Step 1

Gather your documents

Start by gathering and organizing your documents. This step explains what documents and information you need and how to get them.

Your marriage certificate

When you ask the court to grant a divorce, you need to file proof of your marriage in the form of marriage certificate. See our self-help guide How to get a copy of your marriage certificate.

A photo of your spouse

When your spouse is served with his or her copy of the documents, the person who does the serving must have a way to identify your spouse. A good way to do this is to give the process server a photo of him or her. (See Step 4 for details.)

Your separation agreement or court order

You may have a separation agreement or court order that sets out what you have agreed to or what the court has already ordered about custody, access, guardianship, and child support / maintenance.

If so, refer to that separation agreement or court order when filling out the documents for divorce. You will also need to attached a copy to documents you file with the court.

Important: If you need to get a separation agreement, contact a family justice counsellor or family law lawyer for help. See Who can help?A document referred to in an affidavit, which may be attached to the affidavit. The document must be identified by the commissioner of oaths, lawyer, or notary public at the time he or she administers the deponent's oath or affirmation. The act of delivering or leaving documents with the other party. Usually followed by completing and swearing or affirming an Affidavit of Personal Service (Form F15) or Affidavit of Ordinary Service (Form F16) to certify that the documents were received by the other party.