Once the IRS has certified your tax debt to the State Department, they can revoke your passport or deny you next passport renewal. You’ll effectively be banned from traveling outside the country using your U.S. passport.

The IRS will reverse the certification in certain cases. Use one of the following strategies to get your certification reversed and get your passport back.

Pay Your Tax Debt in Full

Paying your tax debt in full will put an end to your tax problems. However, you must owe over $52,000 to have your passport revoked, which is more than most people can pay at once.

But if you have the opportunity to borrow the money and really want your passport back, this may be a good option.

IRS Installment Agreement

The IRS will only reverse certification once your installment agreement application is approved. The main factors you need to adjust to get your IRS payment plan approved are:

• The amount of your monthly payment
• The length of your repayment period
• Your payment method
• The amount of an up-front deposit you make

If you can’t afford to pay much each month, you may need to give the IRS detailed financial information using the Collection Information Statement form.

Offer in Compromise

An Offer in Compromise (OIC) allows you to settle your tax debt for less than you owe. This could be a viable option if you truly can’t afford to make monthly payments and don’t have any equity to borrow against.

A tax settlement agreement with the Department of Justice will also result in a reversal of certification.

Request a Collection Due Process Hearing

You can also use this method if you have a pending levy and still have time to request a collection due process hearing. You typically have 30 days from the date on the Notice of Intent to Levy to request this hearing.

Request Innocent Spouse Relief

Your debt will no longer be considered seriously delinquent if you request innocent spouse relief. However, if your request is not granted, you could once again have your tax debt certified to the State Department.

When your certification is reversed, the IRS will reverse the State Department within 30 days and provide notification to the State Department “as soon as practicable.”

Need Help With a Revoked Passport Due to Tax issues?

Get help with IRS passport actions by calling Ayar Law at 800.571.7175 to receive a free, no-obligation tax case review.