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South Carolina Family Law Blog Information and Insight On Family Law Issues In South Carolina

Passport Denial Program Helps Recover Past Due Child Support

By J. Benjamin Stevens on Posted in Child Support, Financial Issues, Procedure

The new passport requirements that complicated travel this past summer have also uncovered vast numbers of parents who owe back child support.  Through its Passport Denial Program, the State Department denies passports to noncustodial parents who owe more than $2,500 in back child support. Once the owing parent has satisfied their child support arrearage, they may reapply for a passport.

Considering that millions of additional travelers are now required to have passports to fly back from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and South America, collections under the Passport Denial Program are on pace to almost double this year.  States have reported collecting at least $22.5 million through the program thus far in 2007.  Perhaps this is one program that the government has finally gotten right.

Source: "New Passport Rules Help Recover Back Child Support" by Dan Nunley, published at his Oklahoma Family Law Blog.

  • JOE SUNIGA

    CAN I RECIEVE A PASSPORT IF I ONLY OWE 2,473.89. I LIVE IN SAN PATRICIO COUNTY IN TEXAS AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET MY PASSPORT IN HOUSTON TEXAS.

  • Roger

    What if a person owing child support has left thier country? What happens to their passport?

  • Amanda

    My fiance and I had no idea this was a law until he applied for a passport for our already paid for trip to Cancun (a gift to us).
    To our suprise he was denied. He owes more than 2,500 but has been paying on it faithfully, every week, for the past 5 years.
    We live in Indiana. Of course the trip is non-transferable and non-refundable. Is there anything we can do to enable him to get his passport?

  • brent704

    CSE will remove the name from the “no passport” list once payment arrangements have been made to satisfy arrears (past due child support). CSE may require a court order or notice from the custodial parent. Unfortunately, it could take two weeks for the passport privledges to be re-instated. For future reference- research IVD vs non-IVD child support cases. Enter into a “consent” (agreement) order with the custodial parent (and the clerk of court) and request 1) the child support is still court ordered EXCEPT 2) the IVD (CSE) case should be close as CSE services are not in the best interest of the child

  • CHARLES BUMPERS

    I OWE CHILD SUPPORT AND ARREARS A SUBSTANTLY AMOUNT OVER 2,500 I WAS LAID-OFF MY JOB WHERE I WAS PAYING CHILD SUPPORT BY A WAGED ASSIGNMENT I GOT A JOB WITH A COMPANY THAT REQUIRE ME TO GO OUT OF THE COUNTRY TO WORK.IT CALL FOR A PASSPORT. I TRIED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY TO CLEAR MY PASSPORT SO I CAN GO TO WORK AND CONTINUE PAYING MY SUPPORT.AND THEY DENIED ME A PASSPORT.IT ONLY JUST FOR WORKING

  • sean herlihy

    i just paid $1300 to child support leaving $447 but i have a $500 lien totaling around $1100 i live in florida will this keep me from getting a pass port in 3 weeks so i can work in canada or south america?

  • http://vacationtraveldeals.org Raaj

    The Passport Denial Program began in 1998 but is gaining widespread effectiveness. As reported in The New York Times Passport Rule Helps Collect Child Support (fee or subscription required), the State Department, working with the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services, denies passports to noncustodial parents who owe more than $2,500 in child support.
    ———–
    Raaj

  • susan

    My daughter ex is leaving for Hiati next month he owes about 15,000 in back support. He has a passport already can it be revoked?

  • susan

    My daughter ex is leaving for Hiati next month he owes about 15,000 in back support. He has a passport already can it be revoked?

  • KEVIN

    SUSAN, NO HE CAN GO WHERE EVER AS LONG AS HE HAS THE PASSPORT. IF YOUR APPLYING FOR A PASSPORT YOUR SCREWED.. YEAH THIS PROGRAM WORKS SO GREAT. DENY A PASSPORT TO PEOPLE PAY BUT THE PEOPLE WHO DONT CAN LEAVE WHENEVER.

  • Shirley

    My boyfriend had a passport from Barbados and owes more that 2500.00 in back child support. He is not a US citizen will he be able to travel out of the country

  • Mary Malcolm

    My nephew applied for a passport, and assuming he would get it, went to Canada, intending for his daughter to mail it to him when it arrived. It was denied due to child support arrears. He has made arrangements with the court where half of his disability check goes to Child Support Services in Minnesota each month. Is there any way he can appeal this decision as he is out of the country with no way back in.

  • Natascha

    My husband to whom I am married for 10 years now (together 11) is US citizen and owes child support above $ 2500. But we are paying since years towards the arrears and are paying current support through wage deduction every week (monthly $800). I am from Europe and have to travel for medical reasons since I do not have insurance in US but are eligible in Europe for health insurance. I want my husband to accompany me. He also never saw my family in Europe. Can he not get the passport? What do we have to do?

  • postfreedom

    This law is great for catching wealthy jet setters who want to avoid paying child support. However with unemployment at historic levels it is quite honestly unrealistic for those who are unemployed, disabled or bankrupt. They would do better to deny passports to the board of JP Morgan Chase after taking our $25 billion bailout package and giving themselves bonuses

  • Ness

    The non custodial parent always gets screwed. This law is not enforced properly. My husband pays his child support monthly and only owes $4400 in arrears which he pays on dutifully every week straight from his employer. So, first of all there is a payment arrangement already in place. He called to make arrangements to reduce the balance below the $2500 (by borrowing money) and was told that he had to pay the whole thing off. Apparently, the OAG office does not have to follow there own rules. The individual case worker assigned can deny a person a passport just because they are having a bad day and don’t like fathers. Even fathers who pay over a $1,000 a month for one child when we don’t make that much. We also were told that even though the state law is that a person cannot be in arrears over $2500 that their individual office policy is that it has to be paid in full. We also were told that even if we did pay the whole thing there is a possibility the state attorney won’t approve it because now we’re just bothering them because we would like it expedited. What a bunch of power-mongering bureaucratic hypocrites. Guess we don’t get to go to my brothers wedding.

  • Andre’

    My story is similar to Ness. Only thing is I only owe $1400. After working a solid job for the past 5 years, my arrears went down considerably, but these people don’t care about that. I have a feeling certain offices want a $0 balance but the don’t necessarily. have to have it at $0. I was the best man in my sisters wedding but I guess I gotta get a loan now which could put me in more debt. Gotta love the USA right?

  • lo

    I have a passport and live in california, can my passport be revoked for past due child support

  • vinnie

    I dont have a passport and owe more then 2500.00 in the rears ,however paying it weekly. My wife wants to go to the bahamas on a criuse and we do not need a passport to travel. will I be stopped or arrested for trying to go or come back?

  • janis korkos

    My ex made a large payment in February, and that was the end of it, he skipped to Greece,,,,,,, have a disabled child,,,,,,, The law needs to be adjusted.

  • Celeste Martinez

    My name is Celeste Martinez
    Since 2002 I’ve been pretty sick then in 2007 I was diagnosed with Peripheral Neuropathy
    I have no medical insurance and unable to work. If I stand to long or sit to long my feet get numb.
    In 2007 I was working full time for John Casablanca’s modeling school also working part time as Assistant Manager for an apartment complex here in California, then on Christmas day 07 I had no feeling in my right foot, which lead me to resign and move back to New Mexico, to gain full feeling in my right foot again was one long year. I carry six letters of recommendations from past employers. I’m very qualified when it comes to Operations, Sales and Property Management. My Illness these last few years prevents me from working to my potential.
    Please note this illness has also attacked many of my organs through out the years as well.
    Since I’ve been moving around state to state staying with family, I have applied for S.S.I. unfortunately still waiting for a response from them as well.
    July 12, 2010 I was informed my passport was denied being that I owe $16,000 for child support for my Children: Anthony age 21 and Christopher age 17.
    My fiancé Kevin retired from the Air Force here in the U.S. and now resides in Germany. Our plan was in August once he is settled and unpacked we would start making payments $1000.payments to the Family Support Registry in Colorado. By the date of our wedding October 2010 I my child support will be caught up. Being that I’m starting to have seizures we are rushing our plans to marry from October 2011 to this October 2010.
    Kevin is willing to pay $1000 a month for 16 months to pay off my child support hoping the Family Support Registry would allow me to join him in Germany.
    I’ve been in contact with the Conejos Dept of Social Services in Colorado. Unfortunately I was told “all past due amount owed must be paid in full”
    If you have any information or programs that may help me in this matter I would really appreciate it very much.
    Sincerely,
    Celeste Martinez

  • Beverly

    A friend did not know he owed child support (does not know the child)until the child turned 18 and then the state wasnts to be reimbursed to tune of over 100,000.00. being that he owes the state, will he be able to get passport?.. he has been paying 500.00 per mo. for last several years.

  • kirk turns

    Does the state of ohio establish basis to order child support payments from a parent who is absent from the home,to recover the state’s costs for public assistance? If so, does this mean that the state of ohio, is restricted to only recovering money that is owed to the state?

  • kirk turns

    Does the state of south carolina establish basis to order child support payments from a parent who is absent from the home,to recover the state’s costs for public assistance? If so, does this mean that the state of south carolina, is restricted to only recovering money that is owed to the state?

  • Henry Gillis

    Iam from Ohio and I am being denied a passport due to back child support that was unjustly applied to me over the years. I am not disabled as of 2006 and retired with huge arrearage for children I have supported all their lives and now they are all adults beyond 21 years of age. They were never on state welfar, but I loss my income and the city refused to decrease support orders and kept high demands before income capability in spite of protest on my part. I am not disabled and on disability/ retirement. they have been taking 60% of it for arrearage the last 5 years. My present fiancee lives in south america and I need a passport.

  • Dan

    So little Miss article writter. You think this is a program that the government got right? LMAO.
    #1) there are enforcement rules that could be enforced aside from the passport program. for instance, Jail, Garnishments, property siezure, etc.
    #2) The program has caused many people like myself to not be able to work abroad. (let’s keep people from being able to make money to pay the bill. That will work) What a laugh
    #3) It is a direct violation of the constitutional riht to travel. (hope you don’t owe a sears bill or they may keep you from going places too someday)
    Now, before you get too annoyed at me hear this. I am and have always been making my support payments ON TIME. Save for the three year period that I was unable to work because I had a broken back from an auto accident. I however didn’t reduce my support obligation at that time like I could have because it was still my daughters money and I knew it had to be paid someday.
    Now I can’t go to Canada to see my customers, Mexico for them or to Turkey to visit them either. Well guess what…. you got it. Now I’m unemployed and have reduced my payments to 10.00 per month rather than the 350.00 per month she was getting.
    Yeah, this is a system that works well. Violate peoples constitutional rights because they owe a bill. Like I said…. hope your Sears bill is paid up or you aren’t going anywhere. Make sense?

  • Ray

    This law is not being enforced correctly. It should apply to irresponsible parents that are NOT making their payments. I owe a RETROACTIVE amount and have been paying on time for the last two years. The judge set an amount for me to pay weekly to pay for the retroactive amount. so I have a payment arrangement and I am paying my child support PLUS the retroactive amount ON TIME. Why am I being penalized this way then? I am not running away I am a good father, paying as I am supposed to and I get penalized for that? This is absolutely crazy and the law should be applied on a case by case basis. Very unfair.

  • Tim

    I’m in Michigan, my son turned 18 in March and graduates the end of May. I have arrear – ages to the tune of $28,000. I was a say at home dad for my daughter and my girlfriend didn’t care if I pad child support or not. But I have been working and paying child support for the last few years each week. Now that he is 18, do I need to reschedule a payment plan for the arrears amount so that I can get a passport or do I need to pay off the balance completely?

  • Al

    I have my passport and I want to make arrangement to go to South America but My ex went and file child support against me and said I have not paid her any child support since 2005. Which is a total lie? I have all of my banks statement showing she was receiving CS and all the checks mark as CS payments. Therefore, it’s shows that I am in the arrears for CS payments now. We are schedule for our hearing next month (9-2011). What I am asking, can I still use my passport now to go to South America?

  • HisLand

    My story is like everyone elses “I’ve been paying on time” but the kick is that I’ve paid for a child that turned out not to be mines. We (the mother and I) never told the child I was not his father, and I still love and care for him the same, but now the courts say the statue of limitations is up(on paternity findings) and I will have to continue paying. I love “My Son” and my grandbaby, but this has kept me from traveling out of the country, purchasing a home in my name, not to mention ruining my credit rating.All I can say is, “if your not willing to marry your partner, don’t have un-protected sex…in Texas anyway