The IRS (International Revenue Service) says in a report that 362,000 Americans with severely delinquent overdue tax payments will be denied passport renewal unless their fees are paid. They also have the capability of revoking any currently issued passport. However, if you are overseas at the time of denial or revocation, “the State Department may issue you a limited validity passport good only for direct return to the United States”, the official IRS document reports.
Congress passed a law in 2015 granting the IRS power to block passports in cases where more than $51,000 is owed. The State Department is in charge of overseeing passport applications; and has received tens of thousands of violators names via the IRS since February. Violators who do not resolve their tax debt or issues prior to passport application renewal will be denied or have their application delayed through the State Department. As for those with delinquent payments who have already applied for a new passport, it will be issued to them post resolving their tax issue(s) with the International Revenue Service.
The Review Journal reports that one person has paid one million dollars in overdue taxes so that their passport would remain approved. As of June, at least 220 people have paid their overdue taxes, totalling $11.5 million. Thankfully, the IRS says they will offer payment plans for those who cannot pay their debt off all at once. They also state that those who are bankrupt, have been or are victims of tax-related identity fraud, and those who are living in a “federally-declared disaster area” will not have their passports put at risk.
More information can be found on the official IRS report at https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/revocation-or-denial-of-passport-in-case-of-certain-unpaid-taxes.
- Questions About Your Tax Debt:
You can contact the IRS with questions or to resolve your delinquent debt by phone or by mail.
- Phone: 1-855-519-4965 or 1-267-941-1004 (international)
- Mail:
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Attn: Passport
PO Box 8208
Philadelphia, PA 19101-8208
