US begins revoking the passports of parents who owe child support

The United States government has started revoking the passports of parents who owe large amounts in unpaid child support, with the crackdown initially targeting those owing $100,000 or more.

The U.S. State Department confirmed on Thursday that the policy will take effect from Friday, affecting about 2,700 American passport holders identified by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Officials said the enforcement will soon expand to include anyone owing more than $2,500 in child support, the minimum threshold under a 1996 federal law that had rarely been enforced.

Previously, only people applying to renew their passports faced penalties over unpaid child support. Under the new policy, authorities will now actively revoke existing passports once overdue payments above $2,500 are reported.

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Mora Namdar, said the move is aimed at forcing parents to meet their legal responsibilities.

“We are expanding a commonsense practice that has been proven effective at getting those who owe child support to pay their debt,” Namdar said, adding that affected individuals can regain passport privileges after clearing their arrears.

According to the State Department, several parents have already begun settling their debts since news of the planned expansion emerged earlier this year.

Authorities also revealed that the policy has helped states recover about $657 million in unpaid child support since 1998, including more than $156 million in lump-sum payments over the last five years.

Parents whose passports are revoked will be notified that their travel documents are no longer valid. Those stranded abroad will have to visit a U.S. embassy or consulate to obtain emergency travel papers to return home.

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