My family and I are planning a trip out of the country this winter and I just started the process of applying for a passport for my 12 year old son. His father, who is the non-custodial parent, lives out out-of-state (address unknown). Two weeks ago, I contacted the father via text to make arrangements for him to sign the Statement of Consent document and he agreed. I emailed him the link and gave him clear-cut instructions on how to fill out the form and explained the extra documents that are needed. A week later, I received an email from him telling me how he feels salty about signing the form because of a personal/legal matter between him and me. He insinuated he is not going to sign the Statement of Consent document until I cancel the child support order all in all. He is being uncooperative by not returning any more of my emails and has even changed his number. I don’t have a physical address for him. All I know is that he resides in Maryland.

I have sole custody of our son. My ex has not been in our son’s life since my son was a year old. He neglected to pay child support, which consequently led me to open up a child support case…..he now owes over $15,000 in arrears. The state finally started collecting child support in 2007. Although the father pays child support, he doesn’t visit nor call our son, not even for holidays or birthdays. My son’s father is furious at the fact that he has an outstanding balance with child support and he is flagged with the government, which means he is prohibited from ever getting a government job or even getting a passport until he pays off the child support balance. To sum it up, my ex has no intention of being in our son’s life and I honestly believe the only reason why he is taking it out on our son and making it very difficult to process the paperwork is because he is in big trouble with the Child Support Agency and he wants me to cancel the order and he knows I won't.

Any advice on what I should do next? I’m going to file the DS-3053 form and fill out pt.5 (Special Circumstances) myself but what are the chances of it being approved?