He divorced her but did not send her the divorce papers

Her husband divorced her and the ‘iddah came to an end, but she cannot get the divorce papers from the Islamic centre or get any proof of the divorce from the courts in the city to which she has moved. Is it permissible for her to remarry?

Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah:

We put this question to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows:

She should ask for an annulment of the marriage in the city where she has moved to, on the grounds that her husband is absent and is not sending her any money to live on. This annulment will take the place of a divorce. And Allaah knows best.