The United States Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago is reminding American citizens that owing significant child-support arrears could result in their passports being denied or revoked.
According to guidance from the US Department of State, Americans who owe more than US$2,500 in child support are ineligible to receive a US passport. An existing passport may also be revoked in qualifying cases.
The State Department manages the process in coordination with the US Department of Health and Human Services and state child-support enforcement agencies.
People affected by the measure are encouraged to contact the child-support enforcement agency in the relevant state and make arrangements to settle the outstanding debt before applying for a passport or planning international travel.
The advisory is particularly important for US citizens living or travelling overseas. If a passport is revoked while the holder is outside the United States, that person may only be eligible for a limited-validity passport allowing direct travel back to the country.
Travellers with outstanding child-support obligations are therefore being urged to resolve the matter as soon as possible to avoid passport and international travel restrictions.
