The US State Department will begin revoking passports Friday for parents who owe $100,000 or more in unpaid child support, acting on data shared by the Department of Health and Human Services. Approximately 2,700 passport holders are expected to be affected under the initial phase of the expanded enforcement.

The move marks a shift from previous practice, where passports were typically flagged only during renewal or consular visits; now, revocations will be proactive based on federal and state debt records. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said the action aims to compel payment, adding that individuals can regain passport eligibility once debts are settled.

The policy operates under the 1996 Passport Denial Program, which allows travel restrictions for significant child support arrears. Since 2019, the program has collected over $156 million in delinquent payments, with some parents already paying after the crackdown was announced earlier this year.

The threshold for revocation is expected to be lowered to $2,500, the level set by federal law, once state-level data collection is complete, potentially affecting several thousand more individuals. Parents whose passports are revoked will be notified their documents are invalid for international travel and must clear arrears to reapply.

Those abroad at the time of revocation will need to contact a US embassy or consulate for emergency travel documents to return home. The State Department will continue phasing in the enforcement, with future actions based on updated debt data from federal and state agencies.