LANSING - A new federal law requires parents who owe more than $2,500 in past due child support be denied passports beginning Oct. 1.

The 2005 federal Deficit Reduction Act lowered the threshold for passport denial from $5,000 to $2,500 to require more parents to pay past due child support. If a parent owes $2,500 or more, the Office of Child Support will instruct the federal government not to issue or renew his or her passport. This will prevent parents from traveling outside the United States for work or pleasure. The measure will have the greatest impact in 2007 when a passport is required for air travel between the United States and Canada. As early as January 2008 a passport may be required for travel to Canada by land or sea.

"Passport denial has been a good enforcement tool and reducing the threshold to $2,500 will make it more effective," said Marilyn Stephen, director of the Department of Human Services' Office of Child Support. "Parents with past due child support should immediately contact their county Friend of the Court to work out a payment plan to get their account current as soon as possible."

In fiscal year 2006, $81,066 was collected as a result of 379 passport denials at the $5,000 threshold. A substantial improvement in collections form this enforcement tool is anticipated when the threshold is reduced in fiscal year 2007.