The IRS recently issued a stern warning to some taxpayers who plan to travel internationally: Pay off your tax debt or your passport may be revoked.

Under a little-noticed 2015 law, the IRS was granted the authority to notify the State Department about taxpayers who have a “seriously delinquent tax debt.” This is defined as a debt of $50,000 or more (indexed to $52,000 in 2019). In that case, the State Department can refuse to issue a new passport, renew an old one and even revoke an existing passport or limit travel outside the country.

But you can resolve matters by settling the debt with the IRS in various ways. Obtain more information from your tax advisor.