International Child Support Laws

Some foreign born nationals choose to flee the United States rather than honor a court-stipulated child support order issued to benefit their children. Other United States citizens with dual citizenships act in like manner. The government regards this behavior as unacceptable, and laws have been enacted to reach out and negotiate with foreign governments when fathers or mothers have absconded to avoid their parental fiscal responsibilities.

United States Embassy Child Support Laws

• The United States (U.S.) Embassy does not conduct actual searches for nationals who have fled the country to escape paying child support.


• The United States can only make child support inquiries about U.S. nationals living in a foreign country who are registered with the United States Embassy or Consulate in a foreign country.


• The U.S. Embassy or Consulate can provide American enquirers with a list of foreign attorneys who can refer them to foreign local private investigators in their quest for ex-spouses who are in child support arrears.

Consular Affairs Child Support Laws

• The Office of Consular Affairs and the Legal Advisor for Private International Law work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services in coordinating mutual child support codes with foreign countries.


• The U.S. Government, citing privacy rules, states that individuals cannot request the addresses of private U.S. citizens now living abroad. State Child Support Enforcement agencies can make written requests for such information.


• Reciprocal requests from foreign governments to enforce child support against United States citizens are honored by the United States, but foreign residents should contact their country's family maintenance officials for information on how to proceed to obtain redress in America's courts.


• If there are no existing agreements between the U.S. and foreign governments for enforcement of a foreign country's child support relief, a foreign government's agency or the individual can engage the services of a U.S. attorney to enforce the support order in the United States.