Can I enforce a child support order if the other parent is out of the country?
Your child support order from an Arizona court can be enforced abroad. The United States has reciprocity agreements with 16 countries and Canadian provinces. The Department of State is negotiating declarations with others on behalf of all U.S. jurisdictions, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Those are the two agencies charged with the federal responsibility for international child support enforcement.
Foreign reciprocating countries (FRCs) for child support purposes currently include: Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The state of Arizona also has reciprocal child support enforcement agreements with France, Germany and Sweden.
The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) provides support to states to manage child support cases; the OCSE does not handle cases directly. The Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) of the Arizona Department of Economic Security is the local agency responsible for collecting child support from parents who are legally obligated to pay.
If the parent owing support works for an American company overseas, or for a foreign company with offices in the United States, income withholding may be successful even if the country where the other parent lives does not have an agreement to enforce an Arizona support order. Sometimes inquiring with the foreign employer directly can be effective. Also, a child support action might be filed in the country where the noncustodial parent lives.
If you are seeking child support and the other parent is outside the country, Phoenix AZ family law attorneys at Cohen Family Law can help. We have the experience and knowledge to assist you with obtaining, enforcing and modifying child support orders. Contact us today at (602)714-8898 for a free consultation.
