Do you have a Passport?

Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive March 2004: Do you have a Passport?

I'm just curious. I don't have one, but am getting one. I have been putting it off for 2 years now, but have really wanted to travel. So, I am taking the leap.

I know, there are people who have no desire to travel Internationally and don't have one. Just curious about everyone here.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 11:14 am:

Nope, I don't have a Passport, but really need to get my Naturalization paper work going.

By Kate on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 12:06 pm:

No, I don't have one and I am indeed one of those who have no desire to travel internationally. Do you have any near future plans, Eve? If I were to take the plunge, I'd be interested in England and Australia.

By Cat on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 12:16 pm:

I used to have one, but that was when we went to Panama and since it was a military issued passport it was only good for 5 years and they took it back when it expired (boy, the military's possesive, aren't they!?! lol). Someday I'll get a civillian one. I want to go to Australlia someday! (been a dream of mine since I was about 8)

By Bellajoe on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 12:25 pm:

Yep, I have one. Got it when we decided to go to Jamaica for our Honeymoon. I'm not sure when or if it expires. We aren't leaving the country anytime soon, so i guess i don't have to worry about that yet.

My mom just retired, last Thurs. was her last day. She worked at a store for 20 years. She and her sister are taking a trip in October. They are traveling through Europe. They are going to England, Switzerland, Italy and i think one other country. She's never been overseas and has always wanted to go. I'm soooo jealous!! So, she is definitely going to need a passport for that.

By Texannie on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 12:59 pm:

We all have them. I have had one since high school, but got the rest of ours this fall. We leave for a cruise on Sunday and needed them. It was so easy, just went to the post office with the forms I had downloaded, took maybe 45 minutes, then they were mailed to use about a month later. If you do it before your kids turn 14, they don't have to be present to apply.

By Texannie on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 01:00 pm:

Trina, you aren't a US citizen?

By Mommmie on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 01:56 pm:

I have one as does my son. There is a new rule were children have to be present to apply.

By Texannie on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 02:25 pm:

Interesting, Mommmie, I went to their site and it said "effective 2001 under 14 must be present" but when we applied just last fall, they didn't have to be present under age 14. How weird.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 02:49 pm:

Texannie, no I'm not a US Citizen. I'm a legal alien.



Originally from Canada.

By Texannie on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 03:01 pm:

I thought that you were born and raised in CT.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 03:06 pm:

I moved to CT 5.5 ago.

By Happynerdmom on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 04:06 pm:

Yes, I have a passport and you just reminded me that it expires this November, so I have to get it renewed! Our kids have them, too. We love traveling...I just wish we had more time for it.

By My2girlygirls on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 04:10 pm:

Funny you should ask... I just got the application for my passport today. DH and I re going to England this July (no kids) for 10 days!!

By Fraggle on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 04:21 pm:

Mine just expired . I don't think I will be needing a new one for a while.

By Eve on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 04:45 pm:

Expired passports are supposed to be very easy to renew. You can do it all through the mail!

Ok, how come I can't seem to download my application? LOL! I thought I had the software, but I guess not.

Kate-I am attempting to plan a trip to Italy in May 2005. Seems far away, but would you believe I have to start looking at hotels to book now? Yikes!

By Mommmie on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 04:57 pm:

I just heard on the news last week, maybe the week before, that the law had just hanged about kids being present to apply for passports. The news announcer said it was related to Homeland Security.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 07:40 pm:

Never have needed a passport. I went to Mexico when I was 15, but we only needed some sort of card, not a whole passport.

By Laurazee on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 08:17 pm:

I have one because I have to travel internationally for work.

Just as an FYI, if you ever have to go anywhere outside North America, there are a lot of countries now that require you to have a passport that will be valid 6 months to a year after you plan to travel. So a passport's "validity" is about a year less than you think it is. Learned that one the hard way!

By Annie2 on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 08:32 pm:

We all have one because we lived in Japan for three years. I will have to check into renewing them. i don't plan on traveling out of the country anytime soon but it is easy to renew.

By Mommyof4 on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 08:35 pm:

Yes I do have one and hope to be using it again this summer to go to China to get my son. I need to get my oldest dd one as just another form of verifcation that she is a U.S. Citizen.

By Palmbchprincess on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 10:02 pm:

I don't have one, and probably won't need one for a while. I'd love to see Europe, and a few other places, but it'll have to wait!!

By Conni on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 10:54 pm:

Yes I have one. I was *suppose* to get to go with dh to England for a work/pleasure trip. So we hurried up and got my passport made and then his work cancelled the trip. (he had already gotten to go to England for 3 weeks that year) I realllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy wanted to go) Yes that is in a very whiney tone!!

By Marcia on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 - 11:34 pm:

I don't have one. I've been to the West Indies twice, and didn't need one. Other than that, we only travel to the states. Maybe one day.....

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 11:20 am:

Cat- How did they ask for it back? Do they send you letter or contact your husbands command? I am horrible, we have moved 3 times and I honestly couldn't tell you where 2 of them are. I think they expire soon. I guess I better start looking for them.

By Cat on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 11:59 am:

Kristie, they must have told my dh at work, because he's the one that turned them in. I do have a picture of my youngest from when we got them. They had to take his twice because he twisted around, and they let me keep the bad one (which is really cute!). Hey, what do they expect from a 9mo??? Have your dh check with his unit. They may have changed the rules by now (you know the military! lol).

By Eve on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 03:39 pm:

Laura! Good tip! My uncle just bought a house in Brazil and I know you have to have a valid passport for 6 months, and I believe you also have to apply for a Visa, which is also interesting!

By Tunnia on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 04:18 pm:

My dh, my dd, and I have passports (my ds does not). We got them before we went on a trip to Costa Rica.

By Laurazee on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 07:30 pm:

Hi Eve - yes, all the South American countries require a Visa except for Chile (my old boss learned THAT one the hard way!!), though I believe the Visa requirements have relaxed somewhat from a few years ago if you're just a tourist. Getting a Visa is pretty much a formality if you're able to visit a consulate in person.


The 6-month valid passport rule also applies for most of the European countries - UK for sure.

I used to live in Brazil, actually - near São Paulo.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 05:54 am:

Funny story! I have an expired passport, which I got when my parents were taking me on a cruise to Bermuda and needed photo ID to be allowed to return to the US. Since I didn't drive at the time, I had a choice between getting a state non-driver ID or a passport and opted for the passport. No problem, until I learned that without photo ID I had to have someone with photo ID come with me to the passport office to vouch for me. So my middle son, about 18 at the time, with photo ID, had to come with me to say "yes, that's my mom" to the passport office people. He thought it was hilarious. In retrospect, so do I.

By Eve on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 12:53 pm:

That's a great story, Ginny!

Laura-You are a traveler! Brazil sounds like it has some really nice areas. My Uncle bought a house near a lake outside of Rio. Not that I have any idea where that is, but he seems happy there.