Leistungen A-Z

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As the parent entitled to represent your child, you may submit a request for maintenance to the Federal Office of Justicevia the Central Authority of the Contracting State in which you and your child reside, via the Central Authority responsible for you in your State ofresidence. If the request is complete, the Federal Office of Justice will take all appropriate steps to enforce the maintenance claim. Pursuant to Article 5(5) AUG, when a request is received, the Federal Office of Justice is deemed to be authorised to take extrajudicial or judicial action on behalf of the creditor.

This essentially involves checking the whereabouts of the person liable for maintenance and his or her economic capacity. Depending on the circumstances of the case, a foreign title is declared enforceable in Germany or a maintenance order is obtained for the first time. If paternity has not yet been established, paternity proceedings are carried out beforehand. As far as possible, efforts will be made to obtain voluntary payment of maintenance. If payments are not made, enforcement proceedings will be initiated.

There are international conventions designed to simplify international maintenance matters. Which convention applies depends on the country in which you and your child are habitually resident.

• The parent claiming child maintenance is abroad.
• The application for child maintenance may be made by the parent who has parental authority.
• The application can also be made before the child is born.
• The child must be a minor.

• Identity card of the applicant
• Birth certificate of the child
• All documents from which the maintenance obligation of the capable person results

The foreign Central Authorities and the Federal Office of Justice generally work free of charge for the applicants.

On the other hand, thepossible commissioning of a lawyer or other associations is associated with costs which are to be borne by the applicants. However, if the applicant loses the case, the costs incurred by the opposing lawyer must be reimbursed (section 20 AUG in conjunction with section 123 ZPO).

Costs may be incurred for the translation of documents, but no costs are incurred vis-à-vis state authorities.

The Central Authority of the requesting State will assist you in ensuring that the application includes all the documents and particulars which, to the knowledge of that authority, are necessary for its examination.

• The Central Authority will then transmit the application documents, together with any necessary translations, to the Central Authority in Germany, the Federal Office of Justice.
• If the request is complete, the Federal Office of Justice shall take all appropriate steps to enforce the maintenance claim.
• In accordance with Article 5(5) AUG, the Federal Office of Justice is deemed to be authorised to take extrajudicial or judicial action on behalf of the creditor when it receives a request.
• This essentially involves checking the whereabouts of the person liable for maintenance and his or her economic capacity.
• Depending on the circumstances of the case, a foreign title is declared enforceable in Germany or a maintenance order is obtained for the first time.
• If paternity has not yet been established, paternity proceedings are carried out beforehand.
• As far as possible, efforts will be made to obtain voluntary payment of maintenance.
• If payments are not made, enforcement proceedings will be instituted.
• Depending on the international agreement, German courts may grant free legal aid for all applications made by an entitled person in respect of maintenance obligations arising from a parent-child relationship towards a person who has not yet reached the age of 21.

The child must still be a minor.

• Central authority of the requesting state
• Federal Office of Justice as the central authority of the requested state Germany
• An application for a foreign maintenance claim is decided by the local court at the seat of the higher regional court in whose jurisdiction the person against whom the title is directed usually resides
• Local court - family court

Central authority of the requesting state

• §§ 1 ff. Gesetz zur Geltendmachung von Unterhaltsansprüchen im Verkehr mit ausländischen Staaten (Auslandsunterhaltsgesetz - AUG), u. a. für eingehende Ersuchen
• § 14 Gesetz zur Geltendmachung von Unterhaltsansprüchen im Verkehr mit ausländischen Staaten (Auslandsunterhaltsgesetz - AUG)
• Haager Unterhaltsübereinkommen 2007
• Verordnung (EG) Nr. 4/2009 DES RATES vom 18. Dezember 2008 über die Zuständigkeit, das anwendbare Recht, die Anerkennung und Vollstreckung von Entscheidungen und die Zusammenarbeit in Unterhaltssachen (EG-UnterhaltsVO)
• UN-Übereinkommen vom 20.06.1956 über die Geltendmachung von Unterhaltsansprüchen im Ausland
• § 1601 Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB)
• § 58 des Gesetzes über das Verfahren in Familiensachen und in den Angelegenheiten der freiwilligen Gerichtsbarkeit (FamFG) zur Beschwerdemöglichkeit gegen die in Deutschland ergangene gerichtliche Entscheidung

• Weitere Informationen und Unterlagen werden auf den Seiten des Bundesamts für Justiz bereitgestellt:
• Nützliche Informationen finden Sie auch auf der Seite der Haager Konferenz für Internationales Privatrecht:
• Die Formulare für Anträge nach der EG-UntVO finden Sie auf der Seite der Europäischen Union unter Dynamische Formulare/Formulare-Unterhaltspflichten:

Senator for Justice and Constitution of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen