U.S. Passports Will Be Revoked For Parents Who Owe Child Support

A wise person once said, “Don’t have children if you can’t afford them.” It’s no secret that the U.S. economy is not in the best place. That said, the Pew Research Center reported that adults in their 20s and 30s are bowing out of having children. With the cost of living continuing to climb, grocery prices rising, and the price at the pump causing outrage, it just doesn’t make sense for some folks to have children.

After all, there’s no worse feeling than having a child and not being up to the task of being financially responsible.

Speaking of the lack of financial responsibility, child support remains a huge issue in the U.S. Per The Anne E. Casey Foundation, “only 4.1 mil­lion par­ents received child sup­port in the form of cash pay­ments in 2021."

With that in mind, the government is seemingly taking a firm stance on child support payments. Word on the street is that U.S. passports will be revoked for some parents. Here’s the full scoop.

If you’ve been dodging child support payments, it may be time to get current! According to AP, the Trump administration is enforcing a 30-year-old law that allows the government to revoke passports due to outstanding child support payments.

Under the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, the Passport Denial Program allows government officials to revoke travel documents for parents with unpaid child support totaling more than $2,500.

Interestingly, passports were revoked only upon renewal or when seeking consular services due to child support payments. But now, the government is not playing any games.

Three State Department officials told the outlet that individuals who owe more than $100,000 in child support will be the first group affected.

However, enrollment in a Health and Human Services Department payment plan after notification of pending revocation may be spared.

Although the number of people who owe over $100,000 in child support is on a small scale, that doesn’t mean that folks below that threshold are safe. State Department officials shared that individuals who carry a child support balance may also be affected.

“The department is reviewing options to enforce long-standing law to prevent those owing substantial amounts of child support from neglecting their legal and moral obligations to their children,” officials shared via email to AP. “It is simple: deadbeat parents need to pay their child support arrears.”

Keep in mind, owing child support already comes with its share of negatives. Depending on the state, individuals may be subject to wage garnishment, tax refund interception, bank account seizure, and more. Now that passport revocation is a reality, it truly doesn’t pay to owe.

As of now, there is no set date of when passport revocation will start, or if individuals of other child support payment thresholds have a deadline to satisfy their balances.