If your spouse abroad refuses to sign the divorce papers: The fastest way to file for a unilateral divorce.

Are you seeking to end your marriage, but your spouse, who is abroad, is deliberately avoiding you, refusing to sign the divorce papers, or cutting off all contact? Are you worried the process will be endless and costly? Do not worry. Current Vietnamese law and the latest regulations in 2026 allow you to file for unilateral divorce even if your spouse is abroad and uncooperative. Apolo Lawyers will provide a roadmap to help you resolve your case quickly and legally.

1. You can still get a divorce even without the signature of other party
According to the Law on Marriage and Family, the right to divorce is a personal right of each individual. When the purpose of marriage is not achieved and cohabitation cannot continue, you have the right to file for a unilateral divorce (divorce at the request of one party).

The fact that the other party is abroad and refuses to sign the petition only complicates the process in terms of document delivery procedures, but it cannot prevent the Court from issuing a ruling to terminate the marriage.

2. What documents are needed for a unilateral divorce with a foreign element?

To ensure the fastest possible court processing, you need to prepare the following documents:

• Divorce petition: According to the standard form of the Provincial Peoples Court.
• Marriage certificate: Original copy (If the original is lost, a certified copy must be obtained; if married abroad, a marriage registration certificate is required).
• Personal identification documents: Your Citizen Identification Card and a copy of your spouses passport abroad.
• Childs birth certificate: (If there are children together).
• Documents regarding assets and debts: (If a request for division by the Court is made).
• Address of the opposing party abroad: This is the most important document for the Court to carry out judicial assistance.
• Valid documents proving the current residence of the party;

If your spouse abroad refuses to sign the divorce papers: The fastest way to file for a unilateral divorce.

3. The Fastest Unilateral Divorce Process in 2026

Step 1: Determining Jurisdiction

Generally, the jurisdiction for divorce cases involving foreign elements belongs to the Peoples Court of the Province/City where you reside or where your spouse last resided before leaving the country.

However, if you are a Vietnamese citizen residing in a border area and wish to divorce a citizen of a neighboring country (Laos, Cambodia, China) also residing in the border area, the jurisdiction will belong to the Peoples Court of the commune where you reside.

Step 2: Submitting Documents and Paying Court Fees

You can submit documents in person or by mail. In 2026, you can submit documents online through the electronic court system to save time. After the documents are deemed valid, you will receive a notification to pay the advance court fees.

Step 3: Serving Documents and Judicial Assistance

This is the most time-consuming stage. Vietnamese courts will send the documents to the competent foreign authority (judicial assistance) or send them by mail to notify the other party.

Quick tip: If you have the correct address and the other party still receives mail, the process will be faster. If the other party intentionally hides their address, a lawyer can assist with the procedure of declaring them missing or handling the case in their absence from their residence.

Step 4: Mediation and Trial

If the other party still does not respond after being properly served, the court will proceed with a trial in the defendants absence and issue a divorce judgment.

4. How to shorten the time for a unilateral divorce?

To avoid waiting 9-12 months (the usual time for international cases), you need to pay attention to the following issues:

1. Provide accurate addresses: The more information you have about the other partys residence and workplace abroad, the shorter the service time.

2. Consular legalization: All documents sent from abroad must be consular legalized and translated and notarized according to regulations to avoid being rejected by the Court.

3. Use professional legal services: A lawyer will represent you in working with the Court, assist with service through the fastest channels, and prepare accurate documents from the start.

If your spouse abroad refuses to sign the divorce papers: The fastest way to file for a unilateral divorce.

5. Apolo Lawyers – Solicitors & Litigators provides consulting services on divorce procedures

Our company provides fast unilateral divorce services in Ho Chi Minh City, such as:

• Advice on the right to request the Court to settle a divorce;
• Advising on conciliation procedures at the grassroots level;
• Advice on divorce proceedings;
• Advising on grounds for divorce;
• Advising on regulations on consent divorce and divorce at the request of one party;
• Advice on principles of the property division upon divorce and procedures for property division;
• Advice on divorce settlement procedures at the Court.

Hopefully, with the information we shared above, Apolo Lawyers – Solicitors & Litigators has helped you better understand the cases in which a unilateral divorce is not allowed. In order for the divorce to be resolved quickly, the divorce petitioner can conduct the divorce procedures by himself or ask for a divorce procedure consulting service. When coming to the divorce procedure consulting service at Apolo Lawyers, with a team of knowledgeable legal consultants, they regularly guide and prepare divorce documents.

Divorce is quite a complicated procedure. If you still have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Apolo Lawyers – Solicitors & Litigators. Hotline: (+84) 903. 419. 479 and Email contact@apolo.com.vn to be supported and helped in the most optimal way.

>>> Read more: Resolving Spousal Relationships in Unilateral Divorce

>>> Read more: Can a Pregnant Wife Get a Divorce in Vietnam?