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Here are some top tips on how to speed up a process which can take up to 24 weeks! Check the basics Firstly, in order to get a divorce in the UK, you and your spouse must have been married for at least one year. You will also need to file for a divorce on one of the appropriate grounds (two year separation, five year separation with consent, adultery or unreasonable behaviour) and will need to consider which of these is appropriate, if any, before you file for divorce. Finally, if you meet the relevant criteria, you need to take stock of your situation and decide whether you’re certain that you want to divorce your spouse. The last thing anyone wants to do is commence proceedings only to change their mind half way through. Get together and talk Should you decide that you do indeed want to divorce you spouse, it is of the utmost importance that you discuss matters with them beforehand. Receiving an unexpected application for divorce is certain to cause offence and this is likely to delay your application. During discussions, it is of the utmost importance that your spouse agrees to the divorce. This can be difficult, but provided that you communicate effectively and inform your spouse that you no longer wish to remain married, then they will more than likely agree. If they do not agree to divorce in the first instance, do not attempt to pressure them into accepting as this will more than likely exacerbate the situation and leave your spouse feeling like they’re being pushed into a corner. Instead, exercise patience and allow your spouse time to consider the situation. Once they realise that you do not want to remain married to them, they will more than likely agree to a divorce. Agree your reasons As stated above, you will need to file for a divorce on one of four specific grounds, and it is strongly recommended that you and your spouse agree on which of these grounds you intend to rely before filing for a divorce. In addition, you and your spouse should agree your date of separation and other various pieces of information though these will differ depending on your grounds for divorce. Confirm financial and contact arrangements The most contentious issues in any divorce revolve around finances and arrangements for contact with children. As a result, you and your spouse will almost certainly have in depth discussions concerning these matters and should both come to amicable agreements following these having concluded. If you and your spouse are unable to agree arrangements concerning your finances and children, then you will be required to attend court hearings whilst your divorce is processed. This will result in your application for a divorce being subject to significant delays. Agreeing matters beforehand, however, will see your divorce processed promptly. Find your marriage certificate We know that important documents always seem to go missing but, unfortunately, there’s no way around this: you will need a copy of your marriage certificate before you can file for a divorce. Don’t panic if you’ve lost your copy, you can obtain a new one from the relevant registry office, though you will need to pay a small fee. Having your marriage certificate ready before you commence proceedings will prevent unnecessary delays, reduce you and your spouse’s stress levels and, above all else, see your divorce processed as quickly as possible. Contact your local county court Some courts may receive more applications than others – a county court located in the centre of London is likely to receive more applications than a county court in rural Wales, for example. It is also worth mentioning that a District Judge will be required to review your documentation in order to ensure that all matters are in order and that your application for a divorce can proceed. It is therefore worth enquiring as to how often the Judges located at the relevant county court review these applications. If nothing else, this will give you a better idea of how long your application may take. Couple this with the fact that any county court located within England or Wales can issue divorce proceedings on your behalf and it make sense to make a few enquiries before choosing which court you intend to use. You should still use a court that is near to you of course – remember, you may need to attend the court at a later date – but, if travelling a few extra miles results in your divorce being processed quicker, it’s worth it; trust us. Choose the right company Currently, the best means of obtaining a quick divorce is to use an online company such as Quickie Divorce provided your circumstances allow this. Most providers of online divorces use automated software to generate the required documentation (known as ‘spooling’) resulting in them being produced far more rapidly than when they are completed manually and the quicker your documents are prepared, the sooner you can file for a divorce. The speed with which documents are produced isn’t all that you should consider when selecting which company should handle your divorce, however, and there are several other factors which need to be taken into consideration before you make your final decision. How, for example, will you be treated whilst your divorce is processed? Few providers of online divorce are willing to provide support and assistance throughout the entire divorce process and even fewer actively encourage their staff to develop the empathic skills required to effectively support its customers during such testing times. You should also check how the company will collect your marriage certificate. Will they expect you to send it in by post, or arrange for a courier to collect this document and ensure its safe delivery, for example? Also, will they then send your completed documents to the relevant court by post – again leaving matters outside of their control – or deliver the documents to the court by hand, again guaranteeing their safe delivery and a swift turnaround. It is also worth enquiring as to when support will be available. Many companies will only offer support and assistance during normal working hours and fail to take people’s busy lifestyles into consideration. Quickie Divorce realises how important it is to support it customers throughout the online divorce process and therefore offers its customers enhanced support and assistance by ensuring that the relevant departments work enhanced hours, courier collections for important documents and also hand deliver your documents to the relevant court. As a result, Quickie Divorce offers the speediest service and most satisfactory experience of any provider of online divorce. It is in your best interest to ensure that your divorce is processed as quickly as possible; reducing the stress and anxiety subjected on you and your spouse and allowing you to begin your new life without delay.