Gambian-US citizens urged to pay Child Support duties

Pursuant to applicable United State federal law and regulations, individuals who owe child support arrears exceeding $2,500 are ineligible to obtain, renew, or retain a United States passport. In such circumstances, the United States Department of State may deny the issuance or renewal of a passport and may also revoke an existing passport.

In light of the foregoing, the Embassy strongly urges all affected individuals to promptly contact Office of Child Support Enforcement or the relevant child support agency in the state where the arrears are owed in order to arrange for repayment of any outstanding obligations and avoid the possibility of passport revocation.

The Embassy further wishes to emphasise that once a U.S. passport has been revoked on account of child support arrears, the passport does not automatically regain its validity even following settlement of the outstanding debt. Individuals who have fully settled their arrears should take proactive steps to follow up with the relevant state authorities and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that their names are removed from the child support arrears registry.

Please note that the verification and clearance process may take approximately two to three weeks following confirmation of payment. Upon completion of this process, the individual’s eligibility to apply for and obtain a new U.S. passport may be restored.

The Embassy encourages all concerned persons to address any outstanding child support obligations without delay in order to avoid disruptions to their travel documentation or related services.

For further inquiries, please contact the competent U.S. authorities at the following numbers: 1‑877‑487‑2778 or 1‑888‑874‑7793.

Issued by Embassy of The Gambia in Washington D.C.