The Legal Minimum
Under the current no-fault divorce system, the minimum time from application to final order is approximately six months. This is made up of: 20 weeks from application to applying for the conditional order, plus at least six weeks and one day from the conditional order to the final order.
What Slows Things Down
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In practice, most divorces take longer than the legal minimum. Delays are caused by: a contested divorce (rare under the no-fault system), complex financial negotiations, court backlogs, delays in the other party acknowledging service, and delays in the financial remedy process.
Financial Settlements
It is strongly advisable not to apply for the final order until the financial settlement has been agreed and recorded in a consent order. Once the final order is made, the financial remedy jurisdiction changes and some claims may be affected. Sort out finances before finalising the divorce.
Children
Child arrangements are entirely separate from the divorce process and have their own timetable. Child proceedings can take anywhere from a few months to over a year depending on complexity.
How to Speed Things Up
Apply promptly once you have decided to divorce. If applying jointly with your spouse, coordinate to ensure the acknowledgment of service is filed promptly. Resolve financial matters in parallel with the divorce process rather than waiting. Use the online application system which is faster than paper applications.