The U.S. State Department is set to start revoking passports for Americans who are in significant arrears on child support payments. This action is aimed at parents who owe more than $100,000 in overdue support, impacting approximately 2,700 individuals, as reported by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Federal law mandates that those with over $2,500 in unpaid court-ordered child support can be denied a passport or have their existing passports canceled. The State Department announced that it will enhance collaboration with Health and Human Services to cover parents who meet or exceed that amount.
This enforcement measure is intended to encourage parents who are behind on payments to comply with their legal obligations. According to State Department guidance, once a passport expires, it cannot be used for travel, even if the associated debt is settled later. Therefore, those with substantial child support debts are advised to reach out to their state agency to arrange payment prior to applying for a passport.
New eligibility for a passport will only be restored after the outstanding child support debt is cleared and the individual is no longer considered delinquent in the Department of Health and Human Services’ records.
Individuals affected by this policy are required to work with child support enforcement agencies in their home states. Records from HHS must be updated before the State Department can process any new passport applications, which could take a minimum of two to three weeks.
While the exact number of passport holders who owe more than $2,500 isn’t entirely clear yet, officials indicated that it could encompass many more individuals than the current 2,700 figure, as HHS continues gathering data from state agencies that monitor these numbers.
For those overseas whose passports expire, they will need to coordinate with the relevant state agency and can visit a U.S. embassy or consulate to manage their passport application. The State Department mentions that these individuals may only qualify for a temporary passport that allows them to return directly to the U.S. until their debts are confirmed as repaid.
This system for passport denial has been in place for decades, serving as a tool for federal and state authorities to enforce overdue child support payments. State agencies submit cases that qualify, and these records are then sent to the State Department.
