US will revoke passports for parents who owe child support, AP learns
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The U.S. State Department will start revoking passports of parents who owe $100,000 or more in unpaid child support, affecting about 2,700 individuals, beginning Friday.
- The program will soon expand to include parents owing more than $2,500, a threshold set by a 1996 law but previously little enforced, potentially impacting thousands more.
- Previously, only those renewing passports faced revocation, but now all with arrears over $2,500 will have passports revoked proactively based on data from the Department of Health and Human Services.
- The policy aims to encourage payment of child support debts, with officials noting that hundreds of parents have already resolved arrears since the expansion was announced in February.
- Revoked passport holders will be notified and must pay arrears to regain travel privileges; those abroad at revocation must obtain emergency travel documents from U.S. embassies or consulates.
