What Happens After Filing for Divorce in Wales

The Court Processes Your Application — Then the Waiting Begins

Once you submit your divorce application — online through the MyHMCTS portal or by post — the Court and Tribunals Service Centre (CTSC) in Harlow takes over. What happens next follows a fixed sequence, and knowing what to expect at each stage removes most of the anxiety of the process.

Stage 1: Court Review and Issuance

The CTSC checks your application for administrative completeness. They verify your personal details, confirm the marriage certificate is attached (original or certified copy), check that the court fee has been paid or that a valid Help with Fees reference number is linked, and confirm that the jurisdictional basis is stated.

If something is missing or incorrect, CTSC may contact you to request a correction. If the application is not accepted, it is not issued, so the 20-week period does not start.

Once satisfied, the court issues your application. You receive a notice of issue by email (and post for paper applications) that contains your unique case reference number. This is a 16-digit identifier you will use for all future correspondence and filings.

The date printed on the notice of issue is critical. It starts the 20-week reflection period — the mandatory statutory pause before you can apply for the conditional order.

Stage 2: Service on the Respondent

For sole applications, the court serves the respondent as soon as the application is issued. The CTSC sends the respondent a digital link to the application by email, plus a notice by first-class post to their physical address.

The respondent has 14 days from the date of service to complete the Acknowledgement of Service — either through the MyHMCTS portal or by returning paper Form D10. The acknowledgement confirms that the respondent has received the papers and indicates whether they intend to dispute the application on the limited technical grounds available (jurisdiction, validity, competing proceedings, or, in limited cases, fraud, coercion, or lack of mental capacity).

For joint applications, both parties have already confirmed their participation at the time of filing, so there is no separate service step.

Stage 3: When the Respondent Does Not Reply

If the respondent does not acknowledge service within the 14-day window, your divorce is not stuck. You have several escalation options — from court bailiff service (Form D89, £47) to deemed or alternative service (Form D11, £195) or, if the respondent's whereabouts are unknown, dispensed service (Form D13B). An uncooperative respondent can delay things, but cannot prevent the divorce from going through.

Stage 4: The 20-Week Reflection Period

This is the longest phase — and also the most productive if you use it well. The 20 weeks run from the date of issue regardless of what the respondent does. During this time, you cannot apply for the conditional order. But you can and should:

• Negotiate your financial settlement. This is the window to agree on how to divide property, savings, pensions, and debts. The aim is to have a financial consent order ready to submit before the final order.
• Draft child arrangements. If you have children, use this time to agree on a parenting plan. A voluntary agreement avoids the cost and stress of a Form C100 application to court.
• Prepare for the conditional order application. At 20 weeks, you will file Form D84. There is nothing to prepare in advance — it is a straightforward application confirming you want to proceed. But knowing the date it becomes available means you can file promptly.

Stage 5: Conditional Order and Beyond

Once the 20-week period expires and service has been confirmed, you apply for the conditional order. The court reviews the application, and a judge pronounces the order — usually without requiring anyone to attend. After that, you wait a further 43 days (six weeks and one day) before applying for the final order, which dissolves the marriage.

If you want a structured way to track each stage — from issuance through acknowledgement to the final order — the Wales Divorce Filing Process Guide includes a document execution tracker that maps every filing date, deadline, and action item across the entire process.

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