Yes, you can get a passport if you owe taxes, unless the IRS certifies your debt as "seriously delinquent" (over $66,000 as of early 2026) to the State Department, which can then deny or revoke your passport; however, you can still get or keep your passport if you're in an approved payment plan (like an Installment Agreement), have an accepted Offer in Compromise, or are appealing the debt through a Collection Due Process hearing.
You can't get a U.S. passport if you're not a citizen, have certain serious criminal convictions (drug trafficking, treason, etc.), owe significant child support (over $2,500), have a felony drug conviction while using a passport, or are subject to court orders restricting travel, but eligibility can be complex, requiring proof of citizenship, identity, and adherence to legal obligations like taxes and child support.
Their latest strategy is an implementation of the FAST Act. Simply put, if you owe more than $50,000 to the IRS, the IRS can seize your passport, thus prohibiting your ability to travel outside the U.S. This can be particularly problematic if you frequently travel overseas or have a residence in another country.
If you owe taxes, you MUST show that you have a repayment plan in place with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or appropriate state or local agency. Having a payment plan does not disqualify you, but you will need to bring proof to the interview that you comply and up to date with your payment plan.
Generally, the State Department will not issue passports to taxpayers after receiving their delinquent debt certification from the IRS. The State Department may also deny a taxpayer's passport application or revoke their current passport.
By law, the IRS will certify taxpayers with seriously delinquent tax debts to the U.S. Department of for specific actions regarding their passports. Generally, the U.S. Department of State will not issue passports to taxpayers after receiving their delinquent debt certification from the IRS.
The IRS escalates its collection efforts when the amount owed exceeds $25,000, which can result in severe penalties such as asset seizure, bank levy, wage garnishment, and even passport revocation. If you're unsure how much you owe, you can find more information and guidance here.
If the Secretary of the Treasury let us know you have seriously delinquent tax debt, we cannot issue a U.S. passport to you. We may also revoke your valid U.S. passport. If you are in a foreign country, you may be eligible for a limited-validity passport for direct return to the United States.
Yes, unless your debt is certified as seriously delinquent. Once certified, your passport can be denied or revoked. Can I get a passport if I owe taxes? Yes, you can, but only if the debt is below the threshold or not certified.
You can be disqualified from U.S. citizenship for a lack of good moral character (GMC), often due to serious crimes (like murder, aggravated felonies, drug trafficking, or crimes of moral turpitude), dishonesty on your application, failing tests, failing to pay taxes/child support, not registering for Selective Service, or committing acts like genocide or persecution; some offenses lead to permanent bars, while others cause temporary ineligibility.
Passport restrictions are law, and the IRS has now put procedures in place to continuously enforce the program. This means that if you find yourself with seriously delinquent tax debt in the future, you can expect the IRS to start the process with the State Department to restrict your passport.
The IRS Fresh Start Program helps individual taxpayers by allowing those who owe up to $50,000 to repay their taxes through monthly direct debit payments over 72 months, while also preventing further collection actions like liens and levies. How much does it cost to set up an IRS installment agreement?
Under the program, the federal Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) submits a record of parents certified by a state as having arrearages exceeding $2,500 to the State Department. The State Department denies the parents U.S. passports upon application or the use of a passport service.
You can't get a U.S. passport if you're not a citizen, have certain serious criminal convictions (drug trafficking, treason, etc.), owe significant child support (over $2,500), have a felony drug conviction while using a passport, or are subject to court orders restricting travel, but eligibility can be complex, requiring proof of citizenship, identity, and adherence to legal obligations like taxes and child support.
Offenses that may prevent the issuance of a passport include any violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act or the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act, plus any violation of state law that prohibits the possession, distribution, or manufacture of controlled substances.
The background and security checks include collecting fingerprints and requesting a “name check” from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
Generally, the State Department will not issue passports to taxpayers after receiving their delinquent debt certification from the IRS. The State Department may also deny a taxpayer's passport application or revoke their current passport.
No, everyday debt collections like those from credit cards or loans won't block your passport application. Only specific federal debts, such as back taxes or child support, might flag restrictions during the process.
The IRS 7-year rule primarily applies to keeping records for claiming a deduction for bad debts or losses from worthless securities, allowing a longer period to file for a credit or refund, but it's not a universal audit limit; it's often a recommended safe buffer for general record-keeping, with the standard IRS audit period usually being 3 years, extending to 6 years for substantial income omission (over 25%) or foreign income issues, and indefinitely for fraud.
The Good News: Most Expats Face Zero Penalties
The IRS only penalizes late filing when you owe taxes and don't file on time. Given that 62% of expats owe nothing, most late filers face no financial penalties at all.
One-time forgiveness, officially known as First-Time Penalty Abatement (FTA), is an IRS program that allows qualified taxpayers to have certain penalties removed from their tax accounts.
Notices – The IRS will start sending you notices a month or two after you miss a tax deadline. Penalties and interest – If you don't respond to notices for missed tax payments, you'll continue to accrue penalties and interest.