Unterhaltsvorschuss Bewilligung

You are a single parent and receive no or irregular maintenance from the other parent for your child? Then you can apply for advance maintenance payments.

Advance maintenance payments are a state benefit for children of single parents. It helps to secure the financial basis of your child's life if the other parent does not pay maintenance, only pays part of it or does not pay it regularly.

You must raise the child in your household without the other parent. The child's center of life must clearly be in your household. You must not have married a new partner.

If all requirements are met, the maintenance advance will be paid to you until your child reaches the age of majority.

The amount of the maintenance advance is based on the minimum maintenance amount.

Since 01.01.2024, the following amounts apply

• for children up to 5 years EUR 230 per month
• for children from 6 to 11 years EUR 301 per month
• for children from 12 to 18 years EUR 395 per month

After the age of 12, your child is only entitled to maintenance under further conditions, see section "Conditions".

• birth certificate of the child
• Identity card or passport
• Valid residence permit

  In case of foreign citizenship. With additional sheet, if necessary.

• Acknowledgement of paternity

  If you are not or were not married: Deed, order or judgment.

• Divorce decree or judgment

  If you are divorced.

• Proof of the time of separation

  If you are married but live permanently separated from your spouse because the continuation of the marital partnership is refused by one of the spouses.

  Example: Confirmation from your lawyer.

• Supporting titles

  If available: Maintenance certificate, court order - judgment or proof of service of the maintenance claim.

• Indemnification agreement

  If available.

• (Reminder) letter

  If available: (Dunning) letters in connection with the assertion of child support claims.

• Child support decision
• Evidence of the child's income from property and work

  If available: for example, income from interest, work, or educational remuneration of the child.

In principle, children who meet the following requirements are eligible:

• The child has not yet reached the age of 18; and
• The child lives with only one parent in a joint household, and
• The child does not receive child support or alimony from the other parent, or
• The child receives child support payments that are less than the prevailing statutory child support advance rate.

If the child has reached the age of 12, the following rules apply:

• The child does not receive benefits for basic security under the Second Social Code (SGB II) from the Bremerhaven Job Center. Or:
• The child receives benefits for basic security according to the Second Social Code (SGB II) from the Jobcenter Bremerhaven and at the same time the single parent earns an income of at least 600.00 € per month.

Or:

• Due to the granting of the advance on maintenance payments, the child is no longer dependent on the basic income support (discontinuation of the need for assistance). This also applies if the single parent has an income of less than 600.00 € per month.

Children with foreign citizenship can also receive advance maintenance payments under certain conditions. Eligibility is checked on a case-by-case basis.

Requirements for the child or single parent (examples):

• Citizenship of an EU country
• Citizenship of Switzerland
• Possession of a settlement permit
• Possession of an EU Blue Card
• ICT card
• Residence title according to § 1 para. 2a UhVorschG.

You can apply for advance maintenance payments via the online service or in paper form.

Online service

• To fill out and submit the online application, you need a service account.
• If you do not already have a service account, you can register for one. You can do this during the online application process.
• The online service will guide you conveniently through the application.
• You can submit the required documents digitally.
• You will receive the decision by mail.

Paper form

• You can find the application to print out under "Forms" or on site at the responsible office in paper form.
• Fill out the application.
• Attach a copy of the required documents to the application.
• Send everything by mail or hand in the documents on site.
• The completed application should be delivered to the competent office.
• You will receive the decision by mail.
• Competent offices in Bremerhaven:
  • Office for Youth, Family and Women
    Social Services
    Hinrich-Schmalfeldt-Str. 40
    27576 Bremerhaven

Appeal

• You can lodge an appeal against the decision. You can file the appeal with the Office for Youth, Family and Women.
• The objection must be submitted to the authority within 1 month in writing, in electronic form or in writing.

Advance

• If the other parent would be able to pay the child support, this is an advance on the child support, which the child support advance office recovers from the parent who is actually obliged to pay the child support.

Asylum procedure

• With a residence permit (i.e. during an asylum procedure) you cannot receive an advance on maintenance for your child.

Toleration

• If you are staying in Germany with a Duldung (tolerated stay), you also cannot receive advance maintenance payments for your child. Exception: With an employment toleration you can receive maintenance advance.