How to collect alimony if one of the parents has gone abroad: procedure and position of the Supreme Court

After the start of the full-scale war, many Ukrainians left the country, which is why the issue of collecting alimony from parents who live or work abroad has become particularly relevant.

The mere fact that the alimony payer is in another country does not terminate his obligation to support the child and does not deprive the other parent of the opportunity to demand payment of funds. At the same time, the collection procedure depends on the country of residence of the debtor and international treaties in force between it and Ukraine.

Traveling abroad does not exempt from paying alimony

According to Article 180 of the Family Code of Ukraine, parents are obliged to support the child until the child reaches the age of majority.

This obligation does not depend on where one of the parents lives. If the funds are not paid voluntarily, alimony may be collected on the basis of a court decision or court order.

The defendant’s residence abroad in itself is not a reason for refusing to collect alimony.

How to collect alimony from a debtor abroad

The mechanism largely depends on whether an international treaty is in force between Ukraine and the relevant country.

Among the main international documents in this area are the Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance of 2007, the New York Convention on the Recovery Abroad of Alimony of 1956, as well as bilateral treaties of Ukraine on legal assistance.

If the debtor’s country of residence is a party to the relevant treaty, the decision of a Ukrainian court may be recognized and enforced abroad in accordance with the established international procedure.

Where to apply

The central authority of Ukraine within the framework of the 2007 Hague Convention is the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

Documents can be sent through the Ministry of Justice to the competent authorities of a foreign state for further recognition and enforcement of the decision.

As a rule, the applicant must provide:

a certified copy of the court decision;

document on the entry into force of the decision;
information on its full, partial execution or non-execution in Ukraine;
in appropriate cases – confirmation of the defendant’s proper notification of the court proceedings;
information on the debtor’s place of residence, work, income or property;
translations of documents into the language provided for by the relevant international treaty.

Documents issued by the court must be properly executed and certified.

If alimony has not yet been assigned

If there is no decision on the collection of alimony, one of the parents may apply to the court for its assignment.

In many cases, Ukrainian courts have the right to consider such cases even when the defendant is abroad. The grounds for international jurisdiction are determined, in particular, by the Law of Ukraine “On Private International Law” and international treaties.

After receiving the decision, the question of its recognition and enforcement in the state where the debtor is located arises.

How to collect money abroad

After the recognition of a Ukrainian court decision, the competent authorities of another state may apply enforcement measures provided for by its legislation.

This includes, in particular, the collection of funds from the debtor’s salary, bank accounts, pension, other income or property.

It is important that specific measures are determined by the legislation of the country where the decision is being enforced.

What to do if the debtor’s address is unknown

The lack of an exact address does not always make the collection of alimony impossible.

If at least the debtor’s country of residence is known, in cases provided for by international treaties, the competent authorities may take measures to establish his place of residence, work, income or property.

Therefore, the applicant should provide the maximum available information: previous addresses, employer details, contacts and other information that can help identify the debtor.

What the Supreme Court Says

The Supreme Court expressed an important position in its resolution of August 27, 2025 in case No. 522/22628/23.

The court overturned the decisions of previous instances in the dispute regarding the change in the method of collecting alimony and sent the case for a new hearing. The reason was that the courts did not properly check the issue of international jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court emphasized: if a family dispute contains a foreign element, the issue of jurisdiction must be determined taking into account the international treaties of Ukraine, and not only the norms of national procedural legislation.

Another important position was expressed by the Supreme Court in its resolution of March 25, 2026 in case No. 712/7235/17.

The case concerned an Egyptian citizen who did not reside in Ukraine. The proceedings on the deprivation of his parental rights were closed due to the lack of relevant international jurisdiction.

At the same time, the Supreme Court concluded that the claim for the recovery of alimony may be considered by a Ukrainian court. For such disputes, the Law of Ukraine “On Private International Law” provides for special rules of international jurisdiction, in particular, taking into account the place of residence of the plaintiff or the child.

What can complicate the recovery of alimony

The most difficult situations are when there is no correspondence between Ukraine and the state of residence of the debtor