Divorcing without a solicitor

[LumpyPumpkin]

Hi,

I have been separated for 5 years now and want a divorce so I can feel like my life is properly moving on.

I simply cannot afford even the cheapest solicitor so I am doing it all myself via the gov.uk website.

I have submitted the application today and it says I need to email a copy of my marriage certificate because I didn't do this when I filled in the application (I did, but who am I to argue with a computer).

It says my application won't be issued until I do so. I have emailed it over straight away and got an auto-response saying not to contact them again unless they haven't replied by 8 weeks time.

Does anyone have any experience of how long it might take them to actually review my certificate?

Also can anyone advise how long it takes once they've received by certificate for the application to actually be issued? Ime how long from now before my 20 week wait for the conditional order?

I'm just trying to work out if my dream of being divorced by the end of the year is possible.

Any advice/experiences of DIY divorce would be much appreciated.

Thanks

CGT are a bummer to figure out and having to pay. I can't even figure out how that is going to work out in my situation.

Thanks everyone. I haven't looked into financial orders because we had no assets before marriage and none after so it didn't seem necessary but will look into it just in case.

I have found the gov website easy enough to navigate so far. It's just the timescales that don't make sense to me. It says 20 weeks and then 6 weeks etc but doesn't give any indication on how long they might take on their end before the countdown for the 20/6 weeks might begin.

It took me so long to get a copy of my marriage certificate (lost original years ago) that I am now just so keen to finally get things moving along.

So the timescales are - apply for a no-fault divorce online. Assuming forms ok, marriage cert lodged , you’ve both agreed online if you’re doing joint application - you will get an email saying you can APPLY for your conditional order on X date (20 weeks hence).

On that day (20 weeks on) you each get a reminder email. You then both need to log in (they will have changed your log in details so you will need to reset your password - or you can log on a day or two before to do this) - and say you both want to apply for a Conditional Order.

A couple of days later you get an HMCT email saying “entitlement for conditional order has been granted” and it gives you a date about two weeks hence when your Conditional
Order will be read out in open court. You don’t need to attend - it’s a formality and often at a far away court. At that point the Conditional Order is granted. You have a judge and case number (and you can and should apply for Financial Consent Order / clean break - you can’t do it pre Conditional Order). And THEN the 6 weeks starts to count down to Final Order.

Again an email will pop up on that day saying do you want to apply for the Final Order (same sent to your ex). Once you both do that it will be granted fairly soon thereafter. And you’ll be emailed a copy of the Final order. Don’t know if they send a hard copy but needs to be kept safe.

So timing is more like:
first Application to conditional order Application - 20 weeks
3 weeks for Conditional Order to be granted
6 weeks for Final Order

• 1 week for Final Order

so 30-32 weeks beginning to end assuming you and your ex do everything online on the earliest day you can. But the HMCT / gov website interface is really excellent. Someone has put a lot of work into that.

HTH and hasn’t confused you more 😀

Hope you’re doing well
I applied for my divorce with fee waiver now waiting to be told what to do when my ex doesn’t respond

im confused about the next step but learning as I go

I don’t have the option to pay for a solicitor as money cannot be magicked up

so I’ll be doing whatever I need to to get it all sorted alone

financial order included

we both have less than nothing so should just be ‘untie is wet divorced and no assets exist’

but we’ll see

Main issue is hell wishes to ruin my life and has a family who enable him

he’ll hire solicitors just because he can and try to make my life difficult

im socially housed on universal credit
I have him the jewellery back worth about ten k bought with debt