Divorce Registration Procedure for Overseas Pakistanis

For overseas Pakistanis whose marriage was registered in Pakistan, registering a divorce requires coordination with the Pakistani Consulate/High Commission and the Union Council in Pakistan: 1. **Execution of Talaq/Khula Notice:** * **If Talaq:** The husband drafts a written Talaqnama. He must sign it and have it attested by the Pakistani Embassy/Consulate in his country of residence. * **If Khula:** If the wife files for divorce in the UK court, she can obtain a UK divorce decree. However, for it to be recognized in Pakistan, she must have the foreign decree attested by the Pakistani High Commission and subsequently file for recognition in a Pakistani family court, or file a fresh Khula suit in Pakistan. 2. **Service of Notice to Union Council:** The attested Talaq notice must be sent via registered post to the relevant Union Council in Pakistan (typically where the wife resided before moving abroad). 3. **Appointing an Attorney/Representative:** Since you are both residing abroad, you should execute a **Special Power of Attorney (SPA)** in favor of a relative or lawyer in Pakistan. This SPA must be attested by the Pakistani Consulate and registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Pakistan. The representative will appear before the Union Council on your behalf. 4. **Final Certificate:** After the 90-day reconciliation period expires, the Union Council will issue the final **Divorce Registration Certificate**, which you can use to update your CNIC/NICOP status with NADRA.