The U.S. state department says it is revoking passports of Americans with significant outstanding child support debt.

Passport revocations for unpaid child support of more than $2,500 is allowed under a rarely-enforced 1996 federal law.

Previously, the consequence was only doled out when people with such debt sought to renew their passports.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, the department said it would coordinate with the department of health and human services to revoke the passports of Americans who have racked up “significant” outstanding child support debt.

“To be eligible for a U.S. passport, you must pay any outstanding child support. If you owe more than $2,500, federal regulations do not allow us to issue you a U.S. passport and we may revoke your valid U.S. passport,” the department said.

A revoked passport may no longer be used for travel even if child support debt has been paid.

Citizens will only be eligible for a new U.S. passport after their debt has been paid to the state child support enforcement agency they owe, the statement said.

Affected Americans outside the country would be only eligible for a limited-validity passport for direct return to the U.S. until HHS verifies repayment of the debt, the statement added.

Last month, when the move was announced, the state department said the action supports the welfare of American children by “exacting real consequences for child support delinquency under existing federal law”.

The department added that the measure would also prevent those who owe substantial amounts of court-ordered child support from neglecting their legal and moral obligations to their children.