IRS Passport Denial or Revocation

dual status aliens

The IRS has a relatively new program that can revoke a person’s passport if they have a delinquent tax debt. They can certify the tax debt and contact the State Department to take action. Once the state department receives notification from the IRS, they will not issue a passport until arrangements have been made to clear the tax debt. The IRS Passport Revocation for Tax Debt program is a result of the federal law enacted in 2016. The provisions are effective from October 2017 on.

In addition to revoking a passport, the IRS can also keep a passport from being issued or renewed. If you are outside of the United States, the State Department may issue a limited temporary passport valid for return to the U.S.

This article will discuss how the program works, how you can get your passport back, and the steps you can take to get off of the list.

irs passport revocation
The IRS can revoke (or denial renewal) your passport.

IRS Passport Revocation: What Is It?
The IRS Passport Revocation for Tax Debt program is a new initiative that was launched to combat the increasing number of taxpayers who are in arrears on their taxes. This program, which started in January 2017, has been designed to get people with tax debts into compliance and keep them from leaving the country.

These actions could be taken if the IRS has filed a certification and notice of the federal tax lien under U.S. law, and all remedies have been exhausted. The IRS will have issued a levy on the tax debt as well.

There are certain conditions where the IRS will not take this action, as with certain hardships.

If You Owe More Than $50,000 And Are Delinquent
The passport revocation can occur if the taxpayer owes more than $50,000 to the U.S. government and has had their taxes remain unpaid continuously for at least one year with no payment plan or installment agreement in place. This means that only those who have delinquent tax debts exceeding $50,000 will be affected by this new measure; people owing less than this amount won’t be subject to such strong measures as losing their passports.

How To Get Your Passport Back?
You will need to come into compliance with the IRS. You can do this by:
– Paying any delinquent tax debt in full and without conditions (such as paying off other debts)
– Setting up a payment plan or an installment agreement for your debt

If you are unable to pay back taxes owed but have filed all relevant returns and had them approved – then you may not be subject to losing your passport. It is important that if there has been no response from the IRS within six months on a submitted return, contact should be made at once, so it does not affect eligibility for future travel.

How To Get Off The IRS Passport Revocation List
The program is designed as a means of preventing taxpayers with outstanding balances of $50,000+ in unpaid federal income taxes (or certain other liabilities) from leaving the country and possibly never returning by not allowing them to board their flights out of the U.S. if they are traveling under I-94W nonimmigrant status. To get off the list, you will need to come into compliance with the IRS.

Even if you owe less than $50,000 in federal income taxes and are not on the passport revocation list, it is still highly advisable that you take action to resolve tax issues with the IRS. Indeed, failure to comply with US tax laws can result in criminal penalties. It may be possible for taxpayers who have a balance of less than $50,000 to get off the revocation list by filing all outstanding returns (including extensions) or making an installment agreement, offer-in-compromise, or request for relief in paying their liability.

how to read w2

How to Read a W2

Reading a W2 can be easy. Just remember to know which wage item belongs in which box of the W2 form. You can also check the legend.

Subscribe to our newsletter for updates that will save you tax

Related topics

irs offer in compromise

IRS Offer In Compromise

An IRS Offer in Compromise is a great way to resolve back taxes, but most are rejected. Read these important tips before filing your IRS OIC.

how do i calculate my rmd

How do I Calculate my RMD for 2022?

Calculating your RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) is relatively easy. It’s simply the minimum amount that you must withdraw from your retirement account.