Divorce in Cyprus

Civil Weddings

Civil weddings can be a quick divorce process.  Upon our engagement we are able to draft and file the Divorce Petition within 2 days.  The Divorce Petition is filed at the Family Court of the District where you have last been living with your ex-partner and it is set for Court Directions in approximately one (1) month from the day of filing.  During this time period the Divorce Petition is served to the responded who is entitled to file for a Notice of Objection to the Divorce Petition.

By experience, only rarely a Respondent is filing a Notice for Objection.  In cases where no objection is filed, our Divorce Lawyers will request a Hearing Date whereby you, together with a Divorce Lawyer of AGP&Co, will appear to court and testify of your reasons for the Divorce.  Our Divorce Lawyers will guide you all the way through.  The same day a Dissolution of the Wedding Order is issued.  The whole Divorce process should be completed within two (2) months, unless an Objection to Divorce is filed.  In case of Objection the whole process may be extended to an average of six to nine months.

Religious Weddings 

Religious weddings have the same exact Court process as Civil Weddings, with the only difference that three (3) months prior to filing a Divorce Petition to the Family Court you are required to send a Notice of Marriage Dissolution to the competent Bishop notifying him of your intention of filing for Divorce.

Who can divorce in Cyprus?

Any couple, of any nationality, who has been living in the Republic of Cyprus for at least three (3) months can file for Divorce Order in Cyprus Family Courts.

What are the Grounds of Divorcing in Cyprus?

According to Family Law in Cyprus, a Divorce Order will be issued upon proving any of the following grounds:

• Serious breakdown of the relationship
• Inexcusable absence from the family for over two (2) years
• Infidelity
• Separation for over four (4) years
• Immoral behavior
• Violence and physical abuse
• Insanity
• Imprisonment of the spouse for over sever (7) years
• Spouse declared dead or missing
• Inability to have sexual intercourse which existed at the time of the marriage and continuous for six (6) months and during the application for Divorce
• Refusal of one spouse to have children
• Change of religion

• A.P. v. E.P.: Represented A.P., a local businessman, in a divorce case in Cyprus. The primary contention was a disputed property in Limassol and a foreign business generating income in an offshore account in the Cayman Islands. The case also involved challenging issues of international jurisdiction due to E.P.’s dual citizenship.
• Z.A. v. N.A.: In a custody battle between a Cypriot father (Z.A.) and our client an Australian mother (N.A.), both sought primary custody of their dual-citizen child of 6 years old. During arguments over habitual residence, cultural upbringing, and financial stability, the court eventually ruled for a joint custody arrangement, following agreement by the parties, with the child to be spending the school year in Cyprus and holidays in Australia with a personal bank guarantee in Cyprus by our client that she will be sending the child back.
• A.G. v. H.T.: We have represented Mrs. A.G., a Cyprus native, in her divorce from H.T., a British expatriate. The key issue revolved around the custody of their twin daughters and shared properties in Cyprus and the UK.
• D.K. v. M.K.: Assisted D.K. in divorce proceedings, where complications arose over financial differences which included undisclosed assets in Greece.
• E.R. v. S.N.: Represented E.R., an Australian national living in Cyprus, in a divorce that required extensive negotiations on child custody and shared properties in Limassol as well as elsewhere.
• S.G. v. G.M: Acted on behalf of G.M. in a divorce case involving multi-million-euro properties in both Cyprus and Kiev, Ukraine. The challenge was the division of these assets and establishing the primary residence for their teenage daughter while, the father, S.G., applied for an obtained an interim prohibitory injunction against the daughter (M.S.), not to use or sell a house in Cyprus that was registered in her name while, as per injunction documents in support of S.G.'s position, it was still a matrimonial asset belonging to the couple in dispute. Although the father (S.G.) was successful in the interim prohibitory injunction, we have successfully overturned the district court's interim decision before the Supreme Court and the injunction has been cancelled.  
• O.S. v. S.S.: Represented O.S., a local businessman, in his divorce from S.S. Proceedings primarily revolved around child support, alimony, and their shared luxury villa in Limassol.
• V.I. v. D.I.: Acted for D.I., a Russian HNWI, in a high-profile divorce involving assets across Cyprus, Russia, France and Switzerland. Legal complexities arose due to a shared family business in Russia and multiple real estate properties in Moscow, France, Italy and Switzerland. The case involved multiple injunctions to which we, AGP Law, representing our client, have succeeded on all of them whether in district or Supreme court level.
• V.K. v. A.Z.: Representing A.Z., a Russian HNWI, in his divorce with V.K. The couple owned a private jet which turned out to be a business asset, which became a significant contention point. Furthermore, they had vast assets, including a beachfront property in S. France. The applicant applied for and obtained an interim prohibitory injunction against our client, not to alienate any assets which directly or indirectly belonged to our client’s companies incorporated in Cyprus.