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As we live in a world that is becoming more and more globalised, it’s understandable that a large number of people contact Quickie Divorce wanting to know if divorces that they’ve been granted in other countries will be recognised in the UK.

Whilst it is by no means easy to determine whether such divorces granted will be recognised by the UK’s authorities, there are a few things you can ask yourself that will help you ascertain whether or not your divorce is likely to be recognised here:

Was it granted in an EU-member state

Any nation that is a member of the European Union will be required to have a formal legal system that can produce binding orders and that utilises formal procedures with regards to legal matters.

As a result, if you applied for and were granted a divorce within any country that was a member of the European Union at the time of your application, it will almost certainly be recognised in the UK.

How formal was the procedure?

If your divorce was granted outside of the European Union, you should consider the process you were required to follow. Was it formal? Were you required to submit documents? Was your application reviewed before your request for a divorce was approved?

In order for a divorce to be recognised in the UK, it is vital that a formal procedure of some kind was followed and that the divorce is also recognised within the nation within which it was granted.

Were both spouses aware?

Generally speaking, if only one party was involved in the application, the divorce is unlikely to be recognised in the UK as, under these circumstances, the other party would not have been presented with the opportunity to defend the application.

Was at least one spouse connected to the relevant country?

As obvious as it may seem, at least one spouse will need to have either been residing in the relevant country at the time the divorce application was filed or, alternatively, have been born there or have some other substantial link to the country in question for any divorce to be valid.

What to do if you’re unsure

If you’re unsure of the validity of your divorce, it’s highly advisable that you seek legal advice.

Failing to do so can potentially bring about problems when remarrying, amending wills, claiming inheritance and more. Yes, seeking legal advice can prove to be expensive, but not doing so could prove to be much costlier in the long run.