• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Do you hold a current passport?

Do you currently hold a valid passport?

  • Total voters
    107
Yes, it's about 2-3 years old (so, it is valid).

Here in Austria, most people have a passport (it is much cheaper to get one here, at 80€, than in the US, where it costs about 150€ or something).

Since Austria is a small country in the middle of Europe, you need either a passport or a Personalausweis (personal picture ID) for travelling to neighbouring countries.

People often forget that while travelling to other EU countries is free (no border controls), one must still carry either a passport or PPID with them, in case the police controls you (a driver license is not a valid ID document abroad).
 
Yes. My son and I went on a school sponsored trip to England and Ireland in 2022.

My passport photo looks laughably awful. It was so bad/funny, the postal worker called my husband back to look at it after the third try to say that was the best he could get and they both could have a chuckle. I look like I'm quietly terrified in a stunned position.
 
SMTA said:
Good for you.
13 countries for me on several continents.
Click to expand...
Made me think about my travel- I have 27 countries on all continents but Australia and Antarctica, one around the world flight, and one new country (Tunisia, of all places!) on the schedule this year.

So many more to go.
 
This thread is a reminder that I need to get my lazy ass in action and get a passport. I have family Canada and can’t visit them without one. Which means yes, admittedly I haven’t been to visit them in Canada for many years. But they have come to the states to visit family here in more recent years.
 
I never had one before the age of the internet. The online process is relatively easy.
 
Lycanthrope said:
Yes or no question. If you are not an American citizen please say so in the comments after answering.
Click to expand...
haven't traveled outside the country since I Ieft the military 30 years ago, and don't see it needing one in the future.
 
WilHaftaWaite said:
haven't traveled outside the country since I Ieft the military 30 years ago, and don't see it needing one in the future.
Click to expand...
I do not enjoy the process of traveling (who does really) but was reminded after this most recent overseas trip how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to see other countries and cultures firsthand. I did not travel outisde the US (except Mexico) until after I hit my forties so it's still a novelty.
 
Nope. I've never left the U.S. nor do I plan to ever leave.
 
Old 'N Chill said:
No, last time I needed one was years ago when we spent some time camping in Canada. I'm born and raised in US.
Click to expand...
When I traveled to Canada by car regularly on USA holiday weekends we did not need a passport. Likewise for Canadians entering the USA. The Good Ol' Dayze of no passports of pre 9/11.

At the border we'd pull up alongside a booth with a Canadian border guy, idle my Datsun while he asked us four questions: Where are you going (Montreal), What is your purpose? and How long will you stay (3 to five dayze but nights more importantly ha); and how much money do you have ($3500 between us which was plenty to include big tips ha).

I and a gf or more usually my bud Steve Brown would drive from Boston into southern NH then cross over into central VT and on to the border tally-ho. Reentering the USA the American BP guy also idled our car at a booth and asked the same four questions in the past tense. The Canadian border guy always smiled and said "Enjoy your stay in Canada" as he waved us through. Which we sure as hell did nights along St. Catherine Street on many trips. A shameless saint she is indeed. Fallen actually

Returning to the USA the BP guy always said right off as I stopped the car to idle "Welcome To The United States." At that point he'd ask our nationality then ask the questions, finishing off with 'Drive Safely." That's it, no shut off your engine, no get out of the vehicle, no open the trunk and stuff that you get driving from Hong Kong to the mainland for which every Chinese traveler needs an authorization card. HKG is not a province, it's a Special Administrative Region of the CCP-PRC -- an SAR.
 
Now that you mention it, perhaps I was wrong, and we didn't need a passport way back then. It was a long time ago. But I do remember answering those questions and having a chat, it was always pleasant and not a problem. The only time I did get a passport was when my husband's company was considering an office with a position in Australia, we both got passports, but the job fell through, the company decided against it. Neither of us were really disappointed or really wanted to live in Australia.
 
Yes.

Funny story, I flew into Seattle in April of 2023 to meet two of my friends, one of whom lives there, so we could drive up to Whistler to ski. We got to the border high off our asses, but we threw the vape out, and my buddy got denied because of a drug charge he got in college.

While waiting, the customs guy was flipping through my passport and was surprised at some of the places I've been. Working for Shell has sent me to Russia(before 2022 obviously), Oman, The UAE, and Turkey, and I got questioned about it.

I'm sad that stamps are becoming less common too. I like receiving them.
 
Lycanthrope said:
Yes or no question. If you are not an American citizen please say so in the comments after answering.
Click to expand...
Yes i do, people really don't renew their passports? Why? How do you travel? (European here)
 
JohnRawls said:
Yes i do, people really don't renew their passports? Why? How do you travel? (European here)
Click to expand...
The United States is big enough that I sometimes wonder if Americans simply have enough travel options within their own borders. The size also makes traveling to other countries more involved than, say, an Italian flying to Paris for a weekend. I've not yet been to 24 US states myself - that's almost half the country! So there is still plenty for me to explore in my own nation.

We also have a passport "card" here, which is good for travel within North America and the Caribbean. I have that and a regular passport.

But yes - I got my passport relatively later in life, and once I had it I wanted to use it. Been to six countries outside of North America so far and am planning more.
 

Austria is one of my favorite countries. Just last night my wife and I began looking at flights to Austria later this year. Austria is beautiful, rich in history and culture, excellent food, friendly people, the trains run on time and the Vienna airport is almost silent, very few announcements, which is a pleasant experience for weary travelers. (Unlike most American airports which are loud, constant and damn near abusive, especially Honolulu.)
 
Last edited:
Threegoofs said:
Made me think about my travel- I have 27 countries on all continents but Australia and Antarctica, one around the world flight, and one new country (Tunisia, of all places!) on the schedule this year.

So many more to go.
Click to expand...

Too much just ain't enough.

Good on you
 
Can’t use the card with air travel, which is how most people get around the Caribbean.
 
bongsaway said:
Yes and I'm happy to say my first out of country visit was to Canada.
Click to expand...

not currently, i don't think i need one to visit Canada, do i?

bongsaway said:
Y'all remember Canada our foe to the north of our border.
Click to expand...

Canada is not our 'foe to the north of our border'; Canada is the 51st state and should be addressed as such.

please get up to speeeed Bongs.

.
 
Threegoofs said:
Can’t use the card with air travel, which is how most people get around the Caribbean.
Click to expand...

The last time I noticed the passport card was legal for up to 50 miles from the border. We used it 4 or 5 times a year when we’d drive down to the border towns in Mexico.

During Coved we let the “border cards” expire. From now on we will just use our passports.
 
I use the card primarily for air travel within the US (i.e., state to state). For whatever reason it gets less side-eye from TSA than my driver's license.
 
Yeah, I chose not to even visit Australia during my 25 years living and working in Thailand, South Korea and China. I had intended to visit Australia but I changed my mind and never came close to going to Australia for even a minute.

I met and worked with too many Australians to want to go to their place down there where they actually live. All but a few of the Australians were total asshats or in certain instances psychos. The best English speaking expats for Americans to work in that region of the world are the Canadians except for only one of 'em here or there, while the worst at all times are the Australians who are just flat out bizarre if not awful. No way I was ever going to set foot in Australia. Canadians I knew abroad on the other hand could disarm the Devil and leave him confused and disappointed. That's if he ever noticed 'em they're so quiet and out of your way. Canadians watch and observe to decide about you one by one.

The Brits are good to work with and be around too as off center as most of 'em may be ha. The Brits let different people just roll off 'em while Brits keep their self respecting distance from the rabble from Down Under. Thailand and Malaysia use British English in text btw as does India of course while China, SK, Japan and Taiwan use American English as do the Phils among other SE Asian countries. Any time I hear an Australian speak in their horrendous dialect I need a translator.

A Canadian twentysomething we'd just hired at the private K-12 bilingual school in Bangkok where I was lead foreign secondary teacher cracked me up right away. The Australian in charge of all the foreign English teachers said at a meeting that something or other would happen "in a fortnight." Outside and in the smoking area after the meeting the Canadian looked at me with a smirk, "WTF's a fortnight?" I joked it's a place in Australia where any good boys go for two weeks to learn to be real Australian.
 
I guess it’s cool to stereotype the inhabitants of entire nations as long as they have funny accents?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.