Alex Trelinski
MARRIED couples in Spain have been keeping lawyers busy with a big rise in divorce enquiries caused by the COVID-19 lockdown.
Money problems and the long period of being cooped up together has proved too much for some relationships, including British couples living on the Costa Blanca.
Jose Maria Lomax, of Sun Lawyers, explained: “We’ve had a lot of people contacting us about getting a divorce in the last few weeks and it’s much cheaper to get one here compared to back home in the UK or other northern European countries.
“We quote just €1,200 for a couple and they will have to add on between €400 to €500 for an attorney to represent them at a court hearing.”
Spain has the third-highest divorce rate in the European Union, with 57% of marriages set for an unhappy ending, according to one recent survey.
One reason perhaps, for the high rate could be that the whole divorce process is relatively straight-forward in Spain.
“The key point is for both parties to reach an agreement, which will include declaring all their assets, like their property, car, or boat,” Jose Maria added.
“Sun Lawyers will put everything down on paper and then it will be down to the couple to sign the formal agreement before it is submitted to a court”.
If one of the couple wants to stay in their currently-owned property, a value will be worked out and included within the document.
Once the paperwork is finished, then it is sent to the local court and it could be as soon as six months in seeing a divorce finalised.
Jose Maria added that when the court appearance takes place will be down to where you live on the Costa Blanca.
“In the south of the region for areas like Torrevieja and the Orihuela Costa we are talking about a six to eight month wait, while it is on average two months quicker for Denia and Javea in the north”.
The hearing is just a five minute routine procedure and is held in front of a court official who approves the agreement and grants the divorce.
“The whole divorce process is not complicated and we offer a professional service to guide people through it,” added Jose Maria.
You can contact Sun Lawyers via email at [email protected] or phone (0034) 965 321 193.
They have five offices across the Costa Blanca and their website is www.sun-lawyers.com
