Alpo Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 TV and movies, they frequently have people jumping up and going to other countries on the spur of the moment. Now that's a wonderful thing, if you've got the money to pay for the plane trip to go to this other country. But occasionally I wonder why did they have a passport? Back about 02 I think it was, the government decided that you now needed a passport to go to Canada or Mexico or the Caribbean islands. So my company got me a passport, because I was frequently making trips to Puerto Rico. I tried to explain to them that Puerto Rico was America, but they didn't care and they got me a passport anyway. I've never used it. And it expired, and I never renewed it. Why? I don't go overseas. I don't go to other countries. Why would I need a passport? I surely can't be the only person that never leaves the country. So I'm just wondering how many normal people have passports. If I was rich, I can see having one, because if I was rich I might take it into my head to jump on a plane and go to England or Germany or Japan. And I would need a passport. But I'm not rich, so I'm not going to make one of those spur of the moment overseas flights. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I got a passport card in 2013 in order to go to Canada for PAL classes. Used it once since then (2019) to certify an RO Instructor. It expired a year ago...on-line renewal has been down...need to make an appointment at the local PO I guess. Didn't need one for a trip to Puerto Vallarta back in 1984. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Our son and his wife moved to Spain last month, so we’ll be getting ours in order to visit them. I haven’t had one since the ‘70s 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creeker, SASS #43022 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I have one; Mexico is close by - I have business interests in Tijuana and Rosarita and a couple members of my staff regularly go down to TJ for stem cell treatments. And we are currently in talks with a company in Dubai (so a 16 hour flight that I am not looking forward to). So since I may need to cross into Mexico or hop a plane on short notice - I keep my passport current. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I've had one for decades. Canada is close by. And we go to other places now and then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I got one in 2019 because I went on a cruise and the cruise line required it. Inside passage from Seattle to Alaska and back, with one of the ports being Victoria, BC. We'd both been there, so didn't even get off the ship, just did some laundry, caught a movie on board... something... I don't remember... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I have one, can’t go anywhere with it now because it expires in April. it has three blank pages. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozark Huckleberry Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Have had various flavors of passports since 18. Keep the current plain-vanilla one current, because renewing one is less of a problem than replacing an expired one, and it's always better to apply for a renewal on your own schedule. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Nope. And still don't have my Internal Passport (Real ID). I suppose I should get around to getting that one or soon I won't be allowed to go into state or federal buildings. If I don't have the Internal Passport, and get called for Jury Duty, will I be dinged if I don't report because I can't get into the building? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Never had one or needed one. There were 3,000,000+ other people from south of the border that never had one and apparently didn't need one either. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 59 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said: Nope. And still don't have my Internal Passport (Real ID). I suppose I should get around to getting that one or soon I won't be allowed to go into state or federal buildings. If I don't have the Internal Passport, and get called for Jury Duty, will I be dinged if I don't report because I can't get into the building? Don’t know about you but I answered the fed questionnaire with “75”. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Nope. My work tried to force me to get one in 2012 and I told them to shove it; zero reason for me to be outside the confines of the Continental US. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Graybeard Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I may get one...just in case. But...I won't go to Canada again. I used to have to cross the border up to six times a week...three trips in and out of...and I got so tired of dealing with smart-a$$ border agents...on both sides of the border...but a lot of times...the US guards made you feel like you were coming into a foriegn country instead of coming home. Now I refuse to go to Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Never had one and don't need one right now. I'm not going to Canada or Mexico in this lifetime. If I decide to take a trip to maybe Italy then I'll get one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I renewed mine last year so my wife and I could go to Niagara Falls. I like having one so I have a second government ID in case I should need 2 official photo IDs. Why would I need that, you ask? Because I want it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 NO , do NOT want nor need 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I traveled a lot, to 47 states and seven foreign countries, by plane, ship, train, and car, and had no passport ever. Military orders never required anything else. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 17 Author Share Posted January 17 That reminds me of the joke where the old man is going through customs in Paris. And he did not have his passport out when he got to the front of the line. The passport official was quite rude, which I understand is pretty much the way it always is when the French are speaking to Americans, and he told the old man, "Haven't you ever been to France before? You should know to have your passport ready!!" And the old man says that he had been to France once before, and nobody wanted to see his passport. And the passport official demanded to know where and when this was, so he could make a report of it to his Superior. And the old man says, "Normandy, June of 1944". 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 6 minutes ago, Alpo said: . The passport official was quite rude, which I understand is pretty much the way it always is when the French are speaking to Americans, and he told the old man,.... I've been to France several times, the first 40 years ago, and found this to be untrue each time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Had one for work travel (mostly Europe, Canada & UK) since '96. Our son and his family were stationed in Okinawa from mid '20 til Jan '24. So, it's unlikely that I ever renew my passport again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Only slightly rude passport officials I’ve seen were Russian, and the way they treated folks from the Middle East was ,+*(&*()&. Now customs officials, they are another story, not that I ever smuggled anything, nope can’t say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 As an international investment banker, I needed a passport to travel to all kinds of horrible international countries for business. Now that I'm retired, my international travel is restricted to Canada. My last over one inch thick passport was happily not renewed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 (edited) 13 hours ago, Alpo said: I surely can't be the only person that never leaves the country. So I'm just wondering how many normal people have passports. Hey Alpo, since when do you consider yourself "Normal"? I have one because I had to travel to The Netherlands for work. Work paid for it, and they paid for the expedite fee because the trip was very short notice. Company did pay for a "business" class seat because it met the "international" travel requirements for length of flight. That was an experience considering I had only ever flown as part of the herd of cattle squeezed into the little seats in the back of the plane...there are advantages of being part of a multinational company. I got the simple card at the same time because we also have a company just south of the border and since the company was paying, why not. BTW, surely I dont consider myself normal.... and dont call me Shirley. Edited January 17 by Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Jones, SASS 2263 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Had one, which was renewed several times. Don't need one now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 17 Author Share Posted January 17 36 minutes ago, Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428 said: Hey Alpo, since when do you consider yourself "Normal"? I not only am normal, but I am the standard by which normal is measured. Everyone out there that is like me is normal. The rest of y'all, who are not like me, are abnormal. If you take your brain out at night and leave it in a container so you can rest better, make sure that Eye-gor isn't anywhere near around. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Do I have one? Yes. Do I occasionally need it? Yes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Maverick Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 7 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said: Never had one and don't need one right now. I'm not going to Canada or Mexico in this lifetime. If I decide to take a trip to maybe Italy then I'll get one. Don't say never, I have considered what my game plan would be if the US does get hit with an EMP that shuts down the nations electrical grid forever. If Mexico and Canada are spared from this I would consider hopping over the border to spend the rest of my life in some semblance of normal. Or to at least get to a working airport and go somewhere else that would be nice like Hawaii. TM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 The things you learn here in the Saloon: if you never leave the country, you don't need a passport! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderRiverCowboy Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I had 4 all valid at same time , the rest I will leave alone . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Joker Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 1 hour ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said: The things you learn here in the Saloon: if you never leave the country, you don't need a passport! You can leave you just can't get back in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anvil Al #59168 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Wife and I have one. We take a trip sometimes two a year that it is needed. Either a cruise to the Carribean or fly to one of the islands. Favorite is St Marteen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 7 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: I traveled a lot, to 47 states and seven foreign countries, by plane, ship, train, and car, and had no passport ever. Military orders never required anything else. I'm with Forty on this one. I haven't had the need to go anywhere else since Uncle Sam isn't paying for it anymore. I do have the REAL ID, but that's because I was a truck driver and had to provide the info anyway for my HAZMAT Endorsement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 1 hour ago, Texas Joker said: You can leave you just can't get back in Not exactly. They won't let you get on the airplane in the first place without one on an international flight, and if they did, the destination country won't let you in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 yes , but not needed it in over a decade , dont expect to anytime soon , unless the democrats start demanding "our papers" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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