Should everyone have a passport?

I'm 30 and don't have a passport. I've only been out of the country one time in my life, to Canada. All I needed at the time was an ID, my drivers license worked.

I have absolutely zero plans (as of now) to travel outside of the US. For no other reason than I just don't have any vacations to other countries in the works.
But I'm thinking...shouldn't I get a passport now before I actually need it? If I actually need it then I'll already have it.

But another part is thinking....what if I never use it. Then it's just a burden of worrying about not loosing it and renewing it the rest of my life when it never get's used.

So should everyone have a passport even if they never have intentions of using it?

And what else can you use them for besides travel abroad?

I was in the same situation. I applied and received my passport, only to never use it and have it expire. I realized that it wasn't necessary to have it until I needed it because it doesn't take a long time to get one, and you can expedite the process if need be.

Are you talking about the USA only (I know nothing about that part of the world)?

Within most of Europe, you do not need a passport for travel; a regular ID is enough. That is, when you are a EU citizen of course.

So no, you only need a passport when your travel arrangements require one, I would say.

I don't have a passport either, for the same reasons. I'm not planning on travelling outside Europe anytime soon, and within Europe (even non EU) all I need is my ID card.

If you think you might have to travel unexpectedly for work, you might get one. I keep one for that reason. Even the expedited process is going to take you a couple of weeks, and that's usually not fast enough for a work trip. If that's not a factor, no you don't really need one - just get one when you need it. Presumably for personnel travel you'll have plenty of notice. Just don't forget about it .

Do keep in mind that travel to Canada I believe now requires a passport. I took a quick trip over the boarder in the early 2000's to pick up an item I had purchased, and had a bit a problem - I can't remember which way. I think getting into Canada. Actually, both ways gave me some grief. I'd checked the relevant website the night before and it clearly said I did *not* need it..but the truth on the ground is that I got crap for not having it. They just weren't happy with a driver's license only.

I think the next year or 2 years later they changed the law and required a passport in to Canada.

I definitely do not travel out of country for work. Although my company does have stores in 26 countries....I'm not the guy they send

A while ago someone told me it took about 6 weeks to get a passport.
90% of my trip planning is spontaneous. But that's within the US, and mostly when I was a young buck. I remember once it was like Tuesday and a friend asked if I wanted to go with her to see her friends in her hometown in New York. "sure!" We left that weekend

A trip out of the country would be planned in advance by many weeks though.

I kind of feel like it's a thing you need as an adult.
But maybe not!

There is one advantage I just thought of. It's useful as backup identification, in case for some reason you loose all your normal methods (license, etc). It's generally considered "premium" identification at the DMV for instance, or the social security office. As such, it can help you get you out of a pickle if you loose various ID's all at once (maybe a fire?). Gotta keep the passport safe though

jamesspo said:

There is one advantage I just thought of. It's useful as backup identification, in case for some reason you loose all your normal methods (license, etc). It's generally considered "premium" identification at the DMV for instance, or the social security office. As such, it can help you get you out of a pickle if you loose various ID's all at once (maybe a fire?). Gotta keep the passport safe though

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ahh good. I'm aware of it's premium status. Anytime ID is required passport is 99% always accepted.
Good thinking!

Toothpick said:

ahh good. I'm aware of it's premium status. Anytime ID is required passport is 99% always accepted.
Good thinking!

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Yep, and usually you don't need other corroborating ID, which you don't have if you loose everything else .

Toothpick said:

....I'm not the guy they send

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Well, they know you don't have a passport ...


I was told that I could get a passport in 24 hours or top most one week, depending on much I'm willing to pay and how urgently I need it.

Also, if it is REALLY an emergency, the passport can be issued at the airport. Ain't gonna be cheap though ...

I'm talking about Europe of course.

man they ain't cheap!

Like Edgar says, as a EU citizen, you only need a passport when you travel out of the Schengen area. Otherwise your ID card is enough.
Even some countries outside the Schengen area accept the ID card.

Many of my colleagues do not have a passport. I have one because I needed one for a trip to the Antilles, two years ago.

I have an enhanced license to get into Canada.

You should get one. They're good for ten years and who knows, you may have the chance to take a spur-of-moment trip to Paris, Lisbon, Berlin or anywhere; it's just good to have one.

If you have no travel plans and cannot conceive of a situation where you would need to leave the US, I'd say getting a passport is a waste of time and money.

I only have one to get from Canada into the US as I hope to get down for a visit soon. In the good old days, no passport was required to enter the US from Canada. I have no plans to travel to any country other than the US for the somewhat foreseeable future. If it wasn't required to get into the US, I wouldn't have one now and would only get one when I needed one. In Canada, they can get you one in less than 20 days under normal circumstances, and you can get them quicker in an emergency. It is likely about the same in the US.

In Canada, you can get a 5 or 10 year passport. I opted for the 10 because it was $160 for 10 years, and $120 for 5 years. So it is cheaper in the long run and you don't have to renew as soon. Those 5 years actually go by pretty quick!

shaveitoff said:

If you have no travel plans and cannot conceive of a situation where you would need to leave the US, I'd say getting a passport is a waste of time and money.

I only have one to get from Canada into the US as I hope to get down for a visit soon. In the good old days, no passport was required to enter the US from Canada. I have no plans to travel to any country other than the US for the somewhat foreseeable future. If it wasn't required to get into the US, I wouldn't have one now and would only get one when I needed one. In Canada, they can get you one in less than 20 days under normal circumstances, and you can get them quicker in an emergency. It is likely about the same in the US.

In Canada, you can get a 5 or 10 year passport. I opted for the 10 because it was $160 for 10 years, and $120 for 5 years. So it is cheaper in the long run and you don't have to renew as soon. Those 5 years actually go by pretty quick!

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Do you have the enhanced driver license option?

August West said:

I have an enhanced license to get into Canada.

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What is an enhanced license?

alaskazimm said:

What is an enhanced license?

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http://dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/get-enhanced-driver-license-edl

A must have for truck drivers in my slice of North America. Other States and Countries offer them also I believe.

In 1995 my boss came to me and asked me if I had a passport. I told him no and he replied too bad we are doing a 3 week exchange with a "department" in London and you were recommended to go. When walking away he told me to apply for one.....A year or so later he asked me if I gotten a passport and when I told him yes. He said good and he would recommend me for an exchange coming up in Japan. A few weeks later he told me I was the wrong sex, they had to send a woman. Bummer!

Anyway, I just applied for my third passport. I did pay for the extra $60 for the expedite service. Mailed it on a Tuesday and had the new one in 9 days. Just in time for Mexico in December......my wife and I travel out of country often, so we use ours a lot. If you have older kids that might be going to Mexico, or anywhere out of country I recommend having a passport should they get sick, injured, in trouble, etc and you need to go to them. After 911 "instant" service is difficult. Not impossible, but costly and difficult. If you have a good relationship with your Congressman/woman he/she can speed things along if necessary.

In short, if you even think you might be leaving the US anytime within the next year apply now when you pay a cheaper rate and will have it in 4 to 6 weeks.