HERE ARE THE COUNTRIES WHERE DIVORCE IS ILLEGAL 

Did you know that while in the Philippines divorce is prohibited, on the other hand, in Japan, while a woman is required to wait six months after a divorce before she remarries, men have no necessary waiting time?

Perhaps it's surprising to learn that there are still two countries where there are no divorce laws on the books. A Catholic marriage is considered a sacrament, with wedding ceremonies concluding with the words "What God has joined, men must not divide." It's therefore maybe a little less surprising that Vatican City State, which serves as the headquarters of the Catholic Church and is governed by the pope, would have no laws regarding divorce, per The Fact File. However, Vatican City is not alone. 

The Philippines, where 80 percent of the country's citizens identify as Catholic, according to NPR, bans divorce, only making a religious exception for its Muslim citizens, who make up 5% of the population. The only legal option for everyone else is to obtain an annulment, which declares a marriage null and void and the union between the former spouses never legally valid in the first place, which is the only acceptable way to end a sacramental marriage, according to the Catholic Church. 

Annulments are expensive, particularly for low-income workers, and difficult to prove. One woman reported that she saved the equivalent of $5,000 to file for an annulment from her husband, but the courts told her that her grounds — psychological incapacity — "wasn't enough." 

Another option, according to Lawyers in the Philippines, is a legal separation — it deals with common property and releases the individuals from "obligations of marriage." However, it does not allow the individuals to legally remarry. Adultery is also criminalised in the Philippines, with married women able to face up to six years in jail, and men up to four.

Other countries were divorce is illegal and difficult to obtain, but annulments are allowed include Malta, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Guatemala, and Lebanon.

Malta is the only country in Europe that does not recognize divorce, while it does permit the annulment of a marriage in specific situations. It is predominately Roman Catholic, and prohibits divorce of parties to a legally legitimate marriage.

In the Dominican Republic, annulments are the only form of ending a marriage because the country’s legal system does not recognize divorce as a means of dissolving a marriage.

Divorce has historically not been permitted in Haiti, and the procedure to get an annulment can be drawn-out and complicated, frequently needing judicial approval and the participation of religious officials.

In Guatemala, divorce is both illegal and difficult to obtain due to cultural and religious traditions that place great importance on matrimony and forbid divorce.

Divorce in Sudan is only legal in certain situations due to the influence of Islamic law on the country’s legal system. Issues relating to personal statuses, such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, are controlled by Islamic law. 

Divorce in Lebanon is challenging to obtain due to a confluence of religious and civil restrictions. The country has a complex system of laws governing one’s personal status that are dependent on one’s religious affiliation. Divorce is often thought of as a last resort and is only legal in certain situations.

However, for countries practicing divorce, some unusual divorce laws include those of Saudi Arabia where a law was passed requiring courts to make sure a woman is notified via text message in the event of a divorce ruling ending her marriage, inorder to combat “secret divorces,” a practice allowing men to divorce their wives without their knowledge. In Japan, a woman is required to wait six months after a divorce before she remarries. Men, on the other hand, have no necessary waiting time.  

Sources:

https://www.grunge.com/608734/these-are-the-only-two-countries-without-divorce-laws/

https://bscholarly.com/countries-where-divorce-is-illegal/

https://www.theweek.co.uk/100683/countries-where-divorce-is-illegal?amp