Can the IRS Revoke Your Passport? Here’s What You Need to Know

At Victory Tax Lawyers, we help clients take action early, before audits turn into investigations and before debts turn into levies or liens. If you’re unsure whether your situation calls for legal help, here’s when to make the call.

Call (800) 883-8301 now for a free consultation.

✅  When the IRS Can Revoke a Passport

The IRS doesn’t physically take passports - but it can trigger a revocation through the U.S. State Department. This happens when you owe what’s called “seriously delinquent tax debt.”

• As of 2025, that means more than $64,000 in unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest.
  

• The IRS must first attempt other actions, like liens or levies.
  

• If your debt remains unresolved, it can be certified to the State Department, which can then:
  

  • Deny new passport applications
    

  • Refuse to renew an existing passport
    

  • Revoke your current passport entirely
    

You’ll receive Notice CP508C when your debt is certified. Once that happens, you have 90 days to take action before the State Department moves forward.

⚠️ How the Revocation Process Works

Here’s what typically happens before your passport is restricted or revoked:

1. Multiple IRS notices — You’ll receive several warnings before certification.
   

2. Certification to the State Department — The IRS formally labels your balance as “seriously delinquent.”
   

3. State Department action — Your passport application or renewal may be denied, or your current passport canceled.
   

4. Reversing certification — Paying your debt, setting up a payment plan, or entering a relief program can reverse the certification.
   

When the IRS reverses a certification, you’ll receive Notice CP508R, confirming your passport privileges have been restored.

💡 Exceptions: When You Can Keep Your Passport

You won’t lose your passport if you’re:

• In an installment agreement and current on payments
  

• Negotiating an Offer in Compromise
  
  

• Awaiting an innocent spouse relief decision
  

• Actively appealing your tax debt
  

These exceptions only apply if the IRS sees you’re making genuine efforts to resolve your balance, so acting quickly matters.

✈️ What Happens If Your Passport Is Revoked

A revoked passport can cause serious personal and professional consequences:

• You may be denied boarding for international travel
  

• The State Department can issue only a limited passport for a one-way return to the U.S.
  

• Business trips, vacations, and emergency travel abroad may all be disrupted
  

Your travel rights are restored only after the IRS reverses the certification and the State Department updates your record, a process that can take several weeks.

🧭 How to Restore Your Passport

You have several options to resolve the issue and regain your right to travel:

• Pay your tax debt in full: The fastest and most direct route.
  

• Set up a payment plan: Prevents revocation and reinstates your passport once approved.
  

• Submit an Offer in Compromise: Settle your debt for less than the full amount.
  

• Request reconsideration: If your debt was certified in error, you can appeal or request review.
  

• Confirm removal: Ensure the IRS has notified the State Department.
  

• Follow up: Contact the State Department to verify reinstatement.
  

• Hire a tax attorney: The process is complex — professional guidance ensures it’s handled properly.
  

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⚡ Why Acting Fast Matters

Delaying response after a certification notice can mean canceled trips, damaged business relationships, or even being stranded abroad.

By acting early — before your debt becomes “seriously delinquent” — you can protect both your finances and your freedom to travel.

Victory Tax Lawyers: We negotiate with the IRS, file appeals, and build legal strategies to stop levies before they happen. Don’t risk your paycheck, bank account, or property.

Don’t leave it to chance. Call (800) 883-8301 or request your free consultation now. Let us make sure you keep what you deserve—and avoid what you don’t.