The divorce process can bring up a number of stressful issues, and some (such as child support) could continue to impact your life years later. If you owe child support at this time, or you anticipate these obligations soon, it is pivotal to recognize the potential consequences that you could face if you do not pay what you owe on time.
Aside from losing your driving privileges and facing the threat of time behind bars, you could lose your passport privileges if you owe back support.
Losing your passport over back child support
According to the Office of Child Support Enforcement, a parent who owes more than $2,500 in back child support loses his or her U.S. passport privileges. For example, if you have more than $2,500 worth of unpaid child support and you try to apply for a passport, the government could reject your application.
It is also important to realize that you could face the revocation of your current passport if you fail to pay child support. If you try to change your picture, add pages or hand it over to the government for another reason, you could lose your passport.
Paying back child support to protect your passport
If you have concerns about your passport, it is critical to address any back child support that you have by making payment arrangements. Whether you have a business trip lined up or you want to attend an important family event in another country, you need to address back child support (and make sure you stay current) to safeguard your passport.
