Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1975 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 2 · Orders Made by Courts in Singapore
3. Transmission of maintenance order made in Singapore for enforcement in reciprocating country
Feedback & supportWhere the payer under a maintenance order made, whether before or after 3 May 1976, by a court in Singapore is residing in a reciprocating country, the payee under the order may apply for the order to be sent to that country for enforcement.
payer
“payer”, in relation to a maintenance order, means the person liable to make payments under the order;
Every application under this section must be made in the prescribed manner to the prescribed officer of the court which made the maintenance order to which the application relates.
court
“court” includes any tribunal or person having power to make, confirm, enforce, vary or revoke a maintenance order that is enforceable by a civil court of competent jurisdiction;
If, on an application duly made under this section to the prescribed officer of a court in Singapore, that officer is satisfied that the payer under the maintenance order to which the application relates is residing in a reciprocating country, the following documents:
maintenance order
“maintenance order” means an order (however described) of the following descriptions:(a)an order (including an affiliation order or order consequent upon an affiliation order) which provides for the payment of a lump sum or the making of periodical payments —(i)by a man towards the maintenance of his wife or former wife; or(ii)by a person towards the maintenance of the person’s child; and(b)an affiliation order or order consequent upon an affiliation order, being an order which provides for the payment by a person adjudged, found or declared to be a child’s father of expenses incidental to the child’s birth or, where the child had died, of the child’s funeral expenses,and in the case of a maintenance order which has been varied, means that order as varied;
a certified copy of the maintenance order;
a certificate signed by that officer certifying that the order is enforceable in Singapore;
a certificate of arrears so signed;
a statement giving such information as the officer possesses as to the whereabouts of the payer;
a statement giving such information as the officer possesses for facilitating the identification of the payer; and
where available, a photograph of the payer,must be sent by that officer to the Minister with a view to their being transmitted by the Minister to the responsible authority in the reciprocating country if the Minister is satisfied that the statement relating to the whereabouts of the payer gives sufficient information to justify that being done.
Nothing in this section is to be taken as affecting any jurisdiction of a court in Singapore with respect to a maintenance order to which this section applies, and any such order may be enforced, varied or revoked accordingly.