US to start revoking passports of parents who owe child support

May 7, 2026 Updated Thu., May 7, 2026 at 12:57 p.m.

By Ismail Shakil and Daphne Psaledakis Reuters

The State Department will begin revoking the U.S. passports of thousands of parents who owe ⁠a significant amount of ‌unpaid child support, the Associated Press reported on Thursday.

The revocations would begin on ⁠Friday and be ‌focused ‌on those who owe $100,000 or more, ⁠or about 2,700 American passport holders, ‌the AP ‌reported.

The revocation program will soon be ⁠expanded to cover parents who ⁠owe more than $2,500 in unpaid child support, which is a ⁠threshold set by a little-enforced 1996 law, ⁠the AP reported, citing the State Department.

The department did ⁠not immediately respond ‌to a request ‌for comment from Reuters.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.

US to start revoking passports of parents who owe child support

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

Xi to visit North Korea next week for first time since 2019

U.S. judge strikes down Trump policies targeting immigrants from 39 countries

Zelenskiy, in open letter, invites Putin to talks to end the war