UK The grounds still require fault or separation
You must show the marriage has broken down irretrievably and establish one of the recognised facts: unreasonable behaviour, adultery, desertion, two years' separation with your spouse's consent, or five years' separation without it.
Because there is no no-fault route, couples who have not been separated for two years and cannot agree may find one party has to rely on behaviour. Solicitors will often help word such a petition in the least inflammatory way possible while still meeting the legal test.
You must normally be married for two years
A petition generally cannot be presented until you have been married for at least two years, which is longer than the one-year bar in England and Wales and in Scotland. There are limited exceptions in cases of exceptional hardship or depravity.
Decree nisi and decree absolute
Northern Ireland has kept the older terminology. The court first grants a decree nisi, and after a further period a decree absolute, which finally ends the marriage. Divorce proceedings are heard in the High Court or a county court depending on the circumstances.
nidirect publishes the official government guidance on procedure and current court fees, and the Department of Justice covers the court structure. Check both rather than relying on figures quoted in articles, which date quickly.
Finances and children
Financial relief is dealt with under Northern Ireland's own matrimonial legislation, and as elsewhere in the UK the divorce itself does not resolve money. Arrangements for children are decided by reference to the child's welfare as the paramount consideration.
Solicitors in Northern Ireland are regulated by the Law Society of Northern Ireland, and you should verify any firm on its public register before instructing them.
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