What affects the cost and timing of an international divorce in South Africa? A practical guide to jurisdiction, service abroad, children, foreign assets, disbursements and phased estimates.
Were you married abroad? Or did you marry in South Africa but relocate to a foreign country, where your marriage ended? It’s a common scenario in our mobile society: you meet someone from another country and you marry and settle in their country of origin. When the marriage breaks down, you file for divorce and […]
By Simon Dippenaar — Cape Town family lawyer | International divorce, cross-border custody & relocation. Summary When Answers Matter More Than Sleep It’s late. You’re scrolling for the truth about international divorce, custody, and what happens if someone leaves the country… with your child. Here are the five questions I’m asked most—and the answers you […]
Which piper do you pay if you divorce a spouse overseas? Setting aside the emotional upheaval, divorce is a complicated financial transaction. If one spouse lives overseas or the couple owns assets in more than one country, there are additional levels of complexity, especially when it comes to tax. One of the main financial risks […]
Imagine a seven-year-old child caught between two countries – one parent in South Africa, the other overseas – waiting anxiously as courts in different jurisdictions decide their fate. Months pass with no clear answers. The child’s life is on hold, and both parents are in limbo. This heart-rending scenario is not just theoretical; it reflects […]
By Simon Dippenaar — Cape Town family lawyer | Cross-border care, contact & relocation Summary Two Courts, One Child Your child is everything. But what happens when two courts—one here, one abroad—both claim the right to decide where they live and who gets to be present in their life?Who has the final say? We unpack […]
When parents divorce, it’s quite common for one parent to relocate. There are many reasons for this: making a fresh start in a new city or town if the divorce has been painful or traumatic; moving closer to one’s extended family; taking up a new job offer, to better afford the cost of being single. […]
The importance of cultural sensitivity Child care and contact is always a delicate matter in any divorce case, involving bargaining, compromise, high emotional investment and, sometimes, considerable conflict. If one parent decides to relocate to another country after divorce, the negotiations can be even more fraught and complex. Sometimes international relocation will be in pursuit […]
Quick answer: can you travel abroad with a child after divorce? Usually, the first questions are whether the child has a valid passport, who holds guardianship, whether every guardian consents to the trip, and what documents the airline, destination country and South African border authorities require. Divorce does not automatically give one parent sole authority […]
What to do if you and your soon-to-be-ex are different nationalities Is your spouse a foreign national? Or are you a South African married abroad? Divorce is a challenging process, and it becomes even more complicated when it involves more than one country. Whether you’re a South African married to a foreign spouse or a […]
Introduction – Why Relocation Cases Are So Complex Relocating with children after divorce is one of the most sensitive and complex issues in family law. Whether you are moving within South Africa or abroad, the law requires that every decision be made in the best interests of the child. At SD Law, we’ve guided parents […]
Quick answer: how does the Hague Convention work in South Africa? The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction operates in South Africa through Chapter 17 of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. It provides a civil process for the prompt return of a child wrongfully removed from, or retained outside, the […]
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