Passports are important documents that allow people to travel to different countries. However, not paying child support can lead to the revocation of a passport.
Passport revocation can affect various aspects of one’s life, such as vacations, visiting family or jobs that require travel. Parents worried about losing their passport should understand how the process works.
The Passport Denial Program
To enforce child support payments, the U.S. Department of State operates the Passport Denial Program, which revokes passports belonging to parents who owe more than $2,500 in unpaid child support. Under this program, state child support agencies can request the revocation of a passport for parents when their child support arrears go over this amount.
Before revoking a passport, the Passport Denial Program follows specific procedures. The child support agency must provide evidence of arrears and give notice to the parent regarding the potential revocation of their passport. This allows the parent an opportunity to address their child support obligations and protect their passport privileges.
The impact of passport revocation
Revocation of a passport can have significant consequences. It restricts one’s ability to travel outside of the country, whether for personal or professional reasons. This consequence aims to encourage parents to take their child support obligations seriously and fulfill their responsibilities.
If a parent’s passport becomes revoked due to unpaid child support, they must take steps to resolve the issue. This involves contacting the relevant child support agency and making arrangements to pay the overdue child support. After making payments or establishing a payment plan, the parent can then apply to have their passport reinstated.