Owe back child support? Might not want to make plans to leave the country. Starting Monday, any parent who owes back more than $2,500 in child support won't be able to get a passport.

Beginning Monday, anyone from the U.S. who wants to travel to Mexico, Canada or other countries within the western hemisphere will need a passport.

If you're a parent who owes back child support, you could be out of luck.

Government officials have the right to deny a passport to anyone owing back child support.

Robbie Endris, the executive director of the Louisiana Department of Social Services said it's been a great incentive to get deadbeat parents to pay up.

In Louisiana alone, more than $1 billion is owed in back child support.

"The debt is huge. So it's good the federal government, congress and our own state legislature are passing laws that make it tougher to evade paying child support," said Endris.

For years, child support offices shared their database with the state department, but collections have recently soared. Now, owing as little as $2,500 in back child support can get your passport application revoked, and that's half of what it was last year.

"Child support is all about the children. Seeing that the children have the support they are entitled to and that their needs are taken care of. So it's very satisfying to see children in Louisiana get what they need," said Endris.

As of Monday, the new rules will only affect air travelers. But officials said they expect stricter rules for land travel to be put in place by next year.

Officials said children across the country are owed $110 billion in back child support.