Child maintenance: obtaining support for your child

Both parents have a legal duty to maintain their child in Cyprus. Where a parent does not contribute, the court can make a maintenance order, and the Maintenance Orders (Facilities for Enforcement) Law provides mechanisms to enforce such orders, including across borders. Maintenance is set according to the child's needs and each parent's means.

✅ What to do

1. List the child's reasonable needs: housing, food, schooling, health and childcare costs.
2. Gather evidence of both parents' income and financial means.
3. Try to agree maintenance directly; record any agreement in writing.
4. If agreement is not possible, apply to the Family Court for a maintenance order.
5. If an order already exists but is not being paid, use the enforcement procedures available for maintenance orders.
6. For a parent living abroad, ask about reciprocal enforcement of the maintenance order.

⚠️ What to watch out for

• Informal cash arrangements are hard to enforce - obtain a written agreement or court order.
• Maintenance can be varied if circumstances change, so keep evidence of needs and income up to date.
• Delay in applying means lost support for the period before the claim.
• Non-payment should be addressed through enforcement rather than self-help.

⚖️ Legal basis

❓ Frequently asked questions