Challenging overseas maintenance decisions

In some cases you can challenge our decision about registering your overseas child support or domestic maintenance. For example, if you are in New Zealand and the other parent is in another country that's a member of the 2007 Child Support Convention, or the reverse.

You can challenge our decision to accept or decline a registration, as long as it fits under the grounds from the 2007 Convention. 

Please contact us to discuss our decision before you make your challenge.

Contact us

Timeframe for challenging a decision

We must receive your challenge in writing within:

• 30 days, if you live in New Zealand
• 60 days, if you do not live in New Zealand.

The 30 or 60 days starts from the date on the decision letter we sent you.

If you already pay child support, you must continue paying until you hear from us. 

Grounds for challenging

You can challenge:

• a maintenance decision under the grounds listed in Article 22 of the 2007 Convention
• a maintenance arrangement under the grounds listed in Article 30 of the 2007 Convention.

We recommend you contact your advisor if you want to challenge the Convention.

Read about the grounds in Article 22 or Article 30.

2007 Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and other forms of Family Maintenance - assets.hcch.net (PDF)
How to challenge an overseas maintenance decision