Applying for a divorce under the new no fault divorce law and procedures
You can get divorced in the Isle of Man if all of the following applies to your marriage:
- You’ve been married for over a year;
- Your relationship has permanently broken down;
- The Isle of Man Court has jurisdiction to deal with the case.
You must ensure you have the following forms in order to start your application:
MPR 1 – Application for a Divorce Order (Word Doc) (PDF)
MPR 3 – Statement of Arrangements for Children (if applicable) (Word Doc) (PDF)
All children under the age of 16, or over that age and in full time education or undergoing training for a profession, trade or vocation.
Once fully completed, signed and dated these forms must be submitted to the Court in triplicate.
Sole Application
You will complete the divorce application on your own before you submit it to the Court. The Court will then send a copy of your application to your spouse. You will be referred to as the ‘Sole Applicant’ and your spouse will be referred to as the ‘Respondent’ in this application.
You may wish to make a sole application if either of the following apply:
- Your spouse does not agree you should get a divorce;
- You do not believe your spouse will cooperate or respond.
Joint Application
You and your spouse will complete the divorce application jointly before you submit it to the Court. You will be referred to as ‘Applicant 1’ and your spouse will be referred to as ‘Applicant 2’ in this application.
If you and your spouse have a disagreement or if your spouse stops responding during the divorce process, you may be able to continue with the divorce as a sole applicant.
Please note that Court staff are not legally trained or qualified and are unable to or permitted to provide any legal advice to assist you in making your application.