# How can I get child support from my ex who moved to the UK?

- Jurisdiction: Canada
- Practice area: Labor Standards
- Published: 2026-10-25
- Last updated: 2026-10-25
- Canonical: https://lawasked.com/ca/labor-standards/how-can-i-get-child-support-my-ex

## Question

I am feeling quite overwhelmed and need some guidance regarding my situation here in California. My ex-husband and I separated about eighteen months ago, back in January 2023. Since our split, he has been sending me a small pay cheque of roughly $300 every month, but this is nowhere near enough to cover our daughter's basic needs and schooling costs. He moved to London, United Kingdom, nearly a year ago, and now he has completely stopped all regular payments. I have tried contacting him through several different messaging programmes and even sent formal emails, but he just ignores everything or claims he cannot afford more. I know there are international agreements meant to help with this kind of thing, but I am totally lost on how they actually work in practice. I am unsure if there is a specific official guide or a set of international rules that a court should be looking at to help me recover the unpaid maintenance and ensure he starts paying the full amount he owes under our original agreement. Does anyone know how to make these international rules actually work for me?

## Summary

Yes, you can use international agreements to seek the support you are owed. You can utilize the 2007 Convention, which is a set of rules designed to help recover child support across international borders.

## Analysis

Because your ex-husband has moved to London, your situation involves international law. There is a specific set of rules called the "2007 Convention" [cite:ca-divorce-act-sec28]. This is the "Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance" [cite:ca-divorce-act-sec28]. This agreement is designed to help a "creditor"—which is the term for a former spouse to whom support is owed [cite:ca-divorce-act-sec28]—obtain payments from a "debtor"—the former spouse who owes the support [cite:ca-divorce-act-sec28]—who lives in a different country. 

To make these rules work for you, you will likely need to work with a "Central Authority" [cite:ca-divorce-act-sec28]. A Central Authority is "any person or entity designated... that is responsible for carrying out the duties that are imposed under the 2007 Convention" [cite:ca-divorce-act-sec28]. This entity acts as a bridge between the legal systems of your location and the United Kingdom. 

When trying to understand how these international rules are applied to your specific case, you can look to the "Explanatory Report on the Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance" [cite:ca-divorce-act-sec28p2]. This report is used to help interpret how the 2007 Convention should be used in practice [cite:ca-divorce-act-sec28p2]. 

It is currently unclear how a court will determine the exact amount of unpaid maintenance or the new monthly amount based on your original agreement without further legal proceedings. State, provincial, or local laws in California may add further rules regarding how to initiate these domestic claims before they are sent internationally; you should check California state family law guidelines.

## Statutory citations

- Divorce Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. 3 (2nd Supp.), s. 28 - Definitions [in force] (https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/D-3.4/index.html#s-28)
  > 2007 Convention means the Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance... creditor means a former spouse to whom support is owed... debtor means a former spouse who owes support
- Divorce Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. 3 (2nd Supp.), s. 28.2 - Explanatory Report [in force] (https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/D-3.4/index.html#s-28.2)
  > In interpreting the 2007 Convention, recourse may be had to the Explanatory Report on the Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance

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