If you are preparing to get a divorce as a parent, you need to carefully review various challenges that could arise, from a custody dispute to child support concerns. You should familiarize yourself with child support issues, such as how courts calculate the amount of child support that a parent has to pay as well as the consequences of failing to pay support on time.
If you fall behind on child support, you could face serious repercussions. Not only do some parents face the risk of arrest and garnishment, but some are unable to apply for a passport because of back support.
How can unpaid child support affect passport privileges?
The Administration for Children and Families provides an overview of the Passport Denial Program, which prevents parents who owe a certain amount of back child support from receiving a U.S. passport. Under this program, parents cannot successfully apply for a passport if they owe more than $2,500 in back child support. In addition, parents who already have a passport could have their passport revoked, such as those who hand it over to an embassy to change their name or add pages.
Can parents address back child support to restore privileges?
If you lost your passport privileges due to falling behind on child support, you could address this situation by reaching out to the state and making payments. Some states allow parents to make partial payments or work through a payment plan, while others require full repayment in order to restore passport privileges.
Make sure you understand the impact of falling behind on child support and explore strategies to help you stay current if you worry about becoming delinquent.