File the documents in the court registry
You'll need:
- Your completed Notice of Family Claim
- Your completed Financial Statement, if required
- $200 for the filing fee
Make copies of the forms
Once you've finished filling out your forms, and have the Financial Statement sworn (if required), make three copies of each document. Sort and staple them to make four stapled sets (original and three copies).
- The registry keeps the original.
- One copy is for you.
- One copy is served on the other person.
- One copy is for the process server to attach to their Affidavit of Personal Service (Form F15).
File the forms at the Supreme Court registry
Take the original and the three copies, plus the $200 filing fee, to the Supreme Court registry. You can file your documents at any Supreme Court registry. Usually, people file their documents at the Supreme Court registry nearest to where they live or work. When you go to the registry, ask any staff person to direct you to the divorce counter.
The $200 filing fee must be paid in cash or with a certified cheque or money order made out to the Minister of Finance. Many court registries will also take debit cards, but check first.
If you don't live close to a Supreme Court registry
If you're in a community that isn't close to a Supreme Court registry, contact your local library for information about where to file your documents.
If you're applying for a divorce
You need to complete another form called a Registration of Divorce Proceedings. Fill this form out online, print it out, and bring it to the registry along with your other forms. (You'll have to pay an additional $10 to file this form.)
This form is sent to a central registry in Ottawa. A divorce won't be granted until the registry in Ottawa sends a written clearance to your registry confirming that you have no other divorce proceedings pending in Canada. It can take four to six weeks for this clearance to be sent from Ottawa.
Photocopy your marriage certificate if you'd like to have a copy of it.