Oh, and welcome to the Forum.
As my Swiss husband had to have some sort of affidavit from Switzerland in order to attest that he was eligible for our marriage in the US, I am sure it would behoove you and your wife to make it clear to BOTH countries in which one or both partners are citizens and / or residents that you are divorced.
If you lived here during your marriage, you are both registered here as being married, same goes in the US, wherever the marriage actually took place.
You are both living in Switzerland?
You were married in USA?
You are divorcing in Switzerland?
No point in trying to answer you, the entire question is a bit vague.
I'm not sure it even needs to be "unraveled."
Wife (ex?) is Swiss, is presumably registered here as being / having been married, regardless of where the wedding took place.
So, if she is now divorced / when she gets divorced, YES the government will need to know if for no other reason than that if she decides to marry again, THEY will need to attest that she is free to marry.
If the OP has never lived in Switzerland, I don't see why there's be a need to "register" a US divorce in Switzerland. If his soon-to-be-ex-wife wants to notify the local government, that's her issue and her right, I suppose. Not sure why the OP is concerned about it.
Because she's asked him to pay for it?
what way she needs to report that?Does she need to see an attorney, or she need to file something in court etc???? I guess, she can only proceed when she gets the divorce decree in her hands anyway?!!!!
He will be able to advise you with regards to the jurisdiction matters - better than a forum anyways. And no, she doesnt have to officially show anything to the Swiss officials unless it affects tax / future marriage opportunities - and that, will just be the decree absolute (or whatever they call it here).
If so then there is no need to register the divorce in Switzerland. She must have papers attesting to the fact that she is divorced, that would be sufficient to re-marry. If you are not divorced, then it looks as if she is trying to get you to pay for the privilege of getting divorced over here.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK FOR EVERYONE FOR THE TREMENDOUS OF HELP I' V GOT..AND I am so thankfull for any others....
Not sure what other help you are seeking.
Find out how much it would cost for you to get divorced in the US, speak to a lawyer here in Switzerland to find out how much the whole affair and pick the cheaper option.
As long as you're both agreed on custody, maintenance, alimony and assets, it should be a pretty straight deal wherever you decide to divorce.
For your information ... the benefit of being a divorced woman here is to be able to take your husband to the cleaners for maintenance for both of you until the child is financially independent (16 or 18). This can be up to 50% of a man's income (or more ?). Once a woman has a child and she was an established homemaker during and since the marriage, she has the right to not to work until her youngest child grows up. The husband the obligation to support her. If you have little or no income (but are deemed fit to work or capable of earning more, a Swiss court will assign a higher maintenance package based on what you "could earn" but by choice do not earn because you choose to be a musician, so unless your colleage degree is music that argument will not stick here). This is designed to prevent divorced women from claiming benefits and enable some women to take their husband to the cleaners.
It may be that if your wife can get you to agree to divorce here, that she can ask the court for an "Eheschutz" or maintenance order against you (because she is resident here, the maintenance would go on her place of residence).
As said on some other responses to this thread, she can always provide proof of a US divorce in the form of the paperwork, so I would be very careful if I were you. Get divorced and sort the maintenance in the US where you were both married and lived. It will be quicker and cheaper as far as legal fees are concerned too.
(Note: Once a Swiss court has issued a maintenance order against you, no Swiss lawyer will be able to help you and the fact you have or will divorce in the US will make a Swiss maintenance judgement untouchable in both countries. I know this sounds completely unreasonable but men really do get a raw deal in every respects in the courts here as far as divorce goes.
Once a divorce is handled in Switzerland ... you gonna spend your life under a bridge in the USA, supporting her and child.
Just go ahead with your divorce in USA. Let her handle what she wants to handle in CH.
By the way, tis not neccessary to have a Lawyer in CH ... the local version of "Legal Aid" does all the paperwork, and she needs it recorded in her Swiss Book of Life or whatever its called ..... similar to a property deed.
Sorry I sound so cynical ... but I`m helping a friend work their way thru a divorce here .. and the swiss are generally quite ignorant of their own laws. You can look up everything on Google .... Swiss Divorce Laws... including Swiss married to Foreigners ... divorces in other lands, etc etc .....