Is the husband required to pronounce the word of divorce if the woman was divorced on paper and has been separated from him for a year, and when is her waiting period (iddah) calculated, and is she prevented from leaving like a woman whose husband has died?

Divorce occurs when the husband pronounces it verbally or in writing with intention, or when the husband delegates another to issue the divorce, or by the ruling of a Muslim judge in certain cases. The waiting period ('iddah) begins from the moment the divorce takes place, either by its issuance from the husband or by a final ruling from the Sharia court. The separation of the spouses before the divorce does not affect the 'iddah. The woman observing 'iddah is not permitted to spend the night outside her home except out of necessity, but she may go out during the day for a need.