The Embassy of The Gambia in Washington D.C. has issued an important notice to Gambians who hold United States citizenship, warning that outstanding child support debts could result in the denial, non-renewal, or revocation of their U.S. passports.

In a statement issued on 1 June 2026, the embassy said U.S. federal law bars individuals with child support arrears exceeding $2,500 from obtaining or renewing a U.S. passport.

The U.S. Department of State may also revoke an existing passport in such cases.

The embassy urged affected individuals, whether residing in the United States or The Gambia, to promptly contact the relevant child support agency in the state where the debt is owed or the Office of Child Support Enforcement to arrange repayment and avoid potential travel document complications.

It further noted that settling outstanding child support obligations does not automatically restore the validity of a revoked passport.

Individuals who have cleared their arrears are advised to follow up with state authorities and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ensure their names are removed from the child support arrears registry.

According to the embassy, the verification and clearance process may take between two and three weeks after payment has been confirmed.

Once the process is completed, an individual’s eligibility to apply for a new U.S. passport may be reinstated.

“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,” the statement said.

For further information, affected individuals can contact the relevant U.S. authorities on 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793.