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You cannot make a new application to the Child Maintenance Service if the child and the parent with the main day-to-day care live abroad.

There are circumstances where the service can help if the paying parent lives abroad.

You can make a private child maintenance arrangement yourself - if one or both parents live abroad.

Enforcing a child maintenance decision

You can ask a court for help if the other parent does not pay any child maintenance they owe you. This is known as taking 鈥榚nforcement action鈥�.

You can also ask the court to change an existing child maintenance decision or make a new one.

How you enforce, change or make a decision depends on:

• where the other parent lives
• where your original decision was made

The UK has a Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (REMO) agreement with a number of other countries. Courts in 鈥�REMO countries鈥� can enforce child maintenance decisions made by UK courts.

Child maintenance decisions made in Scotland or Northern Ireland

The process is different if you want to enforce a child maintenance decision that was originally made in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

If the decision was made in Scotland

Contact the Scottish government for advice.

If the decision was made in Northern Ireland

Contact the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service for advice.

How you get a child maintenance decision depends on whether the other parent lives in a Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (REMO) country. Check the list of REMO countries.

If the other parent does not live in a REMO country, get legal advice from a solicitor to find out if you can enforce the decision.

If the other parent lives in a REMO country

How to apply

If the other parent lives in a REMO country, contact the Maintenance Enforcement Business Centre (MEBC) by email or post.

The MEBC will ask you some questions to check if you鈥檙e eligible. If you are, they鈥檒l send you an application form and supporting guidance on how to apply.

Depending on your situation, you may need to attend a court hearing in the UK or pay a court fee. Your supporting guidance will explain this in more detail.

Tell the MEBC if you do not want the other parent to see certain information about you, such as your address.

Complete the form and send it back to the MEBC with any supporting documents.

Contact the MEBC if you have any questions.

After you apply

Your completed application will be sent to the court in the country the other parent lives in.

The foreign court will then decide whether child maintenance should be paid (鈥榓warded鈥�). They can also decide whether to enforce payment.

You can contact the MEBC to find out how your application is progressing. Do not contact the foreign court.

Contact the Maintenance Enforcement Business Centre (MEBC)

When you contact the MEBC tell them your:

• full name
• email address
• telephone number
• case reference number, if you have one

If you鈥檙e applying for the first time, you鈥檒l also need to tell them:

• the country you live in
• the country the other parent lives in

You can still enforce a child maintenance decision if the other parent lives in the UK but you live in another country.

Check if you live in a country which can enforce a child maintenance decision made in the UK. This is called a Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (REMO) country.

If you live in a REMO country, ask the court where you live to enforce the decision.

If you do not live in a REMO country, you might still be able to enforce a decision. Get legal advice from a solicitor in the country where you live or in the UK.

You might be able to make a new child maintenance claim instead of enforcing an existing one if the other parent is working abroad for certain British organisations, for example:

• as a civil servant
• for His Majesty鈥檚 Diplomatic Service
• as a member of the armed forces
• for a company based and registered in the UK
• for the NHS
• for a local authority

How to claim

You cannot apply directly to the Child Maintenance Service. You must use the to get a reference number first.

You can also use the Get help arranging child maintenance service to find out your options for paying or getting support for your child, including making a private arrangement.

If you need help using the Get help arranging child maintenance service, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

If you鈥檝e already made a claim, contact the Child Maintenance Service for advice.