OCSE requirements can be unreasonable and seem impossible; get legal help today.

If you were ordered by a court to pay child support, and you are now in arrears, it is likely that your request for a U.S. Passport will be denied by the U.S. Department of State. States submit child support cases with past-due amounts to the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), which in turn places the name of the individual in a database searched by the Department of State prior to passport approvals.

Under Section 51.70(a)(8) of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, a passport, except for direct return to the United States, shall not be issued in any case in which the applicant has been certified to be in arrears of child support in an amount exceeding $2,500.00.

Although the U.S. Department of State has the ability to deny a passport application, they do not have the authority to release an individual’s name to obtain the passport without an authorization from the state child support enforcement agency. In order to clear the denial, the individual must contact the state child support agency that submitted the arrears notice in the first place. Depending on the state, the individual will have to either bring the balance to current, or guarantee an acceptable payment plan for the unpaid balance. Once an arrangement is made with the state child support agency, it usually takes one week for the individual to become eligible for their passport.

A child support matter can be very complex, and adding federal regulations further complicates matters. Let an experienced family law attorney review your case and assist you in lifting the hold on your U.S. Passport application. The law firm of Wallin and Klarich is prepared to answer your legal questions and is immediately available to assist you with your case. Contact us today at 888-280-6839 for additional information.