Foreign Divorce


Definition of Foreign Divorce

Foreign divorce refers to a divorce granted to a couple by a court in a country other than the country in which they married or resided prior to the divorce. In the U.S., courts in many states recognize foreign divorce as valid through comity.



Foreign Divorce Explained

A lot of times the divorce proceeding in one's home country can be a lengthy and time consuming process or one involve complex regulations forcing couples to get a divorce in another country. In the U.S., many states recognize a divorce decree issued in a foreign land on the principle of comity provided that the spouse received adequate notice regarding the divorce proceedings. Some states have laws which recognize a foreign divorce only if one of the spouse had a physical presence in the country in which the divorce decree was issued.