Isle Of Man - Obtain Divorce Certificate

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Procedure

1. To file for divorce you will need to complete forms 2 and 3 (links to download the form can be found under 'Documents to Use' section). You will need to clearly state in form 2 why you want a divorce. You have to be able to prove to the court that you have valid reasons (grounds) to say that the marriage is at an end. The term the court uses is that the marriage has 'irretrievably broken down.' Form form 3, all children below the age of 16, or over 16 if still in full time education, must be declared.
2. When completing the forms you must remember that court staff can provide you with information only, they can tell you about court forms and procedures, but they are not allowed to give legal advice or answer questions like "Should I claim financial support?" or "Do I have proper reasons for divorce?" You should consult an advocate for that.
3. Make sure that you have all of the the details like spelling of names and dates of birth in your forms correct. Mistakes in the completion of the form can cause delay in the application so make sure you all of it right before submission to the court.
4. You need to make 2 copies of them (3 if you are naming a co-respondent in the case of adultery) of the Initial Application - form 2 and 2 copies of the Statement of Arrangements for Children and send the original and copies to the court - form 3.
5. Submit the completed forms and pay the application fee. Note: You can also have an advocate submit the forms for you.
6. After the court receives your completed application, it will process it and send a copy of it to the respondent (and co-respondent if you are claiming adultery).
7. The court will send you or your advocate a certified copy of the respondent’s acknowledgement of service form as soon as it is received, along with the forms for the next stage.

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Required Documents

• Completed forms 2 and 3
• Original or a certified copy of your marriage certificate (NOT a photocopy)

Office Locations & Contacts

Isle of Man Courts of Justice
Deemsters Walk
Bucks Road
Douglas
IM1 3AR
Telephone: +44 (0)1624 685 265
Fax: +44 (0)1624 685 236
Email: [email protected]
Website

Eligibility

You can only file for divorce if you have been married for more than one year.

Applications for divorce are processed by the Isle of Man High Court. The court has the jurisdiction to hear an application for a divorce order only if either of the parties to the marriage:

• is domiciled in the Island on the date when the application was filed
• was habitually a resident on the Island throughout the period of one year before the date that the application was filed.

Fees

Ask a court staff how much the application will cost you. You can also check out court fees - here.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

• Form 2 - Initial Application (Word doc) (PDF)
• Form 3 - Statement of Arrangements for Children (Word doc) (PDF)
• Guidance Booklet

Sample Documents

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Processing Time

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Related Videos

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Instructions

The court does not require you to have an advocate when applying for a divorce order. But, you will find it useful to have taken some legal advice before beginning your application if:

• you do not know if you have the grounds (reasons) for a divorce;
• the respondent (your spouse) is not likely to agree to a divorce;
• you have not come to an agreement as to who the children should live with;
• you have not agreed about any financial support for the children or yourself, or not agreed about splitting up any property.

Note that the court's staff are not allowed to give you any advice about what to put in your application.

Required Information

• Applicants full name and address
• Your husband/wife's full name and address
• Both your occupations
• The full names and dates of birth of any living children of the marriage (including adopted children, but NOT fostered children)
• The name and address of any person you are alleging your husband or wife has committed adultery with, if you wish to name them.

Need for the Document

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Information which might help

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Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Isle of Man Courts of Justice : Court Procedures - Divorce Proceedings

Others

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