DCL-99-57, Province of Nova Scotia Declared a Foreign Reciprocating Country

DCL-99-57

DATE: JUN 7, 1999

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: Province of Nova Scotia Declared a "Foreign Reciprocating Country"

Dear Colleague:

I am pleased to announce that the Province of Nova Scotia, a political subdivision of Canada, has been declared a "foreign reciprocating country" for child support enforcement by the United States.

Section 459A of title IV-D of the Social Security Act [42 USC 659A] authorizes the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to determine that a foreign country has established, or has undertaken to establish, support enforcement procedures available at no cost to residents of the United States.

Services must include the establishment of paternity and support orders for children and custodial parents, enforcement of support orders, and collection and disbursement of support payments under such orders. Nova Scotia law provides for such services for reciprocating states.

On December 18, 1998, the Governor in Council, on the report and recommendation of the Minister of Justice, made an order declaring the United States to be a reciprocating state for the purpose of the Maintenance Orders Enforcement Act of Nova Scotia.

Requests for services may be sent to the Nova Scotia Central Authority, attention Paulette Inness, at:

Maintenance Enforcement Program
P.O. Box 803
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2V2
Canada
Telephone: 902-424-8032
Fax: 902-424-2153

This first federal reciprocity agreement with a Canadian jurisdiction builds upon a broad history of systemic improvements in Canadian support enforcement procedures and increasing Canadian cooperation with the United States enforcement officials. OCSE looks forward before long to completing additional Canadian reciprocity agreements and to refinement of procedures for enforcement cooperation between the United States and Canadian jurisdictions.

The United States is continuing to negotiate additional federal reciprocity agreements with countries around the world where there are also parties to child support obligations involving U.S. residents. OCSE's international child support central authority, established pursuant to P.L. 104-193, stands ready "to facilitate support enforcement" [42 USC 659A(c)] in cases involving residents of the U.S. and reciprocating foreign jurisdictions such as Nova Scotia.

For further information about the Nova Scotia reciprocity declaration or other international child support enforcement matters, please contact OCSE's Division of Policy, Office of Child Support Enforcement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW, Aerospace Building, Washington DC 20447, phone: 202-401-9386, fax: 202-260-5980

Sincerely,

David Gray Ross
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

cc: ACF Regional Administrators
ACF Assistant Regional Administrators
CSE Regional Program Managers