The most straightforward version of a divorce is when both spouses are still residing in the same county or state they were married in, and they can both sign documents and submit them to the local courthouse for approval from a judge. However, when one or both spouses are not living in the United States, divorce proceedings become more difficult—but not impossible—to pursue. This is why most people who need an international divorce find working with a divorce attorney who’s well versed in these laws to be indispensable.

One of the most common issues that come up with international divorce is that every country has its laws governing how and under what circumstances someone can get divorced. You must first establish which country has jurisdiction to authorize a divorce, and if both countries are authorized to do this then you must decide which country to proceed with. Some countries have certain residency requirements, while others may require that the marriage occurred within their country to issue a divorce. Another issue that might come up is that your marriage must be legally recognized in the country you’re in to seek a divorce. If you’re currently in the U.S., almost all marriages are recognized here, but other countries might have more conservative laws, especially regarding same-sex marriage.