A divorce granted by the Singapore Family Justice Courts may not be recognised in India unless it meets section 13 of the Civil Procedure Code, including a ground available under the law under which the couple married. A mutual consent divorce in India, with the spouse in Singapore signing before a notary with an apostille and appearing by video, is often the safer route.
- Document route
- Singapore notary public, then apostille from the Singapore Academy of Law
- Time difference
- Singapore is 2h30 ahead of IST all year
- Main laws
- Hindu Marriage Act 1955, Special Marriage Act 1954
- Mutual consent
- Section 13B, after 1 year of separation
Divorce for NRIs from Singapore: how it works
Indian courts recognise a foreign matrimonial decree where it was granted on a ground available under the Indian law under which the parties married and the other spouse submitted to the foreign court or consented, following Y Narasimha Rao (1991). Singapore divorces based on irretrievable breakdown supported by facts such as separation may face recognition questions if the other spouse did not participate. Singapore's reciprocating status under section 44A covers money decrees, not matrimonial status.
Under section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act, the couple files one joint petition before the family court in India. The spouse in Singapore signs before a notary with an apostille and may appear by video, and the waiting period can be waived in suitable cases following Amardeep Singh (2017). Maintenance, custody and property in India are settled in the same proceedings.
What clients in Singapore should know
- If you already have a Singapore divorce, we can advise whether it is likely to be recognised in India.
- Singapore orders on matrimonial assets do not automatically bind property in India; include Indian assets in the Indian settlement.
- For remarriage in India, an Indian decree avoids later questions.
Step by step from Singapore
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Singapore, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Singapore
Singapore notary public, then apostille from the Singapore Academy of Law
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Singapore where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Singapore. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Divorce for NRIs, or see all services for clients in Singapore and the Cross-Border Family Law practice area.
Questions from clients in Singapore
Is my Singapore divorce valid in India?
That turns on the ground on which the Singapore court granted it and whether your spouse took part. Send us the decree and we will give you a view.
Can we get a mutual divorce in India while living in Singapore?
Yes. The joint petition is signed before a Singapore notary and apostilled, and most family courts let the spouse in Singapore record a statement by video.
How long does it take?
From a few months to about a year, shorter where the waiting period is waived.