If you have been researching divorce in Singapore, you have probably seen the term “Writ of Divorce” everywhere: in older articles, forum posts and even some law firm websites. Here is the important update: the Writ of Divorce no longer exists. Since the Family Justice Rules 2024 took effect on 15 October 2024, a Singapore divorce starts with an Originating Application instead.
The paperwork can feel overwhelming, but every document has a clear job. This guide explains what replaced the writ, walks through each document you will file or receive from the start of the case to the final judgment certificate, and lists what to gather before you file.
What was the Writ of Divorce?
Under the old rules, the Writ of Divorce (or Writ for Divorce) was the originating document, the court paper that formally started divorce proceedings. The plaintiff filed the writ together with a Statement of Claim and Statement of Particulars, and served the bundle on the defendant, who then chose whether to contest.
If your divorce was filed before 15 October 2024, your case may still use the old terminology. For everyone filing now, the writ has been replaced, but the underlying logic of the documents is largely the same, so older guides are not entirely useless. They just use outdated names.
The Originating Application: how a divorce starts today
Under the Family Justice Rules 2024, you begin a divorce by filing an Originating Application (OA) in the Family Justice Courts, done electronically through the eLitigation system, usually by a lawyer, or with help from the court’s service bureau if you are representing yourself. The OA identifies the parties, confirms the court’s jurisdiction, states that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, and identifies which of the six facts you rely on: adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion, separation, or divorce by mutual agreement. Our guide to the grounds for divorce in Singapore explains each fact and when to use it.
Which track your case takes shapes the paperwork. If you and your spouse agree on the divorce and all ancillary matters (children, maintenance, assets), you can file on the simplified track, which is faster and cheaper. If anything is disputed, the case proceeds on the normal track. See our guide to the simplified uncontested divorce for how much difference this makes.
Documents filed with the application
The OA never travels alone. Depending on your track and circumstances, it is filed together with:
- Statement of Claim / Statement of Particulars. This sets out the fact relied on and the specific particulars: what happened, roughly when, and why it shows the marriage has broken down. On the simplified track, the parties file an agreed version of the facts, since nothing is contested.
- Proposed Parenting Plan: required if there is at least one child under 21. It sets out proposed arrangements for custody, care and control, access, education and support. If parents agree, an agreed parenting plan is filed instead.
- Proposed Matrimonial Property Plan: required if the couple owns an HDB flat. It states what should happen to the flat (sale, transfer or surrender), and HDB’s eligibility rules constrain the options. Read more in our guide to what happens to your HDB flat in a divorce.
- Consent or agreement documents: for divorce by mutual agreement, a written agreement explaining why the marriage has broken down and the efforts made to reconcile; on the simplified track, a draft consent order recording the agreed ancillary terms.
After filing, the documents must be served on your spouse (the respondent), who can indicate whether they intend to contest. Service and response documents have their own forms and deadlines, which your lawyer or the court’s guides will walk you through.
If your spouse contests, they file their own responding papers setting out their version of events, and may make a counterclaim relying on a different fact. If they do nothing after being properly served, the case can generally proceed without them: silence delays a divorce but rarely stops it.
Documents during the proceedings
Once the case is underway, further documents appear, mostly around evidence and the ancillary matters:
- Affidavits of evidence: sworn written statements. In a contested divorce, each party’s evidence about the breakdown of the marriage is given by affidavit before any hearing.
- Affidavit of Assets and Means (AOM): the key ancillary-matters document, in which each party discloses their income, assets, liabilities and CPF balances. Accuracy matters enormously here; our separate guide to the Affidavit of Assets and Means covers it in detail.
- Interim Judgment: the court order granting the divorce provisionally once the fact is proved or unopposed. It ends the marriage in principle but not finally: neither party can remarry yet.
- Certificate of Final Judgment: the document that proves your divorce is complete. It can generally be applied for three months after interim judgment, usually once the ancillary matters are resolved. See our guide to the final judgment of divorce.
Singapore divorce documents at a glance
| Document | Purpose | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Originating Application (formerly Writ of Divorce) | Formally starts the divorce and states the fact relied on | Filing |
| Statement of Claim / Particulars | Details of why the marriage has irretrievably broken down | Filing |
| Agreed Statement of Facts | Jointly confirms the facts on the simplified track | Filing (simplified) |
| Proposed / Agreed Parenting Plan | Arrangements for children under 21 | Filing |
| Proposed / Agreed Matrimonial Property Plan | What happens to the HDB flat | Filing |
| Affidavit of evidence | Sworn evidence in a contested case | Proceedings |
| Affidavit of Assets and Means | Full financial disclosure for ancillary matters | Ancillaries |
| Interim Judgment | Provisionally dissolves the marriage | After hearing |
| Certificate of Final Judgment | Proof the divorce is final; needed to remarry | Conclusion |
What to prepare before filing for divorce
You can save significant time and legal costs by gathering your supporting documents before you file. As a starting checklist:
- Marriage certificate (with an official translation if it is not in English)
- NRIC or passport details for both spouses, and the children’s birth certificates
- Income documents: recent payslips and Notices of Assessment from IRAS
- CPF statements showing balances in your Ordinary, Special and Medisave accounts, and any CPF used for property
- Property documents: HDB or private property details, outstanding mortgage statements
- Bank, investment and insurance statements, plus a list of debts and liabilities
- Evidence supporting your chosen fact: for example a deed of separation, messages or a PI report
Where the documents fit into the overall timeline (filing, service, interim judgment, ancillary matters, final judgment) is covered step by step in our guide to the Singapore divorce process. If you are still at the planning stage, our guide to preparing for divorce covers what to sort out before any papers are filed.
