Iowa Residency Requirements
The state of Iowa has unique residency requirements for people who wish to terminate their marriage. You must meet these state-specific requirements prior to filing with your local county court. The Iowa residency requirements are as follows:
There is a 1 year residency requirement for all spouses filing in the state, unless the plaintiff in the case is not a resident, then he or she does not have a residency requirement in order to file for a dissolution of marriage.
The parties shall file for a dissolution of marriage in the county where either party resides. No decree dissolving a marriage shall be granted in any proceeding before ninety days shall have elapsed from the day the original notice is served. (Iowa Code - Sections 598.2, 598.6 and 598.19)
If you DO NOT meet at least one of the above residency requirements, you have the following options:
- Establish residency in Iowa for the period time set forth above (this does not mean you have to wait to begin the process of getting your documents).
- Have your spouse do the filing if he or she meets the Iowa residency requirements.
- Choose another state in which you or your spouse meet the requirements (all states are unique, so be sure to check the state in which you were married as an option).
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