How long does a divorce take?

At least 26 weeks from issue to final order: 20 weeks to the conditional order, then 6 weeks and 1 day. Sorting out finances often takes longer.

Can my spouse stop the divorce?

Only on narrow grounds, such as jurisdiction or the validity of the marriage.

Do I have to go to court?

Not for the divorce itself in most cases. Financial and children disputes may need hearings, usually at the East London Family Court.

Can we apply together?

Yes. A joint application is possible, and either of you can continue alone if the other stops cooperating.

Should I apply for the final order straight away?

Usually not until your financial order is approved, because of pension and inheritance rights.

I can't find my spouse. Can I still divorce?

Yes. The court can allow service by another method, such as email or social media, or in some cases dispense with service altogether. It needs evidence of the steps you have taken to find them.

We married abroad. Can we divorce in England?

Usually yes, if either of you is habitually resident or domiciled here and the marriage was valid where it took place.

Should I protect the house before applying?

If the home is in your spouse's name, registering a home rights notice before or alongside the application is often sensible. We can do this quickly.

Divorce Solicitors in Romford

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Reviewed by Sital Somaiya, Principal Solicitor, Signature Law. Last reviewed 14 October 2026.

A divorce in England and Wales now takes at least 26 weeks from the court issuing the application to the final order, and nobody has to prove fault. The divorce is the paperwork; the financial order is what protects your money, and the two need to be timed together. Signature Law handles both from Charter House, 123 South Street, Romford RM1 1NX. Call 01708 398 851.

Field	Detail
Office	Charter House, 123 South Street, Romford RM1 1NX
Phone	01708 398 851
Hours	Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm
Getting here	A short walk from Romford station (Elizabeth line and Liberty line)
Meetings	In person, by phone or by video
Legal aid	Available for eligible cases, including where there has been domestic abuse
Languages	English, Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu
Regulated by	Solicitors Regulation Authority, number 832332

The stages of a no-fault divorce

Stage	What happens	Minimum time
1. Application	One of you (a sole application) or both of you (a joint application) applies online, stating the marriage has broken down irretrievably	Issued once the court fee is paid
2. Acknowledgment	In a sole application, your spouse returns the acknowledgment of service	14 days after receiving it
3. Reflection period	A fixed waiting period before the next step	20 weeks from the date the application was issued
4. Conditional order	You apply, and the court confirms you are entitled to divorce	Pronounced after the 20 weeks
5. Final order	You apply, and the marriage legally ends	6 weeks and 1 day after the conditional order

A divorce can only be disputed on narrow grounds, such as the court lacking jurisdiction or the marriage not being valid. Disagreement over the reasons is no longer one of them.

Sole or joint application: which fits you

	Sole application	Joint application
Who applies	One spouse, who becomes the applicant	Both spouses together
Works best when	Your spouse is unlikely to cooperate, or contact isn't safe	You both accept the marriage is over and can complete steps on time
Court fee	Paid by the applicant (help with fees available)	Paid once, and can be split between you
If the other side stalls	The court can be asked to deal with service another way	Either of you can continue as a sole applicant at the conditional order stage
Tone	The other spouse receives papers from the court	Neither of you is cast as the one who started it

Where there has been domestic abuse, a sole application is usually right, and your address can be kept confidential from your spouse.

Why the timing of the final order matters

Applying for the final order before a financial order is approved can leave you exposed. Once the marriage ends, you lose the rights of a spouse, which can include widow's or widower's benefits under your spouse's pension. Update your will. A divorce cancels gifts to a former spouse in a will from the final order, but not before. Until then, an old will still stands.

The financial side runs alongside

Disclosure. You and your spouse each complete Form E, listing income, property, pensions and debts, with documents attached.

Agreement or application. If you agree terms, we draft a consent order and send it to the court with the divorce. If not, we apply for a financial order on Form A.

First appointment. The court decides what valuations, pension reports and further documents are needed.

Financial dispute resolution hearing. A judge gives an indication of the likely outcome to help you settle; most cases settle here or before.

Final hearing. If there is still no agreement, a judge decides.

For what each stage costs and how legal aid works, see our family law solicitors in Romford page.

What delays a divorce

The other spouse doesn't respond. The court can be asked to deem service or allow service by another method, which adds weeks.

A marriage abroad. A foreign marriage certificate needs a certified translation if it is not in English, and the court will check the marriage is valid.

Financial disclosure is slow or incomplete. The financial order, not the divorce, is usually what takes longest.

Children's arrangements are disputed. These are dealt with separately, under a C100 application if needed.

What you need to start a divorce

Your marriage certificate, the original or a certified copy, with a certified translation if it is not in English
Both full names exactly as they appear on the certificate, plus proof of any name change since
Your spouse's postal address, and an email address if you have one, which the court uses to serve the application
The date you separated and where each of you has lived since, which shows the court has jurisdiction
The court fee, or a help with fees reference number if you are on a low income
For the finances alongside: payslips, bank statements, mortgage and pension statements, which feed into Form E

Specialist team

Specialist divorce solicitors in Romford

Sital Somaiya

Your Divorce Solicitors in Romford Lawyer

LLB (Hons), Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales

Sital is the founder and Principal Solicitor of Signature Law. She specialises in family law — including divorce, financial settlements, children matters and domestic abuse — and leads the firm's family team.

Sital Somaiya works with clients across East London and Essex, guiding you through every stage of the process with clear advice and a calm, sensitive approach.

Areas of practice

Divorce & separation
Financial settlements
Children Act proceedings
Domestic abuse & non-molestation orders
Pre- and post-nuptial agreements

Read full profile →Speak to Sital

Enquire now

Start your divorce enquiry today.

Give us a call or fill out the contact form and a member of our team will get in touch to discuss how we can help.

Call 01708 398 851

We're available Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5:30pm (excluding bank holidays).

Frequently asked questions