Residency requirements in British Columbia

In British Columbia, an individual who files for divorce is referred to as the petitioner, while the other spouse is called the defendant or respondent. Either spouse can file for divorce, or they can file together as co-petitioners. An uncontested divorce in British Columbia, called an affidavit divorce, means that both spouses agree on the terms of the divorce.

When filing your divorce without an attorney in British Columbia, you should file in the city or municipality in which either of the petitioners live. If they live in different cities or municipalities, you may have a choice. If there are children as a result of the marriage, you will need to file where the children live.

When filing for divorce in British Columbia, you will need to present a marriage certificate. If neither party has this document, a certificate can be obtained from the Vital Statistics Agency. You do not need to wait for the document to arrive before beginning the filing process with Divorce.com.

The Divorce Act of Canada, passed in 1986, established the potential grounds for divorce throughout the country. It lays out the at-fault and no-fault reasons for divorce and provides the basis for spousal and child support as well as child custody. It is vital to remember that debt and property distribution are covered under the laws of each province or territory. Divorce.com provides all of the forms needed to file for divorce under the Divorce Act of Canada as well as the optional separation agreement, which covers property and debt issues.