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Divorce or separation

To get the best help for your situation, first answer the questions on the Preliminary questions page.

  1. Preliminary questions
  2. Steps of separation or divorce
    1. Consideration of the decision
    2. Dealing with emotions and thoughts
    3. Practical matters to be handled
      1. How do you file for divorce?
      2. Apply for divorce
      3. Submit a notification of move
      4. A move notification of a minor requires the signature of both guardians
      5. Notify Kela of the divorce if you are receiving subsidies
      6. Separate banking and insurance matters
      7. Invalidate the mandates and rights granted to the spouse
    4. Agreement on arrangements
    5. After the divorce or separation
  3. Checklist

Practical matters to be handled

How do you file for divorce?

  • You can apply for a divorce alone or together.  
  • Filing for a divorce or granting a divorce does not require the consent of both parties. In other words, one spouse cannot prevent the other spouse from filing for a divorce.
  • You cannot apply for divorce online; you must fill in a form.
  • If you have not been living separately for at least two years, you must apply for divorce on the basis of a six-month reconsideration period. 
  • You can apply for the dissolution of a registered partnership in the same way as when filing for divorce. 
Updated: 26/4/2024

Apply for divorce

Once you have decided to divorce, you can apply for a divorce. 

Fill out and submit a divorce application

Fill out a divorce application (in Finnish) and send it to the District Court.

Submit the divorce application to the district court of your place of residence using Suomi.fi Messages.

If you file for divorce together, send the same application from both of your Suomi.fi Messages accounts to the District Court of the place of residence of either one of you. Both of you should send the application on the same day.

You can also send the application to the District Court by mail.

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The District Court announces the start of the reconsideration period

The six-month reconsideration period starts on the date when the District Court has informed your spouse of the divorce application.

If you file for divorce together, the six-month reconsideration period begins when the District Court receives the application you submitted together.

Agree on the distribution of property and children's matters

You can complete the distribution of property, meaning agreeing on the division of your property, already during the reconsideration period.

You can also agree on the guardianship, maintenance, housing and meeting of your children.

Petition for final divorce

Once the six-month reconsideration period expires, you will both have the following six months to file a petition for final divorce.

You can file the petition together or either of you can file it independently.

Fill out the divorce application again and indicate that it is a second stage application.

Submit the application via the Suomi.fi Messages to the District Court which ruled the six-month consideration period.

The marriage remains in force if neither party files the petition for final divorce by the deadline.

The District Court grants a divorce

If you filed the petition for final divorce alone, the District Court will notify your spouse of the second stage application.

After this, the District Court will grant the divorce and send a decision on it to both parties.

Updated: 18/4/2024
Find out the contact details of the district court in your place of residence
Information on all services is not available in your chosen language. Change the language of the site to receive information on services in other languages.

Submit a notification of move

Updated: 1/11/2021
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Information on the services is not available in your chosen language. Change the language of the site to receive information on services in other languages.

A move notification of a minor requires the signature of both guardians

When a minor child moves with only one guardian, the notification of move must be made using a paper form with the signatures of both guardians. Paper forms are available at the offices of Posti or the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

Updated: 21/9/2022
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Notify Kela of the divorce if you are receiving subsidies

Immediately notify Kela of the judicial separation so that your spouse’s income will not affect the subsidies you receive. For example, moving to different addresses affects the amount of housing allowance you get. Read more on Kela's web page.Opens in a new window.

Updated: 22/2/2024

Separate banking and insurance matters

Updated: 25/2/2022

Invalidate the mandates and rights granted to the spouse

If you have granted mandates to your spouse for managing your issues, remember to invalidate them as necessary. For example, you may have authorised your spouse to manage issues related to your personal health, such as going to the pharmacy on your behalf. Invalidate electronically granted mandates in Suomi.fi e-AuthorizationsOpens in a new window..

It is also worth remembering to invalidate any other rights granted to the spouse. If you have, for example, shared your electronic calendar with your former spouse, they will see your calendar entries until you have removed their rights to your calendar.

Updated: 11/1/2022

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