Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (REMO)
General information | How to apply I Contact
A guide to international claims for family maintenance
The information contain on our website relates to international claims for family maintenance or child support, including a list of overseas jurisdictions where such claims can be made, and other related information and links. It is for practitioners, policy makers, voluntary organisations and the general public.
General information
Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders - or REMO - is the process by which maintenance orders made by UK courts, on behalf of UK residents, can be registered and enforced by courts or other authorities in other countries against people resident there.
This is a reciprocal arrangement governed by international conventions, which means that foreign maintenance orders in favour of individuals abroad can likewise be registered and enforced by UK courts against UK residents.
How to apply
A UK resident who wishes to apply to obtain maintenance from a person overseas should approach:
- their local magistrates' court (or county court where the order was made) if they have an existing court order for maintenance; or
- their local magistrates' court if there is no existing order.
They may apply for their order to be enforced in the country where the payer resides. Procedures also exist to enable an applicant to ask the foreign authorities to create an order for maintenance on their behalf. There is no need for the applicant to engage a solicitor.
Court staff will help the applicant and will forward the application to the relevant authority:
- the office of Official Solicitor and Public Trustee for applications from England & Wales
- the Scottish Executive for applications from Scotland
- or the Northern Ireland Court Service for applications from Northern Ireland
The authority will check that the application is in order and send it to the foreign authority or court for registration and enforcement against the person living there.
Contact
REMO can be contacted through its local call rate information line on 0845 345 5303
If you would like to write to us or give feedback, please go to our contact us page.