Catalogue question 254 · Question catalogue in force since 2024-07-01
In Germany, married couples may divorce. Usually they must observe the "year of separation" to do so. What does that mean?
- The divorce proceedings take a year.
- The spouses have been married for a year, after which divorce is possible.
- Access rights for the children apply for a year.
- The spouses live apart, each leading their own life, for at least a year. Divorce is then possible. Correct
Why — for every option
- A — The duration of the court divorce proceedings itself varies and is not what "year of separation" refers to.
- B — The length of the marriage itself is not a requirement; what matters is the period of separation, not the period of marriage.
- C — Access rights for the children are not limited to one year and have nothing to do with the year of separation.
- D — Correct: under § 1566 of the Civil Code, a marriage is generally only considered to have failed after one year of living apart and can then be divorced — the year of separation is meant to prevent hasty divorces.
Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de
Last checked: · Question catalogue in force since 2024-07-01 · Every figure on this page is checked against its primary source.