# Do you have a valid passport? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2019, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872 "2019-11-23T15:10:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/21 "2019-11-23T18:56:32Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Your poll is broken, because I have two. Why is it broken? If you have at least one valid passport… I travel a lot and I’m aware that many people have more than one, either dual citizenship or a diplomatic one. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/22 "2019-11-23T18:59:13Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Yes, we travel internationally a couple of times a year, either business or pleasure. > > On a side note, we live in California and consequently have to get the new REAL ID compliant drivers license for air travel within the US. Pain in the butt - have to deal with DMV. I use my passport to fly domestically all the time. I actually do have a real ID since my last DL expired in January. Thankfully I don’t drive as it took a month or so ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/23 "2019-11-23T19:01:47Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Your poll is broken, because I have two. Did you notice that the question was, “Do you have at least one valid passport?” ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/24 "2019-11-23T19:03:33Z")
Yes, and have since 1985. I use it for international travel at least once a year, and had the most recent one out a couple of weeks ago along with my driver’s license as ID when I got my security badge at work renewed. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/25 "2019-11-23T19:09:55Z")
As I’ve said before – two. US and Georgia. Just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/26 "2019-11-23T19:35:32Z")
Geez, tough room. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/27 "2019-11-23T20:32:17Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Geez, tough room. That’s what happens when one of the poll options isn’t pie? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/28 "2019-11-23T20:48:51Z")
I was going to vote no, but it said I had already voted (which I did not-). ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/29 "2019-11-23T21:07:11Z")
Yes. I’ve had a passport for years. I did a lot of overseas travel back in the day, and I visit the US a few times a year nowadays, so I need one for that too. I’m at the point where it feels weird to _not_ have a valid passport. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/30 "2019-11-23T21:14:13Z")
Yep, need it for work and it gets used frequently. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/31 "2019-11-23T21:55:52Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Yes, we travel internationally a couple of times a year, either business or pleasure. > > On a side note, we live in California and consequently have to get the new REAL ID compliant drivers license for air travel within the US. Pain in the butt - have to deal with DMV. I just got my REAL ID license. Made an appointment with the DMV for 10 am. Was out of there at 10:02. (I did come 15 minutes early.) Have your stuff together now and it is a snap. Have had a passport since 1961 when I went to Africa as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/32 "2019-11-23T22:13:22Z")
Yes. Mine was expired for a bit in 2018-19 but that was first time in at least 30 or so yrs I didn’t have a valid one. Most responses here are usually from US (42% have per this link, big increase in recent years), or Canada second (66% per link), UK another common origin of posters (76% in England and Wales per link). Fairly easy to see why that would be the order, average distance to a land border from a given person’s home is higher in the US than Canada, loads of nearby countries to UK and UK not part of the Schengen Zone even aside from potential Brexit. I’ve read second hand that it’s also lower in some larger Shengen Zone countries, since you can go to lots of other countries without one. > **[The Share Of Americans Holding A Passport Has Increased Dramatically In...](https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2018/01/11/the-share-of-americans-holding-a-passport-has-increased-dramatically-in-recent-years-infographic/#3a03fa473c16)** > > Last year, a grand total of 21.4 million passports were issued in the U.S., the highest number ever recorded. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/33 "2019-11-23T22:29:11Z")
Yep. Just used it to get my “enhanced” driver’s license that will let me board planes. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/34 "2019-11-23T22:32:53Z")
Yes, but I’m English and I don’t drive. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/35 "2019-11-23T22:42:30Z")
I’m English and have had a passport for 46 years. Several of my friends in Las Vegas had to get a passport to visit me. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/36 "2019-11-23T22:51:12Z")
I had a passport once, but it expired in the 1990’s. I was going to get a new one for “just in case” this year, but when I went to get a RealID I found out there was Official Confusion Over My Actual Name which took months and a lawyer to straighten out. So getting a new passport is on the list for _next_ year now. But at least now I am Properly Identified. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/37 "2019-11-23T22:55:56Z")
> [@Civil\_Guy](#): > > Sigh. Neither Saint Pierre nor Miquelon are west of Newfoundland. They’re west of the peninsula of Newfoundland that reaches furthest south, if that makes any sense. And while we’re picking nits, Newfoundland and Labrador isn’t one of the Maritime provinces. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/38 "2019-11-23T23:50:10Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Keep in mind that you may be in a situation requiring immediate out of country travel, a friend or relative getting sick or in legal trouble abroad. Possible but extremely doubtful and not likely enough to push it far up the priority list. Unless it’s my spouse or child, I’m not going to be anyone’s choice to fly across the globe to save them. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/39 "2019-11-24T00:20:22Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > And while we’re picking nits, Newfoundland and Labrador isn’t one of the Maritime provinces. 😉 Understood. On the same trip, I also travelled through New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. The US doesn’t deserve a neighbor as nice as Canada. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872/40 "2019-11-24T00:22:18Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Yes, we travel internationally a couple of times a year, either business or pleasure. > > On a side note, we live in California and consequently have to get the new REAL ID compliant drivers license for air travel within the US. Pain in the butt - have to deal with DMV. I just got my RealID two week ago. I made an appointment, and it was easy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-valid-passport/843872.md?page=3)