The United States Department of State has warned that Americans owing more than $2,500 in child support risk having their passports revoked under existing federal regulations.
The department disclosed this in a statement on its official website on Thursday, stating that individuals with outstanding child support debts above the threshold are ineligible to obtain or renew a US passport.
“Individuals with significant child support debt should contact their state child support agency immediately to make payment arrangements and avoid passport revocation.
“If you owe more than $2,500, federal regulations do not allow us to issue you a U.S. passport and we may revoke your valid U.S. passport,” the statement read.
The agency explained that affected passport holders would receive revocation notices either by email or through the mailing address provided in their most recent passport application.
It advised indebted parents to contact the state where the child support debt is owed to arrange repayment before they can regain eligibility for a passport.
The department noted that even after repayment, a revoked passport cannot be used for travel and affected individuals would need to apply for a new passport.
It further warned that the process of clearing a debtor’s name from government records could take a minimum of two to three weeks after payment.
“If you have urgent travel, be aware the process for your state and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to remove your name from its records may take a minimum of 2-3 weeks,” the statement said.
The State Department also said U.S. citizens overseas whose passports are revoked due to unpaid child support would only qualify for a limited-validity passport for direct return to the United States until the debt is settled and verified.
According to the agency, applicants who have already submitted passport applications must first pay all outstanding child support owed to relevant state enforcement agencies before processing can continue.
The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for notifying the State Department after a debtor’s name has been removed from its records following repayment.
The policy is grounded in a 1996 federal law that allows the State Department to deny or revoke passports for individuals owing more than $2,500 in child support.
Federal law has restricted passport issuance and renewal for delinquent child support obligors for nearly three decades, but the State Department previously acted primarily on notifications during renewal applications.
Improved data-sharing between HHS and the State Department now enables more systematic identification and revocation.
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