If you are a citizen of another county and get a Texas divorce will you be divorced in your own country?
Usually, yes… HOWEVER, you may have to file and register your Texas divorce decree in your own country. Registration of the decree is a specific legal process that may vary from country to country. In some cases it may be quite a simple process and in other cases you may need a lawyer in your home country to assist you.
Some countries, however, may not recognize your Texas divorce. Here are four situations where recognition of your Texas divorce decree may not happen:
- In Venezuela – at the time of writing this blog, Venezuela is NOT recognizing U.S. divorces. That could change in the future, but you are advised to contact a Venezuelan attorney.
- If your country is under Muslim law. Check with an attorney in your home country.
- If your home country is not under treaty (the “Hague Convention”) with the United States and other countries to recognize United States legal documents and procedures.
- If your country is currently in a political conflict with the U.S. or involved in other current political strife with the U.S.
Discuss your concerns with your Texas divorce attorney. We often have international clients who need additional advice and assistance in how to handle divorce and other legal disputes that involve two or more countries. In that case, we are often able to contact our legal colleagues in other countries, or recommend options for how to handle a conflict of laws. It’s important to work hand and hand with those colleagues to ensure that the appropriate language is incorporated in your Texas Divorce Decree so that it is properly understood in the foreign country.
