U.S. Department of State Begins Canceling Passports for Unpaid Child Support

May 8, 2026, 19:48
InternationalPolitics

Introduction

The U.S. Department of State has started canceling the passports of citizens who owe a significant amount of court-ordered child support.

Main Body

This new approach is a change from the previous system, which only refused to renew passports. Now, the government is actively canceling valid travel documents. This action is based on a 1996 law that allows the government to limit travel for people who owe more than $2,500 in child support. Currently, the government is focusing on about 2,700 people who owe more than $100,000. However, they plan to include everyone who owes over $2,500 once the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finishes collecting data from state agencies. Furthermore, the State Department and HHS are working together to force parents to follow court orders. The State Department emphasized that this method encourages people to pay their debts, noting that similar actions have recovered about $657 million since 1998. If a passport is canceled, it cannot be used for travel. To get a new one, the person must pay the full debt, and the HHS must verify the payment, which usually takes two to three weeks. For citizens who are already abroad, the government may provide a special limited document only to help them return to the United States.

Conclusion

The U.S. government is now using passport cancellation as a tool to ensure that parents meet their child support obligations.

Learning

⚡ The 'B2 Power-Up': Moving from Simple to Sophisticated

At the A2 level, you describe things simply: "The government stopped the passports because parents didn't pay."

To reach B2, you need to use Nominalization. This means turning actions (verbs) into things (nouns) to sound more professional and precise. Look at how the article does this:

1. The Shift

  • A2 style: The government is canceling passports. (Verb focus)
  • B2 style: "...using passport cancellation as a tool." (Noun focus)

By turning the action (canceling) into a concept (cancellation), the sentence becomes an analysis rather than just a story. This is the secret to academic and professional English.

🛠️ Practical Application: The "State of Being" Vocabulary

B2 students stop using "get" or "do" for everything. Notice these high-value substitutions from the text:

  • Instead of "Give/Get back money" →\rightarrow Use Recovered ("...recovered about $657 million")
  • Instead of "Check if it is true" →\rightarrow Use Verify ("...HHS must verify the payment")
  • Instead of "Follow the rules" →\rightarrow Use Meet obligations ("...ensure that parents meet their child support obligations")

🔍 Logic Connector: "Furthermore"

Stop using "And" or "Also" to start every sentence.

Furthermore is a B2-level transition. Use it when you have already given one strong point and you want to add a second, even stronger point. It signals to the reader: "I am building a formal argument here."

Vocabulary Learning

canceling
to officially revoke or annul something, such as a passport or a service.
Example:The airline is canceling flights due to bad weather.
passports
official documents issued by a government that allow a person to travel internationally.
Example:She applied for new passports before her trip.
citizens
people who belong to a particular country and enjoy its rights and responsibilities.
Example:Citizens of the country must register to vote.
owe
to have a debt or responsibility to pay someone.
Example:He owes money to his friend.
significant
considerable or important in amount, size, or effect.
Example:The company made a significant profit this year.
court-ordered
mandated by a judge or court, requiring a person to do something.
Example:The court-ordered payment must be made by June.
approach
a method or way of dealing with something.
Example:The new approach to teaching is more interactive.
refusing
to decline or reject something.
Example:She was refusing to accept the offer.
limit
to restrict or set a boundary on something.
Example:The policy limits the number of visitors.
recover
to regain or retrieve something that was lost or taken.
Example:They were able to recover the lost documents.
debt
an amount of money that someone is required to pay back.
Example:He cleared his debt after years of payments.
verify
to confirm the truth, accuracy, or validity of something.
Example:The bank will verify your identity before processing the transaction.
limited
restricted in scope, quantity, or duration.
Example:The offer was for a limited time only.
return
to go back to a place or previous state.
Example:I will return to the office tomorrow.
obligation
a duty or responsibility that someone is required to fulfill.
Example:It is her obligation to help the community.