Starting this week, the U.S. State Department will begin revoking the passports of Americans with significant unpaid child support, marking a major expansion of enforcement efforts.
According to the State Department and the Associated Press, the first wave of revocations will target approximately 2,700 Americans who owe $100,000 or more in child support. The program is set to expand soon to include anyone owing more than $2,500.
The move is based on a 1996 law that had previously been only lightly enforced — mainly affecting people trying to renew their passports. Under the new policy, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will report delinquent parents to the State Department, which can now proactively revoke existing valid passports.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said:
“We are expanding a commonsense practice that has been proven effective at getting those who owe child support to pay their debt. Once these parents resolve their debts, they can once again enjoy the privilege of a U.S. passport.”
It remains unclear exactly how many passport holders currently owe more than $2,500, as the HHS is still compiling data from state agencies. Officials expect the number to reach many thousands once full data is collected.
The initiative aims to increase child support collections and provide relief to families affected by long-term non-payment. Parents whose passports are revoked can have them reinstated after they address their overdue payments.
