- If no support order exists and the other parent lives in a reciprocating jurisdiction, you can start a claim from BC by submitting the application to the BC designated authority, and the other parent responds in the court of their own jurisdiction.
- If an order already exists, different registration and variation routes apply instead of the new-claim process.
- The BC Family Maintenance Agency can help with a payor outside BC if your order or agreement is enrolled, though its options depend on whether BC has an arrangement with that place.
When the other parent lives in another province, territory or country, getting child support can feel out of reach. You may wonder whether you have to travel, hire a lawyer in another place, or give up. In many cases you do not need to go there to apply.
What you should do depends first on one question: is there already a support order in effect? This article walks through the main routes in British Columbia, which places are covered, and how enforcement works when the payor lives elsewhere.
This article covers the law of British Columbia.
Start with the key question: is there already an order?
BC says you can apply in BC to get or change a support order in another jurisdiction without going there. The route you use depends on whether a support order is already in effect.
| Your situation | Route that generally applies |
|---|---|
| No support order in effect, and the other parent lives in a reciprocating jurisdiction | Start a new claim through the BC designated authority under Part 2 of the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act |
| A support order already exists | The registration and variation routes in Parts 3 and 4 apply instead |
| An order is enrolled and the payor lives outside BC | The BC Family Maintenance Agency may be able to help with collection |
If you are unsure which category you fit, a lawyer can confirm it before you file anything.
Starting a new claim from BC when there is no order
If you are in BC, have no existing support order, and the other parent lives in a reciprocating jurisdiction, you may start the process in BC by submitting the support application to the designated authority in BC. That authority is Interjurisdictional Support Services (IJSS), which administers these applications.
The other parent responds in the court of their own jurisdiction, not in BC. This is what saves you from having to appear in another place.
If the other jurisdiction requires it, a BC court may make a provisional order on your application without notice to, and in the absence of, the other parent. That order has no effect until a court in the reciprocating jurisdiction confirms it.
When an order already exists
The new-claim process applies only where no support order is in effect requiring the respondent to pay support for the claimant. Where an order already exists, the registration and variation routes apply instead.
If an out-of-province or foreign support order is sent to the BC designated authority, the BC court must register it as an order of that court. Once registered, it has the same effect as a BC support order and can be enforced for past arrears and future payments.
BC also says you can apply from BC to change a support order made in another jurisdiction. Whether a change is possible, and where, depends on the details of your order, so it is worth getting advice.
Which places are covered?
A reciprocating jurisdiction is one declared in the regulations. BC lists them as including all Canadian provinces and territories, the United States and several other countries.
The 2007 Hague Child Support Convention has been in force in BC since March 1, 2024, and applies to countries that have also adopted it. If your ex lives abroad, whether their country is covered by the regulations, the Convention, or both can affect how your application is handled, so check the specific country with IJSS.
Collecting from a payor outside BC, and what to do next
The BC Family Maintenance Agency (BCFMA) can help even if the payor lives outside BC, provided the support order or agreement is enrolled. Where BC has an arrangement with the payor's location, that jurisdiction can take collection action on BCFMA's behalf, but BCFMA cannot tell the other program what action to take or when.
Where BC has no arrangement with the payor's location, BCFMA's options are narrower. It can take collection action only if the payor has income or assets remaining in Canada, or a Canadian passport or a marine or aviation licence.
- Find out whether any support order or agreement already exists, and get a copy.
- Confirm where the other parent now lives and whether that place is a reciprocating jurisdiction.
- Gather identifying information, such as the child's birth details and the other parent's last known address and income details.
- If you have an order or agreement, ask whether it is enrolled with BCFMA.
- Contact Interjurisdictional Support Services about the right application.
- Speak to a lawyer if your situation involves arrears, a change in circumstances, or a country you are unsure about.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to go to the other province or country to apply?
Generally no. BC says you can apply in BC to get or change a support order in another jurisdiction without going there. The other parent responds in the court of their own jurisdiction.
What is a provisional order?
It is an order a BC court may make on your application without notice to the other parent, if the other jurisdiction requires it. It has no effect until a court in the reciprocating jurisdiction confirms it.
Can an order from another province be enforced in BC?
An out-of-province or foreign support order sent to the BC designated authority must be registered by the BC court as its own order. After that it has the same effect as a BC support order and can be enforced for arrears and future payments.
What if BC has no arrangement with where the payor lives?
The BC Family Maintenance Agency has narrower options in that case. It can act only if the payor has income or assets remaining in Canada, or a Canadian passport or a marine or aviation licence.
Sources
- Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act, SBC 2002, c 29, ss. 1, 4–6 — bclaws.gov.bc.ca
- BC Government, Interjurisdictional Support Orders — www2.gov.bc.ca
- BC Government, BCFMA – one of us lives outside BC — www2.gov.bc.ca
Links go to official government, court and regulator pages. The law changes — confirm you are reading the current version.
This is a family law question
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