Is Your Passport at Risk? How IRS Tax Debt Can Get You Grounded in 2025

Planning a trip abroad? You might want to check your tax status first. In 2025, the IRS is doubling down on a rule many still don’t know exists: seriously delinquent tax debt can get your passport revoked or denied.

Yes, the IRS can keep you grounded—literally.

What Triggers Passport Restrictions?

If you owe more than $62,000 in back taxes, including penalties and interest, and have no active payment plan or resolution in place, the IRS can notify the State Department, which can:

• Deny your passport application or renewal

• Revoke your current passport

• Refuse to issue one until your debt is resolved

How Do You Know If You’re at Risk?

The IRS will send you Notice CP508C, which certifies your debt as seriously delinquent. But here's the kicker—many people never receive it in time due to address errors or mail delays.

Real-Life Consequences

We’ve had clients who:

• Were stopped at the airport

• Missed business trips

• Had immigration delays due to IRS debt

And most had no idea their passport was at risk until it was too late.

How to Protect Your Travel Rights

1. Get into a resolution program: Even if you can’t pay it all now, being in an Installment Agreement, Offer in Compromise, or CNC status pauses enforcement.

2. Act before the notice: Once certified, the reversal process is complicated and slow.

3. Get professional help fast: Passport holds are urgent—we handle cases like these with expedited attention.

2025 Update:

The IRS has increased collaboration with the State Department and embassies abroad. Expect more enforcement and fewer delays.

Takeaway:

Owe over $62k? It’s not just about finances anymore. Your freedom to travel is on the line. Call All State Tax Resolution now—we know how to fix this fast.