[Big Sexy]

My spouse and I got married overseas/My spouse and I have not lived in Singapore for many years--can we still get a divorce in the Singapore courts?


You can get a divorce in the Singapore courts even if you got married overseas, or if you do not live in Singapore, so long as:

(a) Either you or your spouse has lived in Singapore for a period of 3 years just before your divorce proceedings start; or

(b) Either you or your spouse is "domiciled" in Singapore at the start of your divorce proceedings, i.e. that Singapore is your permanent home. A Singapore citizen and a Singapore permanent resident is assumed to be "domiciled" in Singapore, unless the contrary is proved.

But even if you can prove one or both of the above factors, your spouse may argue that it would be more appropriate for the divorce proceedings to be dealt with in another country, for various reasons, for example, because you are both citizens of that country, and are intending to return there to live permanently in a short while.