Why Do You Need A Passport

By Kathleen Burch

In order to depart or enter the United States and to enter and depart most foreign countries, a U.S. citizen needs a passport. Exceptions include short-term travel between the United States and Mexico, Canada, and some countries in the Caribbean, where a U.S. birth certificate or other proof of U.S. citizenship may be accepted.

Your travel agent or airline can tell you if you need a passport for the country that you plan to visit. You can also be advised about its entry requirements by the embassy or consulate of the country where you plan to travel.

You may not be required to have a passport to visit a foreign country but still, U.S. Immigration requires you to prove your U.S. citizenship and identity to reenter the United States. Making sure that you take with you adequate documentation to pass through U.S. Immigration upon your return is important. A U.S. passport is considered as the best proof of U.S. citizenship.

An expired U.S. passport, a certified copy of your U.S. birth certificate, a Certificate of Naturalization, a Certificate of Citizenship, or a Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States are other documents to prove that you are a U.S. citizen. If you use a valid driver’s license or a government identification card that includes a photo or a physical description is adequate, you can also prove your identity. You should check for the latest requirements.

There are several countries that have instituted passport requirements in order to help prevent child abductions because of the number of international child custody cases on the rise. An example would be Mexico having a law that requires a child traveling alone, or with only one parent, or in someone else’s custody, to carry written, notarized consent from the absent parent or parents. If the child travels alone and is in possession of a U.S. passport, no authorization is needed.

A written and notarized authorization from both parents is required if a child travels alone with a birth certificate.

Are You Sure Your Passport is Not about to Expire?

Certain countries will not permit you to enter and will not place a visa in your passport, if the remaining validity is less than 6 months.

Their Own Passport is What All U.S. Citizens Must Have.

Family members are not permitted to be included in each other’s passports since January 1981. Newborn babies also need their own passports in order to travel.

When to Apply

Each year, the demand declines in August and becomes heavy in January. By applying between September and December, you can avoid delays and help reduce U.S. Government expense. But periods of high demand for passports can still occur even during those months. Apply several months in advance of your planned departure, whenever possible. Allow additional time if you need visas, about two weeks per visa.

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