Divorce & Family Law

In Malaysia, one of the most common questions couples ask lawyers when facing a marital breakdown is: “What are the requirements for divorce?” In particular, within the Chinese community influenced by Hong Kong dramas, there is a common misconception that “living apart for two years automatically leads to divorce.” However, this understanding is incorrect.

In practice in Malaysia, one common scenario is when a Malaysian citizen marries a foreigner, the relationship breaks down, and the foreign spouse has already left Malaysia. In such cases, many parties worry whether they must wait for the spouse to return or sign documents in order to file for divorce.