Child MaintenanceGuide UK
How It Works14 min read3 April 2025

Child Maintenance When a Parent Lives or Works Abroad

What happens to child maintenance when one parent moves overseas - CMS jurisdiction rules, REMO explained, the full list of countries where UK maintenance orders can and cannot be enforced, and what to do when the country is not covered.

When one parent moves abroad - whether permanently or for work - child maintenance does not automatically stop. But the rules change significantly, and your ability to enforce payments depends almost entirely on which country the other parent is in. This article covers exactly what the law says, when the CMS can help, and the complete list of countries where UK maintenance orders can and cannot be enforced.

When the CMS Can Help: Jurisdiction Rules

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has strict rules about when it can get involved if a parent lives overseas.

The paying parent lives abroad

In most cases, the CMS cannot make a new child maintenance calculation if the paying parent lives and works outside the UK. The CMS only has jurisdiction over parents who are habitually resident in the UK.

There is one important exception. You may still be able to apply to the CMS if the paying parent works abroad for one of the following British organisations:

  • The Civil Service
  • His Majesty's Diplomatic Service
  • The UK Armed Forces
  • The NHS
  • A UK local authority
  • A company or organisation based and registered in the UK

If the paying parent works for a UK-registered employer but is posted abroad, call the CMS to discuss your specific situation. Eligibility is assessed case by case.

The receiving parent lives abroad

If it is the receiving parent who has moved abroad (while the paying parent remains in the UK), you can still enforce an existing UK maintenance decision. Your options depend on whether you are living in a REMO country - see the full list below.

You cannot make a new application to the CMS if both you and the child live outside the UK.

Private arrangements

If the CMS cannot help, both parents can still make a private arrangement. However, a private arrangement cannot be enforced through the courts unless it has first been made legally binding (by converting it to a Consent Order through a family court). An informal agreement with a parent abroad has no legal force if they stop paying.

What is REMO?

REMO stands for Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders. It is an umbrella term for the various international agreements and treaties that allow the UK to send maintenance orders to other countries for enforcement - and to receive and enforce orders made abroad.

Under REMO, if you have a UK maintenance order and the paying parent is in a REMO country, you can apply to have that order recognised and enforced by the courts of that country. The process is handled by the Maintenance Enforcement Business Centre (MEBC) in England and Wales.

Important: REMO is not one single agreement - it is an umbrella covering several different legal instruments: the Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1920, the Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972, the 2007 Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support, and pre-Brexit EU arrangements. The practical effect is the same for most applicants - the MEBC handles the application and liaises with the foreign jurisdiction.

Post-Brexit and EU countries

Before 31 December 2020, maintenance orders within the EU were enforced automatically under the EU Maintenance Regulation (EC 4/2009) - a fast and near-seamless process. Since Brexit, the UK is no longer part of this system. EU member states now fall back on the 2007 Hague Convention route, which both the UK and the EU have signed. This is slower and requires more paperwork, but enforcement remains possible across all EU member states.

How the REMO Process Works

If the paying parent lives in a REMO country and you have an existing UK court maintenance order, the process is as follows:

  • Contact the Maintenance Enforcement Business Centre (MEBC) - details at the end of this article
  • The MEBC verifies your eligibility and sends you an application form with supporting documents
  • You complete the application and return it to the MEBC - tell them if you do not want the other parent to see your address
  • The MEBC sends the application to the relevant court or authority in the foreign country
  • The foreign court or authority decides how to enforce the order under their own law
  • Contact the MEBC (not the foreign court directly) to check on progress

In some cases you may need to attend a UK court hearing before your application can be sent abroad, and court fees may apply. The MEBC will advise you when they assess your case.

Reality check: Being in a REMO country does not guarantee you will receive payments. REMO allows you to submit an application - what happens next depends on the legal system, efficiency, and enforcement culture of the country involved. Some countries enforce promptly; others have significant delays or practical barriers. This is especially relevant for countries with weaker court systems or where maintenance culture is different from the UK.

Countries Where You CAN Enforce a UK Maintenance Order

The following countries are covered by the UK's REMO framework. Where a country is listed with sub-territories (Australia, Canada), the MEBC needs to know the specific state or province. If you do not know it, they can attempt to trace the parent.

Australia (territory by territory)

  • Australian Capital Territory
  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  • New South Wales
  • Northern Territory
  • Queensland
  • South Australia
  • Tasmania
  • Territory of Christmas Island
  • Victoria
  • Western Australia

Canada (province by province)

Quebec is not listed as it operates under civil law and has a separate system. All other Canadian provinces and territories are covered:

  • Alberta
  • British Columbia
  • Manitoba
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Northwest Territories
  • Nova Scotia
  • Nunavut
  • Ontario
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Saskatchewan
  • Yukon Territory

United States

The USA is on the REMO list - this surprises many people. The UK-US enforcement relationship is governed by the 2007 Hague Convention and operates state by state under the US Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). Effectiveness varies significantly by state, and the process can be slow, but enforcement is legally possible across all US states.

Europe (all countries)

  • Albania
  • Austria
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Gibraltar
  • Greece
  • Guernsey
  • Holy See (Vatican City)
  • Hungary
  • Ireland (Republic of)
  • Isle of Man
  • Italy
  • Jersey
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Monaco
  • Montenegro
  • Netherlands
  • North Macedonia
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Serbia
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain (including the Canary Islands)
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine

Africa

  • Algeria
  • Botswana
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cape Verde
  • Central African Republic
  • Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Mauritius
  • Morocco
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania (mainland only - Zanzibar is listed separately)
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zanzibar (listed separately from mainland Tanzania)
  • Zimbabwe

Asia and Pacific

  • Brunei
  • Fiji
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Kiribati
  • Malaysia
  • Nauru
  • New Zealand
  • Norfolk Island
  • Pakistan
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tuvalu

Americas and Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Brazil
  • British Solomon Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile
  • Dominica
  • Ecuador
  • Falkland Islands and Dependencies
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Israel
  • Jamaica
  • Kazakhstan
  • Mexico
  • Montserrat
  • Nicaragua
  • St Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis
  • St Helena
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent
  • Surinam
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Uganda
  • Uruguay
  • Virgin Islands

Countries Where You CANNOT Enforce a UK Maintenance Order

If the paying parent moves to one of these countries, there is currently no REMO agreement and no automatic legal mechanism for enforcement. You would need to instruct a family law solicitor in that country and attempt to pursue enforcement through their domestic courts - with no guarantee of success.

These are significant gaps. Several of these countries are popular destinations for parents who default on child maintenance. If the paying parent has connections to any of these countries, seek legal advice early rather than waiting until after they move.

Major countries with no REMO agreement

  • China (mainland) - no enforcement agreement with the UK
  • Japan - no REMO agreement; enforcement through Japanese courts is practically very difficult
  • Russia - no current agreement; enforcement suspended following diplomatic breakdown
  • United Arab Emirates - no REMO agreement; Sharia law courts govern family matters for many residents
  • Saudi Arabia - no agreement; family law is governed by Islamic principles and enforcement of foreign orders is rare
  • Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman - no REMO agreements with the UK
  • Iran - no enforcement agreement
  • Iraq - no agreement
  • Afghanistan - no agreement
  • Bangladesh - not covered (despite Pakistan being a REMO country)
  • Nepal - not covered
  • Indonesia - not covered
  • Thailand - not covered
  • Vietnam - not covered
  • Cambodia - not covered
  • Myanmar - not covered
  • North Korea - no agreement
  • Most of the Middle East - not covered beyond Israel and Turkey
  • Most of Central Asia - only Kazakhstan and Ukraine are covered
  • Quebec, Canada - not separately listed (operates its own civil law system distinct from other Canadian provinces)

This list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure about a specific country not mentioned above, contact the MEBC or a family solicitor before the paying parent leaves the UK.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

The REMO process is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland. If you are based in either of these jurisdictions, do not contact the MEBC - use the contacts below instead:

  • Scotland: maintenanceenforcement@gov.scot | 0131 244 3570 or 0131 244 4829
  • Northern Ireland: reciprocalenforcement@courtsni.gov.uk | 0300 200 7812

Practical Steps if the Paying Parent is Moving Abroad

  • Act before they leave if possible. It is far easier to get a UK court order in place while the paying parent is still here. Once they are overseas, enforcement becomes significantly harder
  • Get a court order, not just a CMS calculation. A CMS calculation alone cannot be sent abroad through REMO - you need a court maintenance order. A family solicitor can apply to convert a CMS calculation or private agreement into a court order
  • Check the country immediately. Use the lists above to establish whether enforcement is even possible before investing time and money in applications
  • Find out where exactly they are going. For Australia and Canada, you need the specific state or province - territory matters
  • Keep records of their address and employer abroad. The MEBC will need this information and tracing a parent overseas is significantly harder and slower
  • Do not rely on an informal arrangement. A private agreement you cannot enforce is effectively unenforceable if the paying parent stops paying from overseas
  • If the country is not covered, get specialist advice early. Some family solicitors have international networks and can advise on enforcement options in non-REMO countries, including whether the foreign country's own courts might recognise the UK order

Contact the MEBC (England and Wales)

The Maintenance Enforcement Business Centre handles all REMO applications for England and Wales:

  • Email: mebc.bse@justice.gov.uk
  • Address: Maintenance Enforcement Business Centre, Triton House, St Andrews Street North, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1TR

Always tell the MEBC if you do not want the other parent to see certain information about you, such as your address. They can make arrangements to protect this.

View the official GOV.UK guidance on child maintenance if a parent lives abroad

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the CMS help if the paying parent lives abroad?
Only in limited circumstances. The CMS cannot make a new calculation if the paying parent lives and works abroad, unless they work for a qualifying British organisation - such as the Civil Service, Armed Forces, NHS, Diplomatic Service, or a UK-registered company. If none of these apply, you will need to pursue a private arrangement or seek enforcement through REMO if the country is covered.
What is REMO and how does it work?
REMO (Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders) is the umbrella framework for international agreements that allow UK maintenance orders to be enforced in other countries, and vice versa. If the paying parent is in a REMO country, you apply through the Maintenance Enforcement Business Centre (MEBC), who forwards the application to the foreign court or authority for enforcement. Being in a REMO country does not guarantee payment - it means legal enforcement is possible, not that it will be fast or straightforward.
Is the USA a REMO country?
Yes - the USA is covered under the 2007 Hague Convention and the REMO framework. Enforcement operates state by state under the US Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). The process can be slow and varies by state, but it is legally possible. Contact the MEBC with as much detail as possible about which US state the paying parent is in.
What about EU countries after Brexit?
All EU member states are still covered. Before Brexit, enforcement was handled via the EU Maintenance Regulation (fast and near-automatic). Post-Brexit, it now goes through the 2007 Hague Convention route instead - slower and more paperwork, but still functional. You apply through the MEBC in the same way as any other REMO country.
What if the paying parent moves to China, the UAE, or Japan?
These countries have no REMO agreement with the UK. There is no automatic enforcement mechanism. Your only option is to instruct a family law solicitor in that country and attempt enforcement through their domestic courts - with no guarantee of success. It is strongly advisable to get a UK court order in place before the paying parent leaves the UK if you know they are moving to a non-REMO country.
Do I need a court order or is a CMS calculation enough?
For REMO enforcement abroad, you typically need a UK court maintenance order - not just a CMS calculation. A family solicitor can apply to convert a CMS calculation or private agreement into a court order. Without a court order, your ability to use REMO may be limited. Get legal advice on this before the paying parent leaves.
The paying parent is in Australia - which state matters?
Australia is covered by REMO, but enforcement is territory by territory. The MEBC needs to know the specific state or territory (e.g. New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland). If you do not know which territory they are in, the MEBC can attempt a trace - but knowing the location significantly speeds up the process.
Can I still receive child maintenance if I move abroad?
Yes, if you move abroad but the paying parent remains in the UK, you can still enforce a UK maintenance decision. Your options depend on whether the country you have moved to is on the REMO list. If it is, you apply through that country's equivalent of the MEBC. If it is not, you may need legal advice from a solicitor in your new country.

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Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and is not legal or financial advice. Rules and rates can change - always verify with the official UK government website or seek professional advice.