How long does a divorce take in Victoria?

In Australia a divorce is granted on one ground — that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, shown by 12 months of separation. So the first requirement is that you've been separated for at least a year (you can be separated while still living under one roof, with evidence).

Once you file the application with the Federal Circuit and Family Court, a hearing is usually listed a couple of months later, and the divorce order takes effect one month and one day after the hearing — so from filing to final, roughly four months.

Divorce itself only ends the marriage. Property settlement and parenting arrangements are separate matters — and there are time limits (you generally have 12 months from the divorce becoming final to apply for a property settlement). We can guide all of it.