The world is a big place and it’s only getting bigger. But, not everyone can access all the exciting wonders of the world, either because they don’t have the funds, just haven’t had the chance to travel yet, or they may feel like they’re not be able to get a passport. Let’s be honest, if you’re reading this post then chances are, you’re one of these people. You may have even been reading about the requirements, rules, and changes to all the US Passport requirements and thinking “I’ll never be able to get a passport.” It may not be as bad as it seems. In this article, we’re going to take a look at what disqualifies you from getting a passport.
Why do you need a passport?
Before we get into what disqualifies you from getting a passport, we need to look at what the purpose of a passport is, in the first place. A passport is essentially a status symbol. It’s what lets other countries know where you’re from and what your citizenship status is in their country. It’s what allows you to travel to other countries, what lets them know that you are returning back home where you belong once your visit is over, and what lets their government know what they can do if you overstay your visit.
If you’re looking to travel, then having a passport is what lets you access what you want to see. There is a lot of beautiful things in this world that are worth seeing. For instance, if you live in Seattle, Washington, but would love to go on an amazing adventure to see The Great Wall of China, then having a passport is what lets you go on that adventure.
So What Disqualifies You From Getting a Passport
We’re going to get into what disqualifies you from getting a passport, because what you’re probably really wondering about is what disqualifies you from receiving your US Passport. So what are these things?
You may be disqualified from getting a passport if you owe more than $2,500 in child support. Also, at certain points of receiving a US Passport, you may need to provide proof of what progress you’ve made on your child support payments.
You may also be disqualified from getting a passport if you fail to prove that you have made arrangements for the care of your children.
What else disqualifies you from getting a US Passport?
You may also be disqualified from getting your US Passport if you owe more than $2,500 in taxes. You will need to get what is called a “Certificate of Clearance” from the IRS before you can receive what documents are necessary to acquire your US Passport.
Anything Else?
So aside from children and taxes, another thing that can disqualify you from getting a passport, is if you are currently in prison for what is known as a “Federal Crime”. This goes back to what we mentioned earlier, about what the purpose of a US Passport is. Having one allows you to travel from what country you’re from and return back home where you belong. If you are in prison, then it is likely that you do not have what is required to return back to what country you’re originally from.
As we’ve learned, what can disqualify you from getting a passport are child support payments, not having the proper paperwork proving that your outstanding child support has been resolved, owing too much in taxes, and being currently imprisoned for what is known as a “Federal Crime”.
“But what if I’ve served my time in prison and I now have my freedom?”
Can I get a passport with a felony
This is a good question. The short answer is, yes, you can receive what documents are necessary in order to get your US Passport if you have what is known as a felony.
The paperwork that’s required to get your US Passport after being what is considered “felony free” is called a “Certificate of Clearance”. That’s the second time this document has come up!
Now, not all ex-convicts are able to get their US Passport. If you have, for example, crimes that are considered “sex offenses” against children, then you will not be able to obtain a US Passport. There are other crimes as well, and for more information on the more legal side of these rules, I encourage you to visit an actual authority on these rules and regulations, such as: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html
The above URL is a great resource for probably the best information you can expect to find on this subject matter.
So anyway, since we keep mentioning this document, let’s briefly talk about what it is…
What is a Certificate of Clearance?
A Certificate of Clearance is what’s known as an official document that grants the rights that are necessary for you in order for you to be able to obtain the documents needed for acquire your US Passport. Wow! That’s a mouthful. Please feel free to read that sentence again.
So, the Certificate of Clearance is very important.
How do I Ask for a Certificate of Clearance?
To ask for your Certificate of Clearance, you will need to complete what’s known as a “Form 4506-T”. You can download this form from: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf
Final Thoughts
So, these are a few things to help you through the journey of getting your passport. Now that you know about some of what disqualifies you from getting a passport, you can now proceed to see about getting yours.
Please remember, if you still have what are considered “Federal Charges” against you, then it is best that you contact what is known as a “Certifying Official”. They will be able to explain in depth, what this means for you, individually, and what steps to take.
The only other requirement that should be mentioning is what is known as a “Minor Passport Consent Form”. If you happen to have what are considered children listed on what are called Child Support Orders, then you will want to have what is known as a “Minor Passport Consent Form”.
For more information about what this form is, what the rules are, and where to get what documents necessary to complete a Minor Passport Consent Form, please visit what’s known as a “Federal Office”. You can find the address and phone number of your Federal Office by visiting what is known as the “Federal Register”.
Congratulations! You now have the necessary information you need in order to get the documents required for getting your passport!
Thank you for reading and I sincerely hope you get a chance to go out and enjoy your travels!
