Who fills it in
A spouse or parent who brings a family case alone: for example one spouse asking for a divorce, a parent asking for custody or contact, or a parent or child asking for maintenance. Spouses who both agree to divorce file together on Form 3 instead. The Family Court hears the case when one party lives in Cyprus; custody goes to the court of the district where the child habitually lives and maintenance to the court where the applicant lives.
What goes with it
- One copy for every person to be served, and the copies needed for the affidavit of service (rule 3(2))
- If a lawyer represents an applicant living in Cyprus: the lawyer's appointment form (rule 3(3))
- For maintenance: a sworn statement in support, as the e-Justice Portal describes
- The court fee; legal aid may be available under Law 165(I)/2002
Field by field
Heading of the application
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| FAMILY COURT of ... ΟΙΚΟΓΕΝΕΙΑΚΟ ΔΙΚΑΣΤΗΡΙΟ ... | The district: Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca-Famagusta or Paphos, depending on the case and where the parties or child live. | ΛΕΜΕΣΟΥ (Limassol) |
| JURISDICTION ... ΔΙΚΑΙΟΔΟΣΙΑ ... | The kind of case: dissolution of marriage, parental care, maintenance, property relations of spouses and so on. | Γονική μέριμνα (parental care) |
| Application number Αρ. Αίτησης | Given by the registry when the application is filed. | — |
| Between: ... applicant and ... respondent Μεταξύ: ... Αιτητή και ... Καθ' ου η Αίτηση | Full names and addresses of the applicant and of the other party. | A.B., applicant, and C.D., respondent |
Other cases and the claim
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Are other cases pending between the same parties? YES / NO Υπάρχουν άλλες εκκρεμούσες υποθέσεις μεταξύ των ιδίων διαδίκων; ΝΑΙ / ΟΧΙ | Strike out the answer that does not apply. If YES, list each case with its district, jurisdiction and number. | ΝΑΙ: Λεμεσός, διατροφή, 000/2025 |
| RELIEF SOUGHT ΑΙΤΟΥΜΕΝΗ ΘΕΡΑΠΕΙΑ | Exactly what you ask the court to order: the divorce, an order on parental care or contact, an amount of maintenance. | An order that the child lives with the applicant |
| LEGAL BASIS OF THE APPLICATION ΝΟΜΙΚΗ ΒΑΣΗ ΑΙΤΗΣΗΣ | The laws and articles the claim rests on, such as the Parents and Children Relations Law or the Marriage Law. This is the part a lawyer drafts. | — |
| FACTS ΓΕΓΟΝΟΤΑ | The material facts the claim relies on, in numbered paragraphs. | — |
Service and filing
| On the form | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Address for service Διεύθυνση Επίδοσης | Where court papers can be served on you, often your lawyer's office. | — |
| Signature of the applicant or lawyer Υπ. Αιτητή ή δικηγόρου | Signed by you or by your lawyer. | — |
| Filed on ... Set for defining the issues on ... Καταχωρίστηκε τη ... Ορίστηκε για καθορισμό επίδικων θεμάτων τη ... | Filled in by the registry: the filing date and the first hearing to define the issues in dispute. | — |
Common mistakes
- Using Form 1 for a divorce both spouses agree on: a joint application for consensual divorce goes on Form 3.
- Leaving out other pending cases between the same parties: the form asks for each one.
- Filing in the wrong district: custody belongs to the court where the child habitually lives, maintenance to the court where the applicant lives.
- Forgetting the copies for service and, with a lawyer, the lawyer's appointment form: the registry can refuse the application.
Questions
How do I start a divorce in Cyprus?
With an application to the Family Court on Form 1, or on Form 3 if both spouses apply together for a consensual divorce. The relief, legal basis and facts are drafted for your case, usually by a lawyer.
Is there a separate custody or maintenance form?
No. Custody, contact and maintenance cases also start with Form 1; maintenance comes with a sworn statement.
Do I need a lawyer for the Family Court?
The form can be signed by the applicant or a lawyer. If a lawyer represents an applicant living in Cyprus, the lawyer's appointment form goes with it.
How much are Family Court fees in Cyprus?
The rules set them equal to the District Court fees for the matching case; the e-Justice Portal notes that legal aid may be available.
Sources
- Family Courts Procedural Rules 2/1990, rule 3 (Forms 1 and 3), consolidated text, checked 24 October 2026
- Supreme Court Procedural Rule 1/2025 replacing Forms 1 and 3, Official Gazette 24 January 2025, checked 24 October 2026
- Supreme Court: Form 1 (PDF, January 2025), checked 24 October 2026
- European e-Justice Portal: parental responsibility in Cyprus, checked 24 October 2026
- European e-Justice Portal: maintenance in Cyprus (fees, legal aid, sworn statement), checked 24 October 2026
- Supreme Court of Cyprus: Family Courts and their jurisdiction, checked 24 October 2026
Figures checked 24 October 2026. Rules change: we confirm them for your case before you act.