Federal officials began revoking U.S. passports on October 5 for parents who owe $15,000 or more in past-due child support, according to the San Juan Daily Star. The change marks the sixth time the threshold has dropped since May, when the State Department started proactively revoking passports of parents owing $100,000 or more, as reported by PBS NewsHour. The underlying 1996 federal law applies to anyone owing more than $2,500, and officials have said enforcement will continue to expand toward that figure. For parents in Rockland County and across New York, the shift dramatically increases the risk of losing international travel privileges, with consequences for work, family visits, and emergency travel.
Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C., a New York and New Jersey law firm, notes that the lower threshold leaves far more parents exposed, including those who travel abroad for work or to see family. The firm’s child support lawyer in New City, NY represents parents on all sides of support orders, from initial calculations through modification and enforcement.
Parents who fall behind often do not realize that missed payments cannot be erased retroactively. Under New York Family Court Act § 451, a court cannot reduce support that accrued before a parent filed a petition to modify the order. A parent who lost a job last year and never filed still owes every payment missed since. However, a change in circumstances may justify a new order. New York generally allows a modification after a substantial change in circumstances, after three years have passed, or when either parent’s income has changed by 15% or more. Even after paying the balance, travel rights are not restored immediately. Once arrears are resolved, a parent must apply for a new passport after payment is confirmed, so trips planned on short notice may be lost.
“Most parents who fall behind on child support aren’t trying to dodge it. They lost income and assumed the order would adjust on its own,” said Paul Goldhamer, founding partner of the firm. “It’s important to understand that the order stands until a court changes it, so the time to act is as soon as your finances change.”
The implications extend beyond individual families. Employers that rely on workers who travel internationally may face disruptions, and parents who are unable to leave the country could miss critical family events or job opportunities. As enforcement continues to tighten toward the $2,500 statutory limit, more parents will be affected. Legal experts emphasize that proactive modification petitions are essential to prevent arrears from accumulating and triggering passport revocation.
