Category Divorce

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney Key points in brief A marriage dissolution certificate is issued only by the civil registry office (DRATS) and only when the marriage is dissolved without a court: on a joint application of spouses without children (Article 106 of the Family Code) or on the application of one spouse in exceptional cases (Article 107). If the divorce took place through a court, no separate certificate is issued. The document confirming the divorce is the court decision that has entered into legal force, and if needed an official paper from the register is obtained in the form of an extract. For registering the dissolution of a marriage at the registry office, a state duty of about UAH 8.50 is paid (under Article 106) or about UAH 0.51 (under Article 107). A lost certificate can be restored: a repeat certificate (in everyday speech a duplicate) costs about UAH 0.51, and it can be ordered online through the Diia portal, at the registry office, or at a consulate. A certificate and an extract are different documents: a certificate is issued once during registration, while an extract is a reference from the register that can be obtained again and without limit. For many people, a marriage dissolution certificate becomes a symbol of a completed stage and the start of a new life. But in practice a lot of confusion arises around it: some wait in vain for it after a court process, others confuse the certificate with an extract. This article explains in plain words who issues the certificate and when, what serves as the divorce document in each situation, how much it costs, and how to act if the document is lost. What is a marriage dissolution certificate? A marriage dissolution certificate is an official document on a special form […]

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney Key points in brief You can dissolve a marriage with a foreigner in Ukraine: if you are a Ukrainian citizen and live here, a Ukrainian court will hear the case, and without shared minor children and by mutual consent even the civil registry office (DRATS) is available. As a general rule, jurisdiction is determined by the respondent’s place of residence, but a claimant with a child or with valid reasons may file the claim at their own place of residence (Art. 28 CPC). If both spouses live abroad, jurisdiction is set by a judge of the Supreme Court (Art. 29 CPC). The dissolution itself is governed by the law determined under Articles 60 and 63 of the Law on Private International Law, while the procedure is always conducted by a Ukrainian court under our procedural law. A respondent abroad is notified through a letter of request under the 1965 Hague Convention, so the process takes longer; with proper notification, a default hearing is possible. A foreigner’s documents require a notarized translation, and foreign official documents require an apostille or consular legalization; a Ukrainian decision is also apostilled to have effect abroad. Marriage to a citizen of another state adds several legal layers to an ordinary divorce: you have to determine which country’s court has jurisdiction, which state’s law applies, how to officially notify a respondent abroad, and how to make sure the decision is recognized both in Ukraine and beyond it. In this article we work through these questions step by step, relying on the legislation in force as of 2026. The material will be useful whether you live in Ukraine or your partner has remained abroad. Can you get divorced from a foreigner in a Ukrainian court? Yes, a Ukrainian citizen has the right to […]

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney Key points An extract on divorce is an official document from the State Register of Civil Status Acts (DRATSS) that confirms the fact that your marriage has ended. A certificate is issued once on a paper form upon divorce through the civil registry office (DRATSS), while an extract is generated from the register, so it can be ordered at any time and in the quantity needed. The administrative fee for an extract is UAH 73; for internally displaced persons and in certain territories during martial law it is issued free of charge. An extract can be ordered online through the Diia portal or in person at a registry office (DRATSS) branch, an administrative services center or a consulate, and the finished document can be received within a few working days. After a divorce through a court the main document is the court judgment, so an extract from the registry office (DRATSS) primarily concerns those who divorced specifically at the registry office. When the emotionally hardest part is already behind you, the bureaucracy remains: what to confirm your new marital status with, which paper to show a bank or a notary, what to bring to the registry office before a remarriage. One of the key documents here is the extract on divorce from the registry office (DRATSS). In this article we explain in plain language what this document is, what it is needed for, how and where to obtain it in 2026, how much it costs and how to order the extract again. Separately we will look at how an extract differs from a certificate and when the court judgment alone is enough. What is an extract on divorce? An extract on divorce is an official document generated from the State Register of Civil Status Acts that […]

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney Key points A divorce certificate is issued only by the civil registry office (DRATSS) and only when the marriage is dissolved without a court: on a joint application of spouses without children (article 106 of the Family Code) or on the application of one spouse in exceptional cases (article 107). If the divorce took place through a court, no separate certificate is issued. The divorce document is the court judgment that has taken legal effect, and if needed an official paper from the register is obtained in the form of an extract. For registering a divorce at the civil registry office (DRATSS) a state duty of about UAH 8.50 (under article 106) or about UAH 0.51 (under article 107) is paid. A lost certificate can be restored: a repeat certificate (colloquially a duplicate) costs about UAH 0.51, and it can be ordered online through the Diia portal, at the civil registry office (DRATSS) or at a consulate. A certificate and an extract are different documents: a certificate is issued once during registration, while an extract is a reference from the register that can be obtained repeatedly and without limit. For many, a divorce certificate becomes a symbol of a completed stage and the start of a new life. But in practice a lot of confusion arises around it: some wait in vain for it after a court case, others confuse the certificate with an extract. This article explains in plain words who issues the certificate and when, what serves as the divorce document in each situation, how much it costs, and what to do if the document is lost. What is a divorce certificate? A divorce certificate is an official document on a special form that confirms the fact of state registration of a divorce by […]

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney Key points You can dissolve a marriage with a foreigner in Ukraine: if you are a Ukrainian citizen living here, the case will be heard by a Ukrainian court, and where there are no shared minor children and both spouses agree, even the civil registry office (DRATSS) is available. As a general rule, jurisdiction is determined by the respondent’s place of residence, but a claimant who has a child or valid reasons may file the claim at their own place of residence (art. 28 of the Civil Procedure Code). If both spouses live abroad, jurisdiction is set by a judge of the Supreme Court (art. 29 of the Civil Procedure Code). The dissolution itself is governed by the law determined under articles 60 and 63 of the Law on Private International Law, while the procedure is always conducted by a Ukrainian court under our procedural law. A respondent abroad is notified through a letter of request under the 1965 Hague Convention, so the process takes longer; where notification is proper, a default hearing is possible. A foreigner’s documents require a notarized translation, and foreign official documents require an apostille or consular legalization; a Ukrainian judgment is also apostilled to have effect abroad. A marriage to a citizen of another country adds several legal layers to an ordinary divorce: you have to determine which country’s court has jurisdiction, which state’s law applies, how to officially notify the respondent abroad, and how to have the judgment recognized both in Ukraine and beyond. In this article we go through these questions step by step, relying on the legislation in force as of 2026. The material will be useful whether you live in Ukraine or your partner remains abroad. Can you divorce a foreigner in a Ukrainian court? Yes, a […]

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney Key points at a glance The consent of the other spouse to the divorce is not required: if they are against it, the marriage is dissolved by a court on the claim of one spouse (Articles 110-112 of the Family Code). The court may grant a reconciliation period of up to 6 months, but this is its right, not its duty; in cases of domestic violence such a period is not set. If the respondent ignores the hearing, the court, after proper notification, considers the case without them and may issue a default judgment. The civil registry office dissolves a marriage on the application of only one spouse in two cases: when the other has been declared by a court to be missing or legally incapacitated (Article 107). The court fee for a claim in 2026 is about UAH 1,331; the marriage terminates on the day the court decision takes legal effect (Article 114). The decision to divorce is rarely mutual. Often one spouse is ready to put an end to things while the other objects, drags things out, or has disappeared from view altogether. Ukrainian law provides for this: a partner’s unwillingness does not keep you in a marriage against your will. Let us examine how to act when the initiative comes from only one side. Can you divorce if the other spouse is against it? Yes, you can divorce even when your husband or wife is categorically against it. Marriage in Ukraine is based on voluntariness, so the right to marry is inseparably linked to the right to end the marriage. When there is no consent, a court decision replaces it. Article 110 of the Family Code establishes that a claim for dissolution of marriage may be filed by either spouse. The other party’s […]

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney Key points at a glance You can divorce a citizen of Russia in Ukraine, and martial law does not prevent this. The other spouse’s consent is not required: the will of one spouse is enough. Because postal communication and legal cooperation with Russia have ceased, a respondent who is in Russia is usually summoned to court through an announcement on the official website of the judiciary (Article 128 of the CPC). If a duly notified respondent fails to appear and stays silent, the court issues a default judgment (Article 280 of the CPC), so the divorce goes ahead without their participation. In most cases you can file the claim at your own place of residence if children live with you or it is hard for you to travel for health reasons (Article 28 of the CPC). The case is decided under the rules of the Family Code of Ukraine. In 2026 the court fee is about UAH 1,331, and filing through the Electronic Court gives a discount. A marriage to a citizen of the Russian Federation now finds itself in an unusual situation: closed borders, severed postal communication, and suspended interstate legal cooperation complicate the usual procedure. This article explains, in practical terms, how to act: which court will hear the case, which law it will apply, how to notify the respondent, and how to obtain a decision even when they stay silent or are located in Russia. Can you currently divorce a citizen of Russia? Yes, such a marriage can be dissolved, and the war does not stand in the way. Ukrainian courts continue to hear divorce cases, including those with a foreign element. The right of one spouse to end the marriage is unconditional: the law does not force a person to remain married […]

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney The key points in brief Divorce in itself does not divide debts or release you from them: a loan stays with the person who signed it until a court establishes otherwise. As a general rule, an obligation of one spouse is that spouse’s personal debt. It becomes joint only when the money was taken in the interests of the family and used for its needs (Articles 65 and 73 of the Family Code). You are not liable with your personal property for a personal debt of your husband or wife: enforcement is directed only at the debtor’s property and at their share in joint ownership. Whoever relies on a debt being joint, most often the creditor, must prove it. The mere fact of marriage or a promissory note does not confirm this. You can protect property lawfully: with a marriage contract, a division agreement, or the allocation of a personal share. A sham division that harms a creditor can be annulled by the court as a fraudulent transaction. Divorcing a person who has debts most often frightens people with a single question: will you have to pay someone else’s loans out of your own pocket. Ukrainian law clearly distinguishes between the personal and joint obligations of spouses, and it is precisely this distinction that determines whose property will be at risk of enforcement. Below we will get to the heart of the matter: which debts are considered joint and which personal, whether the other spouse is liable, how enforcement officers act, and what actually protects your property as of 2026. Do a husband’s or wife’s debts automatically become joint after divorce? No. Divorce does not turn one spouse’s personal debt into a joint one and does not divide it between the former spouses automatically. A credit […]

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney The key points in brief A fully remote “one click” divorce is not yet available to most couples in Ukraine in 2026: the word “online” refers to the way documents are filed and participation takes place, not to abolishing the procedure itself. Three online tools genuinely work: filing a claim through the E-Court, taking part in a hearing by video conference (Art. 212 of the Civil Procedure Code), and the pilot divorce through the Diia app. To file a claim online you need a qualified electronic signature (QES) or Diia.Signature and a registered Electronic Cabinet at cabinet.court.gov.ua. The court fee for a divorce claim in 2026 is about UAH 1,331; when filing through the E-Court, a reducing coefficient of 0.8 generally applies, so the fee is around 20% lower. “Online” does not mean “instant”: the reconciliation period, the court hearing, and the time until the decision takes legal effect all remain in place. The phrase “online divorce” sounds as if it is enough to open an app, confirm your identity, and become free within a minute. In reality, in 2026 everything is arranged in a more complex way, yet at the same time more conveniently than a few years ago. Remote tools really do exist, they save time and nerves, but they operate within the ordinary procedure for dissolving a marriage. In this article we will honestly examine what actually works in online divorce, what is still at the pilot stage, and what is simply a myth you should not believe. Is a fully online divorce available in Ukraine in 2026? A full “start to finish online” divorce, without any in-person action and without the involvement of a court or the civil registry office (DRATS), is not yet available to most couples as of 2026. In […]

Author: Ilona Melnychuk, attorney The key points As of July 2026, a full divorce through Diia has not yet been launched for everyone: the service is running in beta-testing mode, in which a limited number of couples take part (about…