What if maintenance is unpaid and the debtor abroad?

If the person who owes you maintenance (the debtor) does not pay it to you and lives abroad, you can hire a child procedure for the recovery of maintenance claims abroad. This request makes it possible, with the assistance of the administration, to take steps to recover the sums due.

This procedure takes place in 2 steps.

1. You must send your full application file by post or by mail to office for the recovery of maintenance claims abroad (RCA) of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
   

   Who shall I contact

   • "Numéro d'urgence:"Maintenance Recovery Office (CAR)Maintenance Recovery Office (CAR)

     By telephone

     +33 (0)1 43 17 90 01

     By mail

     Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs

     Office for the Recovery of Maintenance Claims Abroad (RCA)

     27 Convention Street

     CS 91533

     75732 Paris Cedex 15

     By email

     obligation.alimentaire@diplomatie.gouv.fr

   
   If you need, this service can help you build your application file.
   However, if you are a beneficiary of Family Support Allowance (FSA)First of all, you need to get closer to the Caf. When the file is ready, the Cfa will contact the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
2. After receiving your file, the CAR office sends it to the central state authority in which the person who owes you maintenance (debtor) resides.

If you do not know the place of residence of the parent who owes you money and the address of his or her employers, the CAR will, if necessary, undertake research with the authorities of the countries concerned.

If this initial search is unsuccessful, you can complain for family abandonment. The public prosecutor will then order an investigation to obtain that information.

In case of financial difficulties, and under certain conditions, you can apply legal aid to get the support you are owed.