Can I get a passport if I owe child support?
by Anthony
(New York)
Question: I owe about $5000 on child support but I need to travel to go visit my father in the Dominican Republic. I haven't seen him in like 3 years. What can I do?
Answer: The only way you can obtain a passport and travel to the Dominican Republic is if you contact the appropriate State child support enforcement agency to make payment arrangements before applying for a passport. Anyone that owes more than $2500 is ineligible to receive a U.S. passport.
Here are the steps you need to take:
1. Contact the State child support enforcement agency and make arrangements for the payment of the child support you owe.
2. Once this has been done, ask the agency to contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and inform them concerning the arrangement.
3. Next, verify that HHS has contacted Passport Services to request the removal of your name from the electronic list HHS gives to Passport Services. It can take 2-3 weeks for your name to be removed from the list.
4. Once your name is removed from the list, apply for a
new passport. Regular passport processing takes 4-6 weeks.
Expedited service takes 2-3 weeks. To get your passport in less than two weeks, you can submit the application at a
regional passport agency.
Click for fast expedited courier service
Top 5 Questions About Expedited Passport Couriers
UPDATE: Mailing delays and high demand are impacting passport processing. The Department of State's processing times begin when applications are received at a passport agency or center and not when you mail them or apply at a local acceptance facility.
Standard service may take between 10 and 13 weeks. This timeframe does not include delivery time. Mailing times vary across the country.
Expedited service takes from 7 to 9 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.
Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.
If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment.
For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.
If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC.
A registered expedited passport courier can often assist in obtaining a passport as quickly as the same day. You can learn more about this service here.
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