WHAT IS FORM C3 USED FOR?

Form C3 is used to make an application for a court order authorising the search for, taking charge of, and delivery of a child. This court order gives the police power and allows use of force to recover a child and deliver the child to the person named in the court order.

ARE THERE ANY GOVERNMENT OR OUR OWN L.I.P HELP GUIDES OR WRITE UPS TO HELP YOU COMPLETE FORM C3?

No, there are no specific government guides for this form at present.

WHAT IS THE FEE TO SEND FORM C3 TO THE COURT AND HOW TO PAY FOR IT?

The fee to send form C3 to the court is £232.00  

Please click on the link below to government guide EX50 page 15 for family court fees.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT GUIDE EX50 FOR FAMILY COURT FEES

• Please attach a cheque or postal order made payable to HM Courts & Tribunal Service.
• If you are on certain benefits or on a low income, you can apply to the court to have your fees paid for you. The form you need is called form EX160. You can complete and submit the form online or download a hardcopy from the government website. You will need to attach proof of your benefits, your income, and/or 3 months bank statements. The government website also has the EX160A guidance notes which you can download and read to help you complete form EX160. You can send the completed form EX160 with all attachments along with your completed form C3 for the court to consider. Or you could have sent your completed form EX160 to the court in advance and received a ‘help with fees’ reference number starting with HWF. Please ask the court where to input this reference number because form C3 does not have a box on it where you can write the HWF reference number down. 

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR FORM EX160 (Here, you can access both form EX160 & EX160A guidance notes) 

HOW TO COMPLETE FORM C3 AND WHERE TO SEND IT.

• NOTE 1 – If you are completing and sending this form in then you are known as the petitioner or applicant. Your ex-partner is known as the respondent.
• NOTE 2 – You can complete this form online and then print a hard copy. Alternatively you can download it, print it and then complete by black pen. 
• NOTE  3- If you find there is not enough space to complete your answers on your form then please use additional sheets of paper to continue on and attach them to your form. Please write your name, address, case number and question number on the top of your additional sheets of paper. 
• NOTE 4 – Please send at least 3-4 copies of form C3, any evidence and attachments and any other forms to the court. The court will distribute the copies accordingly. One copy is required for the court, one for Cafcass and one for each party in the proceedings.
• NOTE 5 – Please keep a copy of your form C3, all evidence and attachments, sheets and forms for yourself outside of the ones you send to the family court.
• Form C3 is 2 pages long.
• Form C3 will ask you to list the full names of the child(ren) this application relates to at the top of the form.
• Part 1 will ask you to state your personal details, your relationship to the child(ren) the application relates to and details of your solicitor if you have one acting for you.
• Part 2 will ask you to state the personal details of the child(ren) the application relates to, the details of the person who is in control of the child(ren), and a description of the child(ren). If you can you must attach a photo of the child(ren) to your form C3. The photo must be dated.
• Part 3 will ask you about the grounds of your application. You must state whether your application is ex-parte and if so why, particulars of the court order being disobeyed, and any information available to the whereabouts of the child(ren). An ex-parte application is one that is made where the other party is not notified. 

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR FINANCIAL TERMS AND FINANCIAL COURT ORDERS EXPLAINED – EX-PARTE

• As stated above if your statement citing the reasons/grounds for this application does not fit into the box in part 3, please use an additional sheet of paper and attach it to your form C3. Please write your name and case number on the extra sheet of paper.
• You must sign the form at the bottom of page 2.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND FORM C3/DOWNLOAD THIS FORM?

Please click on the link below to download form C3 from the government website. Please complete and send by post (signed for recorded delivery).

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR FORM C3

WHEN WAS FORM C3 FIRST PUBLISHED AND LAST UPDATED?

Form C3 was first published by the government (HM Courts & Tribunals Service) on 01-09-1999.