If your child’s other parent owes back child support and they live outside of the U.S., it is pivotal to go over your options. In some cases, parents have the ability to enforce child support orders even when the non-custodial party lives in a different country. After all, children deserve child support regardless of where their other parent resides.
When it comes to child support enforcement involving a different country, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with the Hague Child Support Convention and Foreign Reciprocating Countries.
Back child support and Hague Convention countries
The Office of Child Support Enforcement goes over the Hague Child Support Convention, which helps custodial parents secure child support from the other party even when the parent who owes child support lives abroad. A number of countries have joined the Hague Convention, which allows parents to pursue child support enforcement actions against a parent failing to pay support. Additionally, some countries that are not part of the Hague Convention have made arrangements with the U.S. to enforce child support, known as foreign reciprocating countries.
Other child support considerations
Non-custodial parents find themselves in this position for many different reasons, from job loss to a costly health crisis. If you worry about losing your license, passport or other consequences, make sure you look into different ways you can prevent or address falling behind on child support and do all you can to fulfill your obligations. Additionally, if you face high levels of stress and other challenges due to the other parent not paying child support, make sure you go over your options with respect to enforcement, even if they live overseas.