{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/20-88.83.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/20-88.83.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/20-88.83.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/20-88.83.html"}],"law_id":353786,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353786,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.83","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"2015, c. 727.","full_text":"As used in this article:\n\n“Application” means a request under the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance by an obligee or obligor, or on behalf of a child, made through a central authority for assistance from another central authority.\n\n“Central authority” means the entity designated by the United States or a foreign country described in \u00a7 20-88.32 to perform the functions specified in the Convention.\n\n“Convention support order” means a support order of a tribunal of a foreign country described in \u00a7 20-88.32.\n\n“Direct request” means a petition or similar pleading filed by an individual in a tribunal of the Commonwealth in a proceeding involving an obligee, obligor, or child residing outside the United States.\n\n“Foreign central authority” means the entity designated by a foreign country described in \u00a7 20-88.32 to perform the functions specified in the Convention.\n\n“Foreign support agreement” means an agreement for support in a record that (i) is enforceable as a support order in the country of origin; (ii) has been formally drawn up or registered as an authentic instrument by a foreign tribunal or authenticated by or concluded, registered, or filed with a foreign tribunal; and (iii) may be reviewed and modified by a foreign tribunal. “Foreign support agreement” includes a maintenance arrangement or authentic instrument under the Convention.\n\n“United States central authority” means the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1317966,"text":"As used in this article:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1317967,"text":"“Application” means a request under the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance by an obligee or obligor, or on behalf of a child, made through a central authority for assistance from another central authority.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"2":{"id":1317968,"text":"“Central authority” means the entity designated by the United States or a foreign country described in \u00a7 20-88.32 to perform the functions specified in the Convention.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"3":{"id":1317969,"text":"“Convention support order” means a support order of a tribunal of a foreign country described in \u00a7 20-88.32.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"4":{"id":1317970,"text":"“Direct request” means a petition or similar pleading filed by an individual in a tribunal of the Commonwealth in a proceeding involving an obligee, obligor, or child residing outside the United States.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"5":{"id":1317971,"text":"“Foreign central authority” means the entity designated by a foreign country described in \u00a7 20-88.32 to perform the functions specified in the Convention.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"6":{"id":1317972,"text":"“Foreign support agreement” means an agreement for support in a record that (i) is enforceable as a support order in the country of origin; (ii) has been formally drawn up or registered as an authentic instrument by a foreign tribunal or authenticated by or concluded, registered, or filed with a foreign tribunal; and (iii) may be reviewed and modified by a foreign tribunal. “Foreign support agreement” includes a maintenance arrangement or authentic instrument under the Convention.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"7":{"id":1317973,"text":"“United States central authority” means the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":50655,"edition_id":2,"name":"Support Proceeding Under Hague Convention","identifier":"13","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":13,"parent_id":50642,"metadata":{"child_laws":13,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:44","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:52","permalink":{"id":1405643,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50655,"identifier":"13","token":"20\/5.3\/13","url":"\/20\/5.3\/13\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50642,"edition_id":2,"name":"Uniform Interstate Family Support Act","identifier":"5.3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":10,"parent_id":50619,"metadata":{"child_laws":77,"child_structures":13},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:37","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:50","permalink":{"id":1405597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50642,"identifier":"5.3","token":"20\/5.3","url":"\/20\/5.3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50619,"edition_id":2,"name":"Domestic Relations","identifier":"20","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":56,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":329,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:08","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405077,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50619,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":353786,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.83","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/20-88.83\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.83","metadata":false},{"id":353787,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.84","catch_line":"Applicability","url":"\/20-88.84\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.84","metadata":false},{"id":353788,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.85","catch_line":"Relationship of Department of Social Services to United States central authority","url":"\/20-88.85\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.85","metadata":false},{"id":353789,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.86","catch_line":"Initiation by Department of Social Services of support proceeding under convention","url":"\/20-88.86\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.86","metadata":false},{"id":353790,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.87","catch_line":"Direct request","url":"\/20-88.87\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.87","metadata":false},{"id":353791,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.88","catch_line":"Registration of Convention support order","url":"\/20-88.88\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.88","metadata":false},{"id":353792,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.89","catch_line":"Contest of registered convention support order","url":"\/20-88.89\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.89","metadata":false},{"id":353793,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.90","catch_line":"Recognition and enforcement of registered convention support order","url":"\/20-88.90\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.90","metadata":false},{"id":353794,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.91","catch_line":"Partial enforcement","url":"\/20-88.91\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.91","metadata":false},{"id":353795,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.92","catch_line":"Foreign support agreement","url":"\/20-88.92\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.92","metadata":false},{"id":353796,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.93","catch_line":"Modification of Convention child support order","url":"\/20-88.93\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.93","metadata":false},{"id":353797,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.94","catch_line":"Personal information; limit on use","url":"\/20-88.94\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.94","metadata":false},{"id":353798,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.95","catch_line":"Record in original language; English translation","url":"\/20-88.95\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.95","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":353787,"structure_id":50655,"section_number":"20-88.84","catch_line":"Applicability","url":"\/20-88.84\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.84","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-88.83\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2015. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 727<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":[{"id":353722,"section_number":"20-88.32","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-88.32\/"},{"id":353726,"section_number":"20-88.34:1","catch_line":"Application of chapter to resident of foreign country and foreign support proceeding","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-88.34_1\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":353722,"section_number":"20-88.32","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-88.32\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1405645,"object_type":"law","relational_id":353786,"identifier":"20-88.83","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.83","url":"\/20-88.83\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-88.83\/","token":"20\/5.3\/13\/20-88.83","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-88.83","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this article:<\/p>

“Application<\/span>” means a request under the Hague Convention<\/span> on the International Recovery of Child<\/span> Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance by an obligee<\/span> or obligor<\/span>, or on behalf of a child<\/span>, made through a central authority<\/span> for assistance from another central authority<\/span>.<\/p>

“Central authority<\/span>” means the entity designated by the United States<\/span> or a foreign country<\/span> described in \u00a7 20-88.32<\/a> to perform the functions specified in the Convention<\/span>.<\/p>

“Convention support order<\/span>” means a support order of a tribunal<\/span> of a foreign country<\/span> described in \u00a7 20-88.32<\/a>.<\/p>

“Direct request<\/span>” means a petition<\/span> or similar pleading filed by an individual in a tribunal<\/span> of the Commonwealth in a proceeding involving an obligee<\/span>, obligor<\/span>, or child<\/span> residing outside the United States<\/span>.<\/p>

“Foreign central authority<\/span>” means the entity designated by a foreign country<\/span> described in \u00a7 20-88.32<\/a> to perform the functions specified in the Convention.<\/p>

“Foreign support agreement<\/span>” means an agreement for support in a record<\/span> that (i) is enforceable as a support order in the country of origin; (ii) has been formally drawn up or registered as an authentic instrument by a foreign tribunal<\/span> or authenticated by or concluded, registered, or filed with a foreign tribunal<\/span>; and (iii) may be reviewed and modified by a foreign tribunal<\/span>. “Foreign support agreement<\/span>” includes a maintenance arrangement or authentic instrument under the Convention.<\/p>

“United States central authority<\/span>” means the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 20-88.83)\n\nAs used in this article:\n\n“Application” means a request under the Hague Convention on the\nInternational Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance by\nan obligee or obligor, or on behalf of a child, made through a central authority\nfor assistance from another central authority.\n\n“Central authority” means the entity designated by the United States\nor a foreign country described in \u00a7 20-88.32 to perform the functions specified\nin the Convention.\n\n“Convention support order” means a support order of a tribunal of a\nforeign country described in \u00a7 20-88.32.\n\n“Direct request” means a petition or similar pleading filed by an\nindividual in a tribunal of the Commonwealth in a proceeding involving an\nobligee, obligor, or child residing outside the United States.\n\n“Foreign central authority” means the entity designated by a foreign\ncountry described in \u00a7 20-88.32 to perform the functions specified in the\nConvention.\n\n“Foreign support agreement” means an agreement for support in a\nrecord that (i) is enforceable as a support order in the country of origin; (ii)\nhas been formally drawn up or registered as an authentic instrument by a foreign\ntribunal or authenticated by or concluded, registered, or filed with a foreign\ntribunal; and (iii) may be reviewed and modified by a foreign tribunal.\n“Foreign support agreement” includes a maintenance arrangement or\nauthentic instrument under the Convention.\n\n“United States central authority” means the Secretary of the U.S.\nDepartment of Health and Human Services.\n\nHISTORY: 2015, c. 727.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}