If you do not pay child support on time, many different problems could follow. Tax refund interception, license suspension and even arrest could become a possibility. Furthermore, you should realize that the government could revoke your passport or deny your application for a U.S. passport if you do not stay current on child support.
Without a passport, your international plans and goals could crumble. Whether you have planned a trip overseas for years or you need to head abroad for business, your inability to get a passport could derail these ambitions.
Passport denial as a result of child support
The Department of State reports that if you owe at least $2,500 in unpaid child support, you lose your eligibility for a U.S. passport. If you try to apply for a passport and you owe child support arrears in excess of this amount, the government will deny your application. The Department asks you to pay arrears to the child support agency in your state before submitting a passport application.
If you have already tried to apply for a passport and you owe arrears, you have to make payment arrangements so that the government clears your name and processes your application. This can take up to three weeks.
Paying child support to safeguard your passport
Whether you already owe back child support or worry about falling behind soon, it is critical to go over the options in front of you to protect your passport privileges. Creating a payment plan could help, and you might have the opportunity to modify your child support order if you have experienced significant changes with respect to your financial circumstances.