by Rudolph
(Miami, Fl USA)
Question
If you owe more than $5000 in child support and you try to travel internationally round trip on your existing, valid passport, will you be denied travel? What will happen?
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Answer
First of all, the amount for which a person can be denied a passport has been changed to $2500.
You should only have a problem with your current, valid passport if it has been revoked. If that had occurred, you would have received notice of the fact.
According to federal law, "Passport revocation may be effected when the person obtained the passport fraudulently, when the passport was issued in error, when the person’s certificate of naturalization was canceled by a federal court, or when the person would not be entitled to a new passport under 22 CFR 51.70 (a) or (b)."
It goes on to say, "The physical revocation of a passport is often difficult, and an apparently valid passport can be used for travel until officially taken by an arresting officer or by a court."
Seriously problems can arise if your passport is lost or stolen while traveling abroad and need to obtain another in order to return to the United States.
Comments for Can I use my passport if I owe more than $5000 in child support?
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Alimony
by: Anonymous
Question
Hello, can passport also be revoked or flagged in any way for owing alimony (spousal support) payments?
Answer
The Department of State has not included alimony payment arrears as grounds for passport denial/revocation.
Traveling Overseas with child support
by: Anonymous
Question
I owe over $5,000 in child support. I'm planning my honeymoon with a cruise to the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao). My passport got denied due to the arrears that I owe. The cruise line told me I'd be all set to go if I have my birth certificate and photo ID. Will I be denied access to the cruise ship or get in legal trouble if I leave the country with this cruise?
Answer
Passport denial only means you are unable to get a new passport it does not prohibit you from traveling to any destination that does not require a valid passport for entry. If you are traveling on a closed-loop cruise (one that begins and ends in the same U.S. port), you will (legally) be able to board with just your birth certificate and ID. However, you may or may not be allowed entry into your ports of call, depending on each country's requirements.
Also, in the event that you will need to travel back to the U.S. by air, there will definitely be an issue if you do not have a valid passport book.
Suspended passoport
by: Anonymous
Question
I filed DS-64 and reported the passport lost or stolen due to UPS delaying delivery for over a month. Now they found it after delivering to the wrong address. I have a overseas trip in a month and when applying for a new passport was denied due to child support. Can I travel with my found passport?
Answer
Once reported lost, a passport is immediately invalidated and can no longer be used for international travel. You need to settle your child support arrears to be taken off the denial list and be able to apply for a new passport.
Travel while owing
by: Help
Question
My husband has back child support that is over $2500. He has a valid passport that still has 8 years left on it. We received a letter from the Texas Attorney General that his passport has been placed on a denial. We have been making payments on the arrears in excess of what the court ordered. Can he travel with his passport. We are taking my oldest son (his step-son) out of country for his graduation present. This has been planned for a very long time and the court order and child support did not even exist until 8 months ago. I just need to know if he can travel and if I need to worry about repercussions of travel. No one seems to be able to answer that questions. Child support office says call passport office. Passport office says call child support office. All I get told is that there is a denial and no one can explain exactly what that means and how it affects his current/valid passport.
Answer
If a person owes child support amounting to over $2500, that person is placed in the passport denial list. This means that if an application under that person's name is submitted, it will be denied.
Denial is different from revocation. Unless your husband also received a letter saying that his passport has been revoked, or that he has a standing order preventing him from leaving the United States, he is free to travel using his current passport.
Denial list
by: Anonymous
Question
My boyfriend applied for a new passport but was denied due to arrears. It is paid off now, how long does it take to have the name removed from the passport denial list? It's been 4 business days now. How can I verify it was removed?
Answer
It takes at least 2 to 3 weeks for HHS to remove a name from the passport denial list. You may contact the Office of Child Support Enforcement to verify if the report of payment has been made to HHS and the NPIC at 1-877-487-2778 in 3 weeks to verify that the name has been removed.
Passport
by: Anonymous
Question
I am a US resident and have a passport from my country. I owe more than $2500 in child support. Can I still travel using my valid passport from my country or will I be detained at the airport?
Answer
Owing child support does not prevent an individual from traveling outside the United States. You may travel as long as your passport is valid. Having said that, we recommend that you contact the case worker assigned to you about traveling just to cover all your bases.
US and out of country passports
by: Anonymous
Question
Can I use my active passport from another country to visit family outside of the US if my current active US passport is behind on child support?
Answer
You may travel with your U.S. passport unless you received notice that it has been revoked. As a U.S. citizen, you need to depart and re-enter the United States using your valid U.S. passport.
Denied passport renewal.
by: Anonymous
Question
Denied passport renewal. I work overseas but my passport renewal was denied due to arrears. Is it possible that my passport can be renewed if I make arrangements with the state to pay back arrears?
Answer
You must pay your child support arrears to the appropriate State Child Support Enforcement Agency before applying for your passport.
I Need Help ASAP
by: One Hurt Son
Question
I owe child support and have made payments to the tune of $11k. I cannot get a hold of my court-appointed Atty and I need to attend my father's funeral in Nigeria on Friday. Are there exemptions that exist that will allow me to get my passport?
Answer
As a general rule, your arrears must be paid in full to be taken off the passport denial list. Please contact the State Child Support Enforcement Agency handling your child support case to discuss your options.
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