Publication date: 04.06.2024
Lawyer, graduated from the National University "Odesa Law Academy" with honors. Since 2017, I have been specializing in legal and educational and general legal issues. I am the author of legal articles, scientific publications and articles in the educational environment. Mentor of the "Veritas" legal clinic. The owner of the legal blog "Educational_law_ua" on Instagram.
Securing child support is a major concern for many single parents. In cases where the debtor lives abroad, the process of collecting alimony can become particularly complicated. Below we will consider the legal aspects and procedures that will help to find out the place of residence of the debtor abroad and ensure the payment of alimony.
International agreements
Ukraine is a party to a number of international agreements that regulate the collection of alimony. The most important of them are:
UN Convention on the Collection of Alimony Abroad (1956)
Convention on the International Collection of Child Support and Other Types of Family Maintenance (2007)
These agreements define the mechanisms of cooperation between countries in matters of alimony collection and contain provisions on establishing the debtor's place of residence.
Appeal to social protection and justice authorities
To find out the place of residence of a debtor who is abroad, it is necessary to contact the social security and justice authorities. In particular, in Ukraine, you can contact:
Ministry of Justice of Ukraine
Bodies of social protection of the population
These authorities can send appropriate requests to the competent authorities of the country where the debtor is believed to be residing. It is important to provide as much information as possible about the debtor, including their previous place of residence, possible addresses abroad and other identifying information.
Use of consular and diplomatic institutions
Consular and diplomatic institutions of Ukraine abroad can also help in finding out the place of residence of the debtor.Contacting the consulate or embassy of Ukraine in the country where the debtor is supposed to live can speed up the process of establishing his place of residence. Consulates have the ability to make requests to local authorities and law enforcement agencies.
Use of international private detectives
In cases where official inquiries do not yield results, you can turn to the services of international private detectives. These specialists have experience in finding people abroad and can use various methods to find out where the debtor lives, including:
Analysis of social networks and Internet resources
Cooperation with local detective agencies
Conducting private on-site investigations
Court procedures
If it is known that the debtor is in a certain country, it is possible to initiate court proceedings in that country to collect alimony. For this, you need to contact a lawyer who specializes in international law and has experience in the relevant jurisdiction. It is important to be aware that procedures and requirements can vary significantly from country to country.
Execution of the court decision
After the debtor's place of residence has been established and the court decision on the collection of alimony has been received, it is necessary to ensure its implementation. It is important that the decision of the Ukrainian court is recognized and enforced in the debtor's country of residence.This may require the following actions:
Submission of a petition for recognition and enforcement of a court decision (in accordance with international treaties or national legislation of the debtor's country of residence)
Involvement of local lawyers to assist in the execution of the decision
Use of electronic resources and databases
There are a number of international databases and resources that can help you find a debtor abroad. Some of them are available for use by citizens, others - only for official bodies:
International database of Interpol
Databases of migration services
Resources of private search engines
Conclusion
This written consultation of a lawyer makes it possible to draw a legal conclusion that finding out the debtor's place of residence abroad for receiving alimony can be a complex and lengthy process that requires the use of various approaches and cooperation between international and national authorities. Legal analysis of the situation and analysis of documents determines that the use of international agreements, appeals to social security agencies, consular institutions, as well as the involvement of private detectives and lawyers can significantly increase the chances of successful collection of alimony. It is important to act persistently and use all available legal tools to protect the child's rights to proper support.
