US state department to start revoking passports of parents who owe child support
Summary
The US State Department will start canceling passports of parents who owe large amounts of unpaid child support, beginning with those who owe $100,000 or more. Soon, the program will expand to include parents owing more than $2,500, under a law from 1996, to encourage them to pay their debts.Key Facts
- Passport revocations begin on Friday for parents who owe $100,000 or more in child support.
- About 2,700 US passport holders currently owe $100,000 or more.
- The program will expand to cover parents owing more than $2,500 in unpaid child support.
- The $2,500 threshold comes from a 1996 law that has rarely been enforced until now.
- Previously, only parents renewing passports could have them revoked; now revocations will apply to all eligible passport holders.
- Since the program was first announced in February, hundreds of parents have paid their arrears.
- The program has helped collect $657 million in child support since 1998.
- Parents with revoked passports will be notified and must pay their debts to get a new passport.
- Those abroad when their passport is revoked can get emergency travel documents from US embassies to return home.
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