• US to revoke passports for parents owing over $100,000 in child support.
• Initial phase targets approximately 2,700 passport holders.
• Expanded policy to include debts over $2,500, affecting more parents.
• Parents can regain passports after resolving outstanding debts.

The US State Department will begin revoking the passports of parents who owe significant amounts in unpaid child support, starting with those who owe more than $100,000. This initiative, affecting approximately 2,700 American citizens, is an expansion of an existing program first reported in February 2023, which aimed primarily at renewal applicants. The new enforcement will actively target those in debt based on data shared by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to Le Monde, India Times, and Los Angeles Times.

Under the expanded policy, which is expected to commence on Friday, parents with unpaid debts exceeding $2,500 will also face passport revocation. This change is linked to a 1996 federal law that has seen limited enforcement over the years. The State Department anticipates that the number of impacted individuals could rise significantly once comprehensive data collection from state agencies is completed. "We are expanding a commonsense practice that has been proven effective," remarked Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar, according to BBC, Los Angeles Times, and India Times.

Individuals whose passports are revoked will be informed about the travel restrictions and will need to settle their debts to reapply for a passport. Those outside the US at the time of revocation will have to contact US embassies or consulates for emergency travel documents. The program aims to bolster compliance with child support obligations, which have resulted in over $657 million collected since its inception, including more than $156 million in just the last five years, as reported by Le Monde and BBC.