International Divorce and Cross-Border Family Law

When your life crosses borders, your family law advice needs to as well.

Families are more international than ever. Couples meet, marry, work and raise children across different countries, and hold homes, businesses and investments in more than one place. When a relationship breaks down, that international dimension can make everything more complicated, from where the divorce should take place to how assets in several countries are dealt with.

Our family solicitors advise international families on divorce and the wider issues that come with a life lived across borders. We are based in London, one of the world’s most important centres for international family law, and we bring together the legal, financial and practical strands of a cross-border case so you have one clear point of coordination.

Why international divorce is different

An international divorce raises questions that a purely domestic one does not. More than one country may be able to deal with the divorce, and the choice between them can have a significant effect on the outcome, particularly on finances. There are also questions about which country’s courts decide arrangements for children, and how assets held abroad are valued, divided and enforced.

These issues are technical, and they often need to be resolved quickly and in the right order. Getting early, coordinated advice is the single most important step an international family can take.

Where a divorce should take place

For many international couples, the most important early question is not whether to divorce but where. Because different countries approach divorce and financial settlements very differently, the choice of country can shape the entire outcome.

We advise on jurisdiction, habitual residence and the most appropriate forum for your divorce, and we act quickly where timing matters. This is the heart of international divorce work, and we cover it in detail on our jurisdiction page.

Working alongside lawyers in other countries

Cross-border cases rarely involve only one country’s law. You may need advice in more than one jurisdiction at the same time, and that advice has to fit together. We are well used to working alongside trusted family lawyers overseas, coordinating strategy across borders so steps taken in one country support rather than undermine those in another.

We can help identify the right lawyers in the relevant countries, brief them, and keep the wider picture in view, acting as the central point that holds a cross-border case together. Where you already have overseas advisers, we work with them seamlessly.

Coordinating the wider advice

International separations often reach well beyond family law. There may be tax to consider in more than one country, international property to deal with, business interests, trusts, and estate and succession planning that spans jurisdictions.

We coordinate with tax advisers, wealth managers, and our own Legacy and Property teams, so your divorce is handled with the whole of your international position in mind, not just the part in front of the family court.

How we help international families

We advise on the full range of cross-border family issues, including:

• Where a divorce can and should take place, and acting quickly where timing matters.
• Divorce and financial settlements involving assets in more than one country.
• Arrangements for children who live in, or may move to, another country.
• Recognition of foreign marriages, divorces and agreements.
• Financial claims in England after a divorce abroad.
• Coordinating with lawyers and advisers in other jurisdictions.

Whatever the countries involved, our aim is to make an international divorce feel manageable, and to protect what matters most to you and your family.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get divorced in England if I married abroad?

Often yes. A marriage that is legally valid in the country where it took place is usually recognised here, and you can apply for a divorce in England and Wales if you meet the jurisdictional requirements, which are based on habitual residence and domicile. We can quickly check whether the English courts can deal with your divorce.

We live in different countries. Where do we get divorced?

It depends on your and your spouse’s connections to each country, through habitual residence and domicile. More than one country may have jurisdiction, and the choice can significantly affect the outcome. This is exactly the kind of question we help international couples resolve, ideally before any application is made.

Do you handle cases involving other countries directly?

We advise on the law of England and Wales, and we work alongside trusted lawyers in other countries where advice is needed there too. We are experienced at coordinating cross-border cases and can act as your central point of contact, so the advice from different jurisdictions fits together.