The U.S. State Department will begin revoking the passports of thousands of Americans who owe a significant amount of unpaid child support.
“Revocations will begin Friday and will initially focus on parents who owe $100,000 or more in past-due child support,” Fox News reports.
According to figures supplied by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), that group includes approximately 2,700 passport holders.
The U.S. will start revoking passports this week for parents who owe $100,000 or more in child support and soon will expand the policy. https://t.co/dEC8CFithF
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 7, 2026
More from the Associated Press:
The revocation program, plans for which were first reported by the AP in February, soon will be greatly expanded to cover parents who owe more than $2,500 in unpaid child support — the threshold set by a little-enforced 1996 law, the State Department said.
ADVERTISEMENTIt was not clear on Thursday how many passport holders owe more than $2,500 because HHS is still collecting data from state agencies that track the figures, but it could encompass many more thousands of people, officials said.
Until this week, only those who applied to renew their passports were subject to the penalty. Under the new policy, HHS will inform the State Department of all past-due payments of more than $2,500 and parents in that group with passports will have their documents revoked, the department said.
“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 said. “Once these parents resolve their debts, they can once again enjoy the privilege of a U.S. passport.”
Since the AP reported the expansion of the program on Feb. 10, the department said it had “seen data that hundreds of parents took action and resolved their arrears with state authorities since news broke that the State Department would start proactively revoking passports.”
Passport holders whose documents are revoked under the program will be notified that they cannot use them for travel and must apply for a new passport once their debts are confirmed paid.
If a passport holder is abroad at the time of revocation, they must visit a U.S. embassy or consulate to obtain an emergency travel document that allows them to return to the United States.
“In coordination with @HHSGov, @StateDept is holding parents who owe significant child support accountable by revoking their passports. If you owe more than $2,500 in child support, arrange payment now to the relevant state child support enforcement agency,” the State Department wrote on X.
In coordination with @HHSGov, @StateDept is holding parents who owe significant child support accountable by revoking their passports. If you owe more than $2,500 in child support, arrange payment now to the relevant state child support enforcement agency.https://t.co/wvmM4lZ0Ta
— Department of State (@StateDept) May 7, 2026
Fox News noted:
The enforcement push is intended to pressure delinquent parents to comply with court-ordered child support obligations, officials said.
Once a passport is revoked, it may no longer be used for travel, even if the debt is later paid, according to State Department guidance. The State Department advised any American with significant child support debt to contact the relevant state agency and arrange payment before any passport action is taken.
ADVERTISEMENT“Eligibility for a new passport will only be restored after child support debt is paid to the relevant state child support enforcement agency and the individual is no longer delinquent according to HHS records,” they said.
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