Divorce in Cyprus if you were married in a church marriage

Getting married is not an uncommon way to get married in Cyprus. And if you were married in a municipality, a divorce will be much easier than in the case of a church union.

If the marriage was solemnised in the Orthodox Church of the Republic of Cyprus, the divorce will take between 6 months and 3 years. The sequence of actions: one of the spouses submits a petition for divorce to the Metropolitan. The church organisation considers the application for a minimum of three months - this is if you have no children in common and the other spouse agrees to the divorce. But it should be realised that in all probability those who wish to divorce will be interviewed by church officials. In case of a favourable answer from the Metropolitan you need to go to court with a petition for divorce, which is considered for at least three more months.

If you have common children, or one of the spouses does not agree to the divorce - the procedure is delayed up to several years, as it is necessary to come to an agreement, settling through church officials and the court all disputed issues.

It can be concluded that in the Republic of Cyprus the influence of the Orthodox Church on the minds of the inhabitants as well as on civil institutions is strong. Therefore, if you are not quite sure of your feelings, it is better to enter into a regular marriage in the municipality.