In my 13+ years as a travel professional, I’ve been asked lots of questions about passports. Personally, I think that every US Citizen should be required to have a passport. It just makes sense to me, and I have seen too many people have to miss out on an amazing last-minute travel opportunity because they aren’t prepared. If you are over 16, the passport books are good for 10 years, so the pro-rated cost is about $15 per year. Certainly a great value! Yes, it can be a little bit of a pain applying for your first passport, but after that, you can renew by mail.
Most foreign countries require a valid passport to enter and leave. All US citizens traveling internationally by air must present a valid passport to reenter the US. To cross by land only into Canada or Mexico, you may use a less expensive passport card, but if you are going to go to the trouble to get a passport card, why not go ahead and get the real thing? For more information on how to apply, read: How To Apply Here
Remember the Carnival Triumph fiasco? One of the reasons the ship had to be towed all the way to Mobile, extending the misery by an extra day or two, was that the majority of the passengers didn’t have the necessary documentation to be flown home from Mexico…bet you didn’t know that! Also, if you become injured or ill and need to fly home, having a passport will greatly minimize the hassle…and you don’t need hassle when you are sick or hurt!
I hope you have gotten the point that it is worth the time, energy and financial investment to be a US Passport holder. Don’t miss out on a great travel opportunity because you aren’t prepared! If you need any assistance with the application process, or have any questions…please feel free to contact me. Happy (and safe) Travels! Share the knowledge
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Patti MaxwellSybarite Scoop, a weekly travel blog with travel insight, inspiration and more Archives
September 2023
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