The Quick or Special Divorce for Foreigners is a mutual consent divorce that is exclusively available for foreigners and is pronounced and published before Dominican Courts in a short term of only 7 days. A Quick Divorce is characterized by its transparency since the only grounds for the divorce is the mutual consent of the spouses and its principle condition is that only one of the spouses must be present at the court hearing while the absent spouse is represented by a notarized power of attorney.
Once the divorce judgment is pronounced, you will receive your Divorce Certificate and Judgment legalized by Dominican Authorities. If the document will be utilized or presented outside of the Dominican Republic, the document will be legalized by the Office of the Attorney General of the Dominican Republic, Ministry of Foreign Relations in addition to the Apostille legalization by the Hague Convention and by the corresponding Consulate where the document will be presented in order for the document to have validity abroad.
“This service is only available to those individuals who register under the name and identity of the person who will be requesting the document or legal service.”
Legal Fee: US$1,650.00
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
1. Copy of Cédula (Dominican ID card) or complete passport (if foreigner) of the spouses.
2. Separation Agreement executed before a Notary Public or by the Dominican Consul (if already drafted) stating the intent of divorce, the distribution of assets, custody of minor children and alimony payment. If you do not have this document, eLexPersona.com will draft it for you.
3. Original or certified copy of the Marriage Certificate.
4. Original or certified copies of minor children’s Birth Certificates (if applicable). If these certificates were issued abroad they must be legalized by the nearest Dominican Consulate.
5. Power of Attorney authorizing eLexPersona.com to sign the Separation Agreement and represent the spouse who is not present at the divorce hearing. The Power will also authorize the legalization of the Divorce Certificate, once it has been pronounced, at the corresponding consulate in the Dominican Republic. This will only apply if this document will be presented abroad.
Expenses related to document legalizations in your country’s consulate in the Dominican Republic will vary depending on how many documents will be legalized and the fees charged per consulate. eLexPersona.com has covered this fee, however if the expenses exceed the established amount, these will be charged separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I know if I qualify for a Quick Divorce?
Two main conditions must be satisfied. First, both spouses must be foreigners. Second, the divorce must be by mutual consent.
2. Is it necessary for both spouses to travel to Santo Domingo?
No, only one spouse is required to be present the day of the hearing. The absent spouse will be represented by a special power of attorney.
3. How many times should the spouse attending the hearing travel to Santo Domingo for this divorce?
The spouse will need to travel only once to appear at the court hearing. Court hearings are always scheduled for 9am, reason why the spouse must stay overnight in the country. The spouse must arrive the day before the hearing in order to sign the required documents.
4. What is the difference between Mutual Consent and a Quick Divorce procedures?
The difference between a Divorce by Mutual Consent and a Quick Divorce is that the Quick Divorce is only applicable to foreigners and the formalities required for Dominican citizens do not need to be fulfilled. Among these formalities are the duration of marriage and the age restrictions of the spouses. In addition, the court decision and divorce pronouncement is rendered in a shorter period.
5. How long does this divorce procedure last?
Once the required documents are provided, we will proceed to legalize and translate them, if they are in a foreign language. As soon as the legalization and translation is completed the spouse traveling to the country shall decide their date of preference for the hearing. Usually, divorce hearings are not scheduled on Mondays,Thursdays and Fridays. This process takes approximately 7 days, depending on the number of documents that will be legalized and translated.
6. If there is not a Dominican Consulate in the country where the documents are issued, what can be done?
All documents must be legalized by the Dominican Consulate in order for these to have validity in the Dominican Republic. If there is no Dominican Consulate in your country, you must travel to the nearest one.
7. In what countries is the Quick or Special Divorce valid?
This divorce procedure has been in effect since 1971 and has been recognized as a valid divorce worldwide. Nevertheless, it is strongly advised that before initiating a Quick Divorce procedure, the spouses investigate whether there are any additional requirements for this divorce in the country where it will be enforced. eLexPersona.com will legalize your Divorce Certificate in the Ministry of Foreign Relations and in the corresponding consulate where the divorce will be enforced.