In the UK, how would one dissolve a civil partnership when the other spouse has deserted the person for 5 years?

Question: My sister got into a civil partnership with a girl from America. They’d met each other online before the girl came over to the UK. She was only on a visit visa at the time but things fell apart after a few months and the girl decided to go back home after only 6 months as she didn’t extend her visa. They did speak briefly afterwards and planned to give things another go. But the distance got in the way and within a few months they talked less and less and eventually the couple lost touch with each other and there’s been no contact for over 5 years. My sister has now met somebody else and has asked me to look into this for her as she doesn’t want her new partner to know about her past. Any help and guidance would be much appreciated, thank you.

Answer: If the couple have been separated for 5 years and your sister is able to prove that they’ve been separated which should be possible if the other girl left the UK. Then it should be possible to dissolve the civil partnership the grounds of separation is pretty easy to obtain. (However signature from the other partner might be a requirement so it’s best your sister gets some legal advice).

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