Paying Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of family in another country

Question : The questioner asks: Is it permissible for me to pay Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of my children, who are currently in Riyadh, while I am in Makkah?

Answer : Yes, it is permissible for a person to pay Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of his family if they are not with him in the same country. So, if he is in Makkah and they are in Riyadh, it is permissible for him to pay Zakat al-Fitr on their behalf here. However, it is better for a person to pay Zakat al-Fitr in the place where the time for payment finds him. If the time finds you in Makkah, pay it in Makkah; if you are in Riyadh, pay it in Riyadh. If some of the family are in Makkah and some in Riyadh, those in Riyadh pay it in Riyadh, and those in Makkah pay it in Makkah, because Zakat al-Fitr is paid as a substitute. Yes.