A Guide to Unterhaltsvorschuss (Advance Child Support Payments from the State) in Germany
What is it? Unterhaltsvorschuss (commonly abbreviated as UV) is a state benefit for child support in cases where the other parent does not pay maintenance or pays too little. The benefit is administered not by a fund, but by the local youth welfare office (Jugendamt). The state advances the maintenance payments and then attempts to recover the money from the non-paying parent. The child's right to claim maintenance is transferred to the state (Übergang des Anspruchs), so the officials will pursue the debtor on your behalf. It is important to understand: this is not a social welfare benefit, but a substitute for missing maintenance payments (Unterhalt).
Who is eligible? The right to the benefit (Anspruch) belongs to the child, not the parent. However, it is received by the parent with whom the child lives. Main conditions Age of the child:
Up to 12 years – the simplest case. You can receive it without any additional conditions
From 12 to 18 years – additional conditions apply. At least one of the following must be met:
The child or single parent does not receive Bürgergeld
The benefit prevents the family from falling into need for assistance (verhindert Hilfebedürftigkeit)
The single parent earns at least €600 gross per month (excluding Kindergeld)
Residence and living situation:
The child lives in Germany with one parent
The parent is: unmarried (ledig), widowed (verwitwet), divorced (geschieden), or permanently living separately from the other parent (dauernd getrennt lebend)
Or the spouse/partner has been in a closed institution (prison, clinic) for more than 6 months
Maintenance situation:
The other parent does not pay regularly or pays too little
The child does not receive sufficient orphan's benefits (Waisenbezüge)
For foreign nationals: Full entitlement exists for all those who are entitled to Kindergeld:
EU citizens
Third-country nationals with a permanent residence permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) or a temporary permit allowing work (Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Erwerbstätigkeit)
Who will definitely not receive it?
Parents living together in the same household (häusliche Gemeinschaft), even if not officially married.
The single parent has remarried or entered a registered civil partnership.
The child lives in a care home (Heim) or in full-time foster care with third parties (Vollzeitpflege bei Dritten).
The parent refuses to cooperate with the Jugendamt (Mitwirkungsverweigerung): not helping to establish paternity, not providing information about the other parent's whereabouts.
The other parent pays an advance equal to what the state would provide.
The child receives sufficient maintenance or orphan's benefits.
What amounts are we talking about? The amounts remain at the 2025 level — no changes took effect on January 1, 2026. The state pays the so-called minimum child support (Mindestunterhalt) minus the full Kindergeld amount. In other words, the state takes into account that you already receive child benefit and pays the difference up to the minimum required amount. The current amounts for 2026 are:
Age of child
Minimum child support (Mindestunterhalt)
Minus Kindergeld (€259)
Total UV payment
0–5 years (until 6th birthday)
€486
–€259
€227
6–11 years
€558
–€259
€299
12–17 years
€653
–€259
€394
Important points:
The payment is made separately for each child.
Formula: UV = Mindestunterhalt − Kindergeld. The full Kindergeld amount is deducted, even if the child is your third.
If the other parent makes regular payments or the child receives orphan's benefits (Waisenbezüge), these are fully deducted from the state payment.
Deadlines
When entitlement begins: From the month in which the application is submitted. If the child was born in January and you apply in March, you will receive payments from March – the January and February payments are lost.
Retroactive payment: Generally only for 1 month back. However, the prerequisite is that all conditions for payment already existed and you can prove you tried to claim maintenance independently (e.g., wrote letters, contacted enforcement authorities).
When payments arrive: Usually at the end of the month (around the 20th–30th).
If you disagree with the decision: You have 1 month to file a Widerspruch (objection).
Regular reviews: The Jugendamt has the right to periodically check whether you are still entitled. They may send a request after 6–12 months – you must respond.
Typical mistakes
Not applying on time: After birth or divorce, many think "we'll sort it out later" – and lose months of payments. Retroactive payments are only available for 1 month back; the rest is lost.
Forgetting to report changes: Marriage, moving, new partnership, the ex suddenly starting to pay – all must be reported to the Jugendamt. Otherwise, you may receive a demand to repay (Rückforderung).
Refusing to cooperate with the Jugendamt: If you do not help find the other parent, do not provide information about paternity, or do not respond to letters – you can be refused. This is called the duty to cooperate (Mitwirkungspflicht).
Thinking you can receive Unterhaltsvorschuss while living with a partner: Many mistakenly believe that if they are not married but live together, they still count as single. No. Living together with the other parent (häusliche Gemeinschaft) is a stop factor – even if you are not officially married.
Not having a maintenance title (Unterhaltstitel): A court decision on maintenance is a plus. With a title, the Jugendamt can recover money from the debtor more efficiently. Without one, the process will take longer.
Forgetting to check the Bürgergeld or €600 income condition for children over 12: If you apply without checking these conditions and they are not met – rejection.
Not attaching all required documents: The application will be put on hold until you submit the missing certificates. Time passes, payments are not made.
Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for Unterhaltsvorschuss
Step 1: Check if you are eligible Visit familienportal.de or go directly to your local Jugendamt. They will give you a definitive answer. Key points to check:
Make sure you are not living together with the other parent (no häusliche Gemeinschaft).
If the child is already over 12, check the additional condition: either you are not receiving Bürgergeld, or your gross income is at least €600 per month.
Step 2: Gather your documents You will need the following documents:
Child's birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde)
Identity card (Personalausweis) or residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) – for both parent and child
Proof of registration at your address (Meldebescheinigung) – to show you live together with the child
Acknowledgment of paternity (Vaterschaftsanerkennung) or court decision, if paternity is not clear from the birth certificate
If you were married and divorced: divorce decree (Scheidungsurteil) or proof of separation (Trennungsnachweis)
If you have a court decision on maintenance (Unterhaltstitel) – definitely attach it, preferably in enforceable form (vollstreckbarer Ausfertigung). This speeds up the recovery process
Proof of payments: bank statements (Kontoauszüge), receipts if the other parent paid anything – or, conversely, evidence that they paid nothing
For children over 12: proof of Bürgergeld status (SGB II-Bescheid) or proof of income of at least €600 gross
If the child is already over 15: school or training certificate (Schul-/Ausbildungsbescheinigung)
Step 3: Submit your application You need to go to the Unterhaltsvorschussstelle at your local Jugendamt (by place of residence). Options:
Online: if your local Jugendamt offers this option
In person or by post: the classic way
The form is called "Antrag auf Unterhaltsvorschuss"
Important: You need to fill out a separate application for each child.
Step 4: Wait for the decision Be patient – processing usually takes 4 to 12 weeks. The Jugendamt may request additional documents. If they do, it is best to submit them quickly to avoid delaying the process.
Step 5: Receive payments If approved, the money will be transferred to your account each month (usually at the end of the month). Then the magic begins: the state will itself attempt to recover these amounts from the non-paying parent. You no longer need to chase them yourself.
Step 6: If you are rejected or they demand money back Do not panic, but do not delay either. You can file an objection (Widerspruch) within 1 month of receiving the decision. If you receive a demand to repay (Rückforderung), carefully check the calculations and the reason. Both you and they could have made a mistake.
If the government agency requests additional documents
When you have submitted your application and the Jobcenter has already partially reviewed it, they may request additional documents. A serious mistake is to simply forward the requested documents without a cover letter. In such cases, the officials at the Jobcenter do not understand which case the documents belong to, cannot link them to a specific file number, consider the deadline not met, and issue a rejection stating „Unterlagen nicht fristgerecht eingereicht“
How to Submit Additional Documents Correctly When submitting additional documents, you must include a cover letter (Begleitschreiben). Cover letter pdfword.doc This ensures that your documents are correctly assigned to your case and that the deadline is met.
If your payment was rejected or too low, file an appeal.
Deadline: 1 month from receipt of the notification (1 year if no instructions were provided). Use our appeal template.
