The State Department on Friday is set to revoke thousands of passports for parents with significant, outstanding child support payments.
The move, first reported by The Associated Press, will initially target passport holders who owe $100,000 or more; seldom-enforced legislation from 1996 permits revocations for those who owe $2,500 or more.
“The Department of State is coordinating with the Department of Health and Human Services on an unprecedented scale to revoke the passports of Americans who have racked up significant outstanding child support debt,” the State Department announced Thursday.
“This action supports the welfare of American children by exacting real consequences for child support delinquency under existing federal law,” the release reads.
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To be eligible for a new passport after having one revoked, the outstanding balance must be paid and the debtor must ensure they are “no longer delinquent according to HHS records.”
Historically, the State Department only revoked passports when people with outstanding debt were attempting to renew their documents, but the AP reported in February that the department had plans to adopt a more aggressive approach and revoke passports proactively. After Friday, HHS has been instructed to pass along the name of all passport holders with more than $2,500 in child support debt to the State Department.
The $100,000 debt threshold means 2,700 passport holders will initially be targeted, according to figures from the Department of Health and Human Services. It is unclear how many parents owe more than $2,500 and would be at risk of losing their documents if the threshold is lowered.
“We are expanding a commonsense practice that has been proven effective at getting those who owe child support to pay their debt,” Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar told the AP. “Once these parents resolve their debts, they can once again enjoy the privilege of a U.S. passport.”
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