Both of the spouses, when divorced, have a single status and can remarry at any time. Meanwhile, estranged has no legal status. It simply means that the couple has separated and is now living as strangers. There is no communication whatsoever between them. But since they haven’t been legally divorced, some matters still remain unsolved.

In simple terms, the difference between a separation and a divorce is that the separation leaves the marriage intact while a divorce ends it. A couple may opt for a separation because they are easier to reverse than a divorce.

Rather than getting divorced, one spouse moves away and stops contact. The spouses are estranged. Estranged couples are still legally married. Although the romantic relationship may have ended, they remain married under the law. Two people could be estranged for decades but nevertheless be officially married.