Who Needs A Passport

Who needs a passport? The short answer is if you’re going to travel internationally, you do. But of course, nothing is ever quite that simple.

We’ve covered that it’s a travel document issued by your home country that allows you to leave and return. Citizens of all countries need one to travel out of their country and into another, but there are exceptions.

For instance, citizens in the European Union do not need theirs to pass from one country in the EU into another. U.S. Citizens and others often do not need to show theirs to travel between countries in the EU either, but you need one to GET INTO one of the European Union counties in the first place.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you will need this travel document now more than ever. You’ve always needed one to fly to Europe or Asia or beyond…. now you need one to fly to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

It used to be that to get into Canada or Mexico or to most of the Islands of the Caribbean all you needed was your birth certificate and proof of identity like your driver’s license. September 11, 2001 changed all that.

To cross the borders into Canada and Mexico by land or by sea (that is driving or cruising) you currently need a passport, a passport card or a WHTI-compliant document. Or you need a government-issued Photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate.

Don’t you love “government speak”? WHTI stands for Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. There is a whole list of rules about what a WHTI-compliant document is. If you think you qualify for one of these, you’d better check the rules at the U.S. Department of State and be sure.

Starting in July of 2008, the U.S. government began issuing U.S. Passport Cards. These wallet-size cards are convenient and less expensive, but they can NOT be used for international AIR travel. Watch for a future article for full explanation of what this card is.

Children traveling with you need passports too. Even infants.

And no… they can not be expired. Each traveler’s documents must be current and valid. Depending on the rules of the country you’re traveling to, they might have to be valid for 3 to 6 months after you return from your trip. That means they can’t expire for several months after your return.

It is up to you to make sure you have the proper documentation. You should not take the word of the airline you’re traveling with or the TSA or a travel agent. They can all give you advice, but if any of them is misinformed, it’s your trip that will be delayed or ruined.

While I’m trying to give you the best advice I can, it’s confusing, and the best advice is to check with the U.S. Department of State or your local government agency. The very best advice I can give you is this… If you’re going to travel anywhere outside of the borders of the United States or your home country, just get a passport.