The United States Department of State will begin revoking the passports of thousands of Americans who owe substantial unpaid child support as part of an expanded enforcement initiative aimed at recovering overdue payments.
According to officials, the program will initially target individuals owing $100,000 or more in child support arrears, affecting approximately 2,700 U.S. passport holders. Authorities say the first revocations are expected to begin Friday.
The move significantly broadens enforcement of a 1996 U.S. law that allows passport restrictions for individuals with unpaid child support debts exceeding $2,500.
Until now, the rule was largely enforced only when individuals attempted to renew their passports. Under the new policy, the State Department will proactively revoke valid passports after receiving delinquency data from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Officials say the program could soon affect many thousands more Americans once states finalize updated arrears information.
Mora Namdar described the initiative as a “commonsense practice” intended to encourage parents to meet their financial obligations.
“We are expanding a commonsense practice that has been proven effective at getting those who owe child support to pay their debt,” Namdar said.
The State Department noted that states have collected approximately $657 million in overdue child support payments since the program was introduced in 1998, including more than $156 million over the past five years through lump-sum settlements.
Officials also said that after reports of the expanded enforcement surfaced earlier this year, hundreds of parents reportedly began resolving outstanding payments with state agencies.
Under the policy, individuals whose passports are revoked will receive notification that the document is no longer valid for international travel. They will be required to settle their debts before becoming eligible to apply for a new passport.
Americans who are overseas when their passports are revoked will still be able to obtain emergency travel documents through U.S. embassies or consulates to return home.
The expanded enforcement effort reflects a broader push by the U.S. government to strengthen collection measures tied to unpaid child support obligations.