Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests we are discussing passport revocation. Unlike other videos on this channel where we discuss passport revocation at length in connection with the rather  recently promulgated laws that allow passport revocation in the event of seriously delinquent tax debt, in this video we are talking about passport revocation in connection with delinquency of child support. This actually has been around quite a bit longer, way longer then the delinquency of tax debt issues. That stuff came in into effect in about the last three years in association with so-called FAST Act. However the delinquent child support issues have been around quite a bit longer.

What are we talking about here? Well in the event that there is a an outstanding Court order to pay child support and an individual becomes delinquent over a certain threshold, it is not only possible, but will happen where the State Authority or the State Court system, the prosecutor etc. will go ahead and notify Department of State of the delinquency in the child support. It is my understanding now that this is all sort of a rather automated process and basically once it goes over a certain threshold it is my understanding at least in the past it was $5,000. I don't know if that has been increased or decreased but let's for the purposes of this video just assume that it remains $5,000  having dealt with one of those maters on a first 10 basis; a couple of years now. But that being said I think conceptually everything still holds true but let's go ahead and use 5,000 as sort of our point of reference. Once you hit the 5,000 mark, once you hit that threshold when you are in delinquency on child support, your passport can be revoked. I have seen this happen. Individuals often times unwittingly will go to the US Embassy. I have seen this happen at the US Embassy in Thailand. They were going down to get like a certified copy. The embassy said “Hey sorry we can’t give you your passport back. You have delinquent child support”,  and it had to be dealt with. Now basically it means you have got to go ahead and get up to date with respect to the child support but it is rather a complex process and it requires dealing, especially to get it done in rather a quick manner, it requires dealing with State and Federal Authorities to go ahead and get the matter resolved in such a way that a passport can be reissued.

As with revocation of passports for tax purposes, it doesn't mean one is stuck abroad in a given country. What I mean by this is “yes once passport may be revoked for child support delinquency but one can still be issued, by the Department of State, what is called a travel letter and they can return to the United States to deal with the matter, get it back in order before being reissued a passport and presumably be allowed to travel abroad again.

So there is a way. If you are here in Bangkok and your passport is revoked for delinquency of child support, it doesn't mean you are just stuck in Bangkok. You want to return the United States it is possible but you are going to be doing so under a travel letter rather than a passport.

So the thing to take away from this is that there are solutions to those issues, both in the United States and abroad, but if one wishes to continue traveling abroad one is going to need to go ahead and get their child support issues back in order before a new passport is going to be issued and that individual is going to be able to travel rather freely with respect to their US Passport.