Child Benefit

[joanfar]

Good day,

We've recently sent our EU1 form by post to INIS, I am from the Philippines and my husband is British. We have a 5-year old EU-citizen son and I was wondering if my husband can apply for our son's child benefit? I understand that in Ireland, child benefit is normally paid to the mother. However in our case, me having to wait for INIS to process my EU4FAM, how do we go about it? My son is attending the National school in the area where we live. Any advise will be appreciated, thanks very much.

[Paddy_Leprechaun]

Yes, if your husband satisfies the criteria of child benefit entitlement then he can apply. There is some sort of preference that these benefits are transferred to the mother's account but it is not mandatory. Child benefits of my kid are paid in my bank account rather than my wife's because when I applied she didn't have an Irish bank account. So yes it is possible.

[joanfar]

Thanks very much for the helpful information!

[joanfar]

Hello again,

An update regarding our child benefit application. We have just received a returned application for child benefit with a note from their office saying, "Under Child Benefit Regulations, where the child(ren) reside(s) with both parents, Child Benefit is paid to the mother. Therefore, the child(ren)'s mother/stepmother should complete the Child Benefit and HRC1 application forms enclosed." I have also phoned them and they said the same thing very abruptly.

Any advise will be highly appreciated if any of you have heard of or in a similar situation to mine , one who is currently waiting for INIS to process my EU1 application. My husband was the one receiving Child Benefit in the UK when we lived there, so I'm in a bit of confused state. Cheers.