En esta noticia
Having child support debt can have consequences that go beyond financial obligations. According to the State Department, the federal agency of the U.S. government, accumulating unpaid payments above a certain amount can prevent a person from getting a passport or even lead to the revocation of one that is already valid.
This restriction applies when the relevant authorities certify the debt to federal agencies. In addition, seriously delinquent federal tax obligations can also affect the issuance and validity of these documents.
What does the State Department say about people with child support debt?
On its official website, the State Department says citizens must be current on their child support obligations (child support) in order to obtain a U.S. passport. If a person accumulates a debt of more than US$2,500, the agency cannot issue a new document and may revoke one that is already valid.
The measure requires the debt to be certified by the relevant authorities through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). So it is not enough to have overdue payments on record: the amount owed must exceed the established limit and appear in official records.
At what amount can a passport be revoked for nonpayment?
The threshold set by federal rules is more than US$2,500 in child support. When the debt exceeds that amount, the State Department cannot issue a new passport and has the authority to revoke one that is already valid.
Affected holders receive a notice directly from the agency, which may arrive by email or at the mailing address listed on their most recent passport application.
What other debts can affect a passport’s validity?
Federal tax debts can also trigger restrictions. According to the State Department, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) must report that a person has seriously delinquent tax debt for these measures to apply.
This category includes unpaid federal taxes, along with the corresponding interest and penalties. If the taxpayer does not resolve the issue, the agency can delay or deny the passport application and even revoke one that is already valid.
What happens after the State Department revokes a passport?
Once the document is revoked, the holder can no longer use it to travel, even if the debt is later paid. To become eligible for a passport again, the person must contact the state where the debt is owed and pay the amount due. If they have debts in more than one state, they must bring payments current in all of them.
After the payment is received, state authorities must notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that the debt has been cleared. The agency removes the holder from its records and tells the State Department that they are eligible to apply for the document again.
The process can take at least two to three weeks. During that period, the State Department cannot issue a new passport until HHS confirms that the person no longer appears in its records.