If you and your spouse have made the difficult decision to separate, the last thing you want is to burn through thousands of dollars and weeks of leave just to finalize the paperwork.
For years, a common myth has circulated among US service members: “You have to go to Guam to get a US-recognized divorce.”
We are here to tell you that is false.
Not only can you get a fully recognized, court-ordered divorce right here in Okinawa, but doing so with Dave Higgins Office is significantly faster, cheaper, and less stressful than the Guam alternative. Here is why staying local is the better option—even if one party isn’t physically here to handle the logistics.
1. The Cost Reality: Guam is Expensive
Going to Guam isn’t just about the legal fees; it’s about the hidden costs of travel. To file for divorce in Guam, at least one of you must physically reside on the island for 7 days and 7 nights before filing.
Let’s look at the math:
- Flights to Guam: $400 – $800+ per person.
- Hotel (7 Nights): At an average of $150/night, that’s $1,050+ just for a place to sleep.
- Food & Transport: Another $500 – $700 for a week of meals and rental cars.
Total “Trip” Cost: You could easily spend $2,500+ before you even pay a lawyer a single dime.
The Okinawa Advantage: When you use Dave Higgins Office, you sleep in your own bed. You drive your own car. You go to work as usual. There are no flights, no hotels, and no wasted leave days sitting in a hotel room waiting for a residency clock to tick down. Our flat-rate pricing covers translations, court applications, and interpreters, often costing less than just the travel expenses alone for a Guam trip.
2. Time is Money: Don’t Burn Your Leave
Can you afford to take a full week off work just to sit in Guam?
- Guam: Requires a mandatory 7-day stay. That is 5-7 days of chargeable leave burned on a “vacation” you likely won’t enjoy.
- Okinawa: You continue your daily life. We handle the paperwork, the translations, and the filing. You simply attend a brief court hearing (usually 30 minutes) when the date is set.
3. “But My Spouse Isn’t Here…” (We Handle It)
A common worry is, “I’m here, but my spouse is deployed/stateside/busy. Isn’t Guam easier?”
Actually, doing it in Okinawa is often still more convenient.
- We Do the Legwork: Even if only one party is available to initiate the process, we can handle the preparation, translation, and filing of the application. You don’t both need to be running around..
- The Travel Difference: If your spouse is in the US, asking them to fly to Guam for a week (or for you to fly there) is a massive logistical headache. It is far simpler for us to manage your case here, where one of you already has a home base.
4. US Recognition: The Same Result
Our divorces are completed through the Okinawa Family Court. Because Japan and the US are partners under international conventions, a court-ordered divorce decree from Okinawa is legally recognized in the United States. We provide you with the Certified English Translations you need to update your military records, IPAC, DEERS, and status back home.
The Bottom Line: Why fly thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars to do something you can do right here at home?
At Dave Higgins Office, we specialize in making this process as smooth and “hands-off” as possible for US service members. We handle the language barrier and the bureaucracy so you can focus on moving forward.
Ready to start? You don’t need a plane ticket—you just need to send us a message