for information.
- If you have at least 1 child under the age of 14, you are required attend the Mandatory Parenting Programme. Steps 1 and 2 will take place concurrently and the 2 steps will take approximately 1 month.
- Your lawyer will file the divorce papers in Court and serve the papers on your spouse.
- Your spouse will (in all likelihood) appoint a lawyer. It is likely that your spouse will file a Defence and Counterclaim in response to the Divorce Writ.
- Parties will move on to mediation. Typically, it takes at least 2 to 3 mediation sessions to reach a full settlement. This will take approximately 2 to 3 months.
- Should parties reach a full settlement, Interim Judgment will be granted by the Court in approximately 2 to 3 weeks after the mediation process. 3 months thereafter, you will receive the Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final.
Many of my ex-clients asked me why it takes such a long time for the Court to grant the Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final. The divorce procedure in Singapore has been made more efficient over the years.
Of course, it is still not as fast as a “triple talaq” divorce (which has been struck down by the Indian Supreme Court by the way).
See: Hasina Khan, “Ending instant divorce is a victory. But Indian women have a fight ahead”, Guardian, 25 August 2017
But at least, you know that it will take no more than a year for you to receive the Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final in most cases.
You may also be interested to read more about:
2. Annulment (Nullity) of Marriage
5. Maintenance Issues (Alimony)
