My wife and I got married in October, 2015 in Barbados, where she was residing at the time (I live in the states). She remained there with her son until the end of August, 2016 at which point they visited me through the end of December, 2016 before returning to Barbados. In January, 2017, they returned for another visit through the first week of July, 2017. The reason for this was because I never applied for their residency and as a result, they were technically only "visiting" and all told, we will have only occupied the same space for 10-months. During their stay, she did not work and I funded everything. I plan on filing for divorce in July when they are back in Barbados. My question is whether or not I will have to pay alimony? We do not have any children together, own property or share any accounts. She has three degrees but quit her job as a teacher in Barbados to eventually gain residency in the states to live with me. In all likelihood, she will have difficulty finding employment in Barbados. On the other hand, she would be moving into her parents home and her father is a doctor and her brother a lawyer, so she certainly would not be on the streets as it were.
Just file for divorce now, there is no reason to wait. What here relatives finances are is irrelevant. I seriously doubt given the facts that you stated, that you would have to pay alimony. To properly answer your questions and address your concerns, the best way to handle this is by retaining an experienced matrimonial attorney. You need the best attorney you can afford, do not let geographic considerations be a factor in your choice of an attorney. Pick the best lawyer you can find and remember one rule: a good lawyer is generally never cheap, and a cheap lawyer is generally never good so don't choose based on price.
(NJSA 34 N.J.S.2A:34-23) requires courts to consider a specific list of factors:
1) The actual need and ability of the parties to pay;
2) The duration of the marriage or civil union;\
3) The age, physical and emotional health of the parties;
4) The standard of living established in the marriage or civil union and the likelihood that each party can maintain a reasonably comparable standard of living, with neither party having a greater entitlement to that standard of living than the other;
5) The earning capacities, educational levels, vocational skills, and employability of the parties;
6) The length of absence from the job market of the party seeking maintenance;
7) The parental responsibilities for the children;
8) The time and expense necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to enable the party seeking maintenance to find appropriate employment, the availability of the training and employment, and the opportunity for future acquisitions of capital assets and income;
9) The history of the financial or non-financial contributions to the marriage or civil union by each party including contributions to the care and education of the children and interruption of personal careers or educational opportunities;
10) The equitable distribution of property ordered and any payouts on equitable distribution, directly or indirectly, out of current income, to the extent this consideration is reasonable, just and fair;
11) The income available to either party through investment of any assets held by that party;
12) The tax treatment and consequences to both parties of any alimony award, including the designation of all or a portion of the payment as a non-taxable payment; and
13) The nature, amount, and length of pendente lite support paid, if any; and
14) Any other factors which the court may deem relevant.
There may be possible immigration issues, but since you didn't file, they can probably be avoided. Ultimately, as you didn't reside together long at all, and things fell apart fairly quickly, an annulment might be something you want to consider as well.
