Can I Be Issued a Passport If I Have Outstanding Warrants in California?

A passport can be denied if you have felony warrants.

A passport is required to visit any country outside the United States. If you have a warrant for your arrest, depending on the type of warrant, this can bar you from being able to acquire a passport until your warrant is resolved.

Misdemeanors

Misdemeanor warrants won't bar you from getting a passport. Bench warrants are often issued to people who aren't paying their fines in a timely manner or have failed to show up for court for a misdemeanor offense.

Felonies

A felony warrant is serious and you can't get a passport under any circumstances if you have an outstanding felony warrant. A felony warrant is issued when you haven't gone to court to face charges for a felony or have failed to comply with conditions of your probation or parole.

Correspondence

One of the easiest ways to ensure you can get your passport is to simply call or write the courthouse in the county you were arrested. You can quickly find out whether or not your warrant will bar you from getting a passport and leaving the country.

References

• US Passport Service Guide

Resources

• US Department of State: Passport Restrictive Action and Future Passport Information