PUBLICATIONS
Divorce in Cyprus for spouses residing outside Cyprus
When can a court in Cyprus grant a divorce against a person living outside Cyprus?
Courts in Cyprus have jurisdiction to grant a divorce in Cyprus provided that both of the spouses are habitually resident in Cyprus.
Applying for a divorce in Cyprus if the Applicant resides in Cyprus and the Respondent resides outside Cyprus.
In case the applicant lives in Cyprus, then s/he can apply for a divorce in Cyprus provided that both spouses were last habitually resident in Cyprus.
If both spouses were not last habitually resident in Cyprus, then there are two scenarios in which one of them may apply for a divorce in Cyprus. One, is that the applicant is not a national of Cyprus – in such case s/he will need to have resided in Cyprus for at least a year prior to applying for a divorce. The other scenario is that the applicant is a national of Cyprus – and in such a case s/he can apply for a divorce in Cyprus if s/he had resided in Cyprus for at least 6 months prior to applying for a divorce.
Furthermore, under Cyprus Family Law, the court has jurisdiction to hear an application for divorce if the applicant or the respondent were residing in Cyprus for a continuous period of 3 months prior to the application.
That was the case of Holubova n. Mehmet Ali (2003) which dealt with an application for divorce by which a national of the Czech Republic filed for divorce in Cyprus against her Turkish Cypriot husband. Their marriage was effected in the Czech Republic. The Cyprus Supreme Court in deciding that the divorce application could be filed in Cyprus, stated that:
Family Courts have jurisdiction over a dispute concerning the dissolution of a civil marriage between spouses, whether they are Cypriot citizens or not, provided that they or one of them resides in Cyprus for a continuous period beyond three months.
Procedure
In case the Respondent does not live in Cyprus, it is necessary for the Applicant to request for the permission of the court to file and seal the Divorce Application. As soon as this is granted, the Applicant will file an application for permission to serve the Divorce Application filed in Cyprus, outside the jurisdiction of Cyprus together with an order of substitute service (for example by sending the Divorce application via DHL, or other means) supported by Affidavit.
Applying for a divorce in Cyprus if the Applicant does not reside in Cyprus
In case the applicant does not reside in Cyprus, then s/he can apply for a divorce in Cyprus provided that the respondent habitually resides in Cyprus. Under Cyprus Family Law, a continuous period of 3 months will suffice.
In case the applicant does not live in Cyprus but is a Cyprus national, s/he can apply for a divorce provided that the spouse is also a Cyprus national. This is irrespective of whether the spouses are habitually resident in Cyprus.
This article is given for information purposes only and it does not constitute legal advice. For further information and advice please contact Mrs. Maria Skarpari at skarpari@dhadjinestoros.com or Mr. Evripides Hadjinestoros at eh@dhadjinestoros.com.