Live in France, how to get a UK divorce?

[tb]

That's it really in a nutshell.

We left the UK nearly 11 years ago to live in France. We have a house in France where we live, but all our income is based in the UK.

A court in the UK cannot order the division of property outside the UK, and a French court cannot order the split of UK income. That's my understanding.

Our income consists of an occupational pension - dh's that is index-linked, and I have a very small fixed one, about a tenth of his. We own our house outright.

I've consulted an organisation here and I haven't lost the right to divorce in the UK. Also a France/UK qualified barrister (via Law Express) told me that I can divorce in the UK despite being a permanent resident in France.

We've been married nearly 40 years.

Any helpful thoughts please would be appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

Baby thank you very much for the names.

My only concern is the people you've named are specialists in high net worth divorces. Our joint income is insufficient to pay income tax in France - less than £20k/pa. Also we have very little capital.

Are your pensions UK pensions?

I think there was a case recently where the English could was unable to order a share of an overseas pension, but I'd need to dig to find it.

All pensions are UK ones, 2 occupational and 1 personal.

You need English advice (rules different in Scotland).

My information may be out of date but when I worked at County Court I was told to reject any application for divorce where neither of the parties had lived in UK for the last 12 months. This may no longer true but I suggest you check.

No it isn't correct, Lisa, although such petitions should be flagged.

You can seek a divorce despite being habitually resident in France on the basis that you are both domiciled in the UK, as you almost certainly are, as you still have UK sole nationality and have UK assets.

Get your petition issued and worry about the legal niceties after, OP.

The pensions case is Goyal v Goyal (2016) BTW.

MrsBertBibby Thanks, it was a while ago and I'm glad to know that it won't be a problem.

Both born in the UK, and lived in the UK for 57 and 50 years. Our fathers were born and lived in the UK and although neither held passports (my df had a discharge book from the Merchant Navy and my fil only went abroad in the army) both were entitled to hold British Passports.

We pay tax in France as that is the legal obligation under the double taxation treaty.

As to where we intend to be buried, our future planning doesn't include that. We have neither enquired about, nor bought French burial plots.

Am aware that from an accountancy pov, domicile may be considered as where you choose to die.

Heard a programme on Radio 4 a few years ago about expat divorces. The gist was that, in general, women receive fairer settlements in the UK than some other legal jurisdictions. Anecdotally, a divorce lawyer advised "grab your marriage certificate, jump on a plane to the UK and start proceedings in the UK".

*I can't remember if the lawyer mentioned England and Wales/Scotland/NI specifically

OP - I don't know if you're reading but I found this - formfinder.hmctsformfinder.justice.gov.uk/d008-notes-eng.pdf

It includes whether the divorce can be heard in England & Wales (different rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

I think it is worth a look. I'm not sure what the difference between 'resident' and 'domiciled' might be. Other more knowledgeable people on the thread will correct me if I'm wrong, but I would make sure I covered all bases and it may be possible to send in the petition with a seperate application asking for the court to deal with the divorce because all the matters concerning the finances are within England and Wales which is a connection.

I suspect the biggest concern is whether your husband will contest the divorce or will contest the divorce being in England and Wales because the whole 'can the court hear this' will be one of the very few reasons he can stop the divorce there. If he wants the divorce and in England and Wales then you have less to worry about.