Legal proceedings in a marriage dissolution case usually come to an end with issuing the relevant ruling, having the utmost importance for the further legal status of the parties. It may happen so that after the trial you may need to confirm with documents that marital relations no longer exist. Let us consider in detail for which purpose such confirmation may be needed and how to obtain it officially.
Legal effects of a court ruling dissolving the marriage
When a couple decides to file court action to dissolve their marriage, it is the court judgment that is the only valid document certifying that their family relationship is terminated. Article 273 of the Civil Procedure Code of Ukraine states that a court judgment takes legal effect thirty calendar days after it was pronounced, unless appealed against.
Please note that starting from 27 July 2010, civil registry authorities do not issue divorce certificates for those judicial separations sanctioned by a court order, as the law no longer dictates to do so. They now record information on marriage dissolution in the State Register of Civil Status Acts based on a court ruling that has taken legal effect only.
Please see below detailed information about the divorce procedure and legal assistance you may seek from Alva Privacy lawyers.
Distinguishing Between the Concepts: Original, Copy, Apostille
If there is a need to produce, for official purposes, a court ruling dissolving the marriage – more so if it is outside Ukraine – you must clearly understand what documents a judicial institution can provide.
After a court made its judgment, its original is kept in the case file and may be released neither to the parties involved in the proceedings nor to any third party. This is a unique document intended to be kept in the court archive as an integral part of official proceedings. The parties involved in the legal proceedings have the right to receive a copy of such judgment only.
An official copy of the judgment of divorce is issued under the established procedure: it must be signed and stamped with the court's seal and usually marked as “COPY”. Importantly, it is not necessary for the judge who issued the judgment to sign such copy. If you want such a judgment to be apostilled, you must mention in the application that you need a copy signed by an authorized judge. Failing this, it would be impossible to legalize / apostille such copy.
Why you need an apostille
If a court ruling is intended to be used abroad, for example, to register a new marriage, prepare documents for education, employment, or emigration, usually you need to have it apostilled.
An apostille is a special stamp that certifies the authenticity of the document so that it may be recognized within the member states of the Hague Convention. The understanding whether an apostille (apostilling) is needed in each specific situation depends on what is required by certain foreign organizations or in the country of destination.
Detailed information about the legalization procedure and its stages and specifics is available on the web-page about Alva Privacy's apostille services. Notably, if you contact professionals to handle such situations it may be much easier for you to move forward with the process and have all of the documents proper and timely prepared.
Scope of application of a judgment of divorce
You may need to have a judgment of divorce to get through certain life situations, such as:
- proving your marital status, upon registration of a new marriage, registration of inheritance rights, changing your surname, applying to social security authorities, etc.
- applying to government and financial institutions, banking institutions, and notary offices, when preparing documents for guardianship and custody.
- using abroad, obtaining visa documents, submitting documents to foreign consular offices, employment, and seeking social assistance outside Ukraine. For this, you may need a legalized and apostilled copy.
How to obtain a court judgment copy
As a matter of practice, it is often the case that, having made their judgments, the courts do not send their copies to the parties or send them before they take legal effect, that is, without the mark that is needed. Thus, if you need a judgment marked that it has taken legal effect, you should take care of it on your own or contact a lawyer.
Given below are the most common ways to obtain a judgment copy:
- personally from the court, you need to apply in writing to the court office indicating the case number and parties' details and requesting to issue the judgment marked that it took legal effect.
- By post or via the Electronic Court, you need to send an application requesting to send a copy at your postal address.
- Through an authorized representative (attorney).
Court fee for re-issuance of a judgment
It is important to note that a judgment copy may be re-issued after you pay a court fee only. Its amount depends on the number of pages in the document; as of 2025, it is 0.003% of the subsistence minimum for able-bodied person for each sheet of paper (i.e., UAH 9.08 per sheet).
An exact amount may be calculated using the court fee calculator available on the Judiciary's website. In so doing, we recommend overpaying this fee to a certain extent to avoid delays if the actual number of pages turns out to be greater than expected.
Actual timing of receipt
As regards when you can actually receive a copy, such timing can vary by far:
- If you apply personally to the court office, it may take you from several hours to 1 or 2 weeks to receive a hard copy of your judgment of divorce.
- If you request such a judgment be sent by post, you should consider the time it takes for the court staff to process your request not only but the delivery time as well. Thus, realistically it may take from 15 to 40 days on average.
- If you request a copy signed by the judge and such judge is, let's say, on vacation, it would be logical to suggest that this would take even longer.
- Moreover, it is important to consider where the court is located. If it is a frontline region, for security reasons, one could hardly be certain how long it might take to obtain such document.
Relying upon their own experience, Alva Privacy lawyers recommend that, after you apply by post or through the Electronic Court, you call the court office to clarify whether your application has been received and when you can expect the document to be issued.
If necessary, our family law lawyers can provide full support so such an application is properly prepared, filed and received, and give their legal advice related thereto, including any court action, if needed, and assist in apostilling the document so received.
Summary
With that being said, you definitely need an official copy of the judgment of divorce because it is a necessary document to confirm your marital status in numerous legal and administrative procedures. We recommend you apply to the court immediately after the judgment takes legal effect to obtain in a timely manner a copy with all necessary details and, if necessary, submit the documents for apostillization. If such paperwork is done timely you will be able to move forward with any further official procedures without delays and unnecessary costs.
Written by Sofiia Ohiievych, Lawyer.
