Parents in New York who owe $15,000 or more in past-due child support now face the prospect of losing their U.S. passports. Starting October 5, federal officials expanded a program that revokes passports for parents with significant child support arrears, according to the San Juan Daily Star. This is the sixth reduction of the threshold since May, when the State Department began proactively revoking passports of parents owing $100,000 or more, as reported by PBS NewsHour. The underlying 1996 federal law allows enforcement for debts exceeding $2,500, and officials have indicated they will continue to lower the threshold toward that amount.
The change dramatically increases the number of parents at risk. In Rockland County, where many residents commute to New York City or travel abroad for work and family, the consequences can be severe. Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. notes that the shift leaves far more parents exposed, including those who rely on their passports for international business trips or to visit relatives overseas. 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.
For parents who fall behind, the legal landscape is unforgiving. Under New York Family Court Act § 451, a court cannot reduce support that accrued before a parent filed a petition to modify the order. This means that a parent who lost a job last year and never filed for a modification still owes every missed payment. A change in circumstances may justify a new order, but only if the parent takes action. New York generally allows 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 off the arrears, 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 travel. A revoked passport can disrupt employment, separate families, and create additional financial strain. Parents who owe child support must now be vigilant about their payment status and proactive in seeking legal remedies. As the federal government continues to lower the threshold, more parents will find themselves caught in a system that offers little leniency for those who fail to act. For those in Rockland County and throughout New York, understanding the intersection of family law and federal enforcement is more critical than ever.
