Nine surprising facts about passports

[sparks1093]

US passports have comparable language: "This passport is the property of the United States". It goes on to point out that it must be surrendered on demand of an authorized representative of the Government.

 

Of course, once it has been cancelled upon issuance of a replacement, it really is no longer a passport because it could not be used as a passport. That being the case, the government has no concern about it since it is only an invalid document with no use other than that of a souvenir."

 

Expired passports are still evidence of US citizenship and need to be safeguarded, according to the State Department. (Of course one needs to make sure that when they leave for a trip they take the current passport with them and not the expired one. I have read of at least one traveler that did that.)

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/FAQs.html

Edited June 1, 2015 by sparks1093

[john watson]

The assertion that the passport is the property of the relevant government is made by most; if not all governments, around the world. I think they do this because if anyone tries to do anything inappropriate to or with "your" passport including foreign nations and local officials they might well invoke a stern and possibly hostile response from your government on your behalf. Your complaint would be presumably channelled through you own countries embassy in that nation to facilitate immediate and appropriate action.

 

Regards John

[SantaFeFan]

How can someone be wrong when asking a question? Thank you for providing an answer.

 

You didn't ask a question - you made an incorrect statement about who owns passports. Plus, the "wrong again" comment related to how many wrong answers we have been seeing lately on passport threads. My answers are based on research, not opinion.

[sparks1093]

You didn't ask a question - you made an incorrect statement about who owns passports. Plus, the "wrong again" comment related to how many wrong answers we have been seeing lately on passport threads. My answers are based on research, not opinion.

 

Sorry, I asked a question in post #34 and the post you quoted was a follow on to that question and was in response to another poster. The statement that I made was also heavily qualified. The one statement that I did make was based on my own experience and at the time I made that statement it was correct as I had never read anything to the contrary until you provided the information that I needed (I haven't looked at every page in my passport;)).

[sloopsailor]

There is a fundamental difference between the administration of US and UK passports as far as I am aware if a US citizen gets a ten year passport they typically cannot use the last six months of it for many places. So after nine and a half years they renew and get another ten year passport which effectively might be useful for only nine and a half years. The six month period keeps being lost.

 

In the UK you may renew your ten year passport at any time during its period of validity. If you renew it nine months before it expires your new ten year passport is issued valid for the ten years plus the nine months! They add in any period of unused validity up to nine months for the new passport issue.

 

This is a good benefit as no wastage occurs regarding the six months validity some countries insist upon.

 

This six months to expiration date requirement is not made by the US government, but by the governments of countries to which a US citizen may be traveling to. This is clearly stated on the Department of State's passport FAQ page:

 

"Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met. Consider the following scenario: A country requires that you have at least six months of validity on your passport. You currently have seven months of validity on your passport. However, your trip is two months from now. At that point, you will only have five months of validity remaining on your passport which is not enough to satisfy that country's entry requirements. In this situation, you would need to renew your passport before you can make your trip.

 

Check our Country Specific Information to learn about entry and exit requirements for the country or countries in which you are traveling. Watch this short YouTube video about why you need at least six months of validity on your U.S. passport! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T0RqyF1nsE"

 

Similar requirements may be necessary for passports from other countries.

Edited June 1, 2015 by sloopsailor

[john watson]

This six months to expiration date requirement is not made by the US government, but by the governments of countries to which a US citizen may be traveling to. This is clearly stated on the Department of State's passport FAQ page:

 

"Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met. Consider the following scenario: A country requires that you have at least six months of validity on your passport. You currently have seven months of validity on your passport. However, your trip is two months from now. At that point, you will only have five months of validity remaining on your passport which is not enough to satisfy that country's entry requirements. In this situation, you would need to renew your passport before you can make your trip.

 

Check our Country Specific Information to learn about entry and exit requirements for the country or countries in which you are traveling. Watch this short YouTube video about why you need at least six months of validity on your U.S. passport! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T0RqyF1nsE"

 

Similar requirements may be necessary for passports from other countries.

Totally agree with this; my point is that US passport holders lose a bit of their ten year period as a result of other nations rules. UK passport holders get credited with the unused period up to nine months despite other nations rules. Obviously this may vary for US citizens where travel is occurring when they technically do not "need" a passport and alternative documents will suffice. I am thinking under these circumstances a cruise line might accept a passport beyond the normal limit where the cruise is say round trip from a US port then calls at othe US islands. I have no idea on that side issue.

 

Regards John

[SantaFeFan]

Sorry, I asked a question in post #34 and the post you quoted was a follow on to that question and was in response to another poster. The statement that I made was also heavily qualified. The one statement that I did make was based on my own experience and at the time I made that statement it was correct as I had never read anything to the contrary until you provided the information that I needed (I haven't looked at every page in my passport;)).

 

I am pleased if I was able to help. If I appeared to challenge you, I apologize for that. I try to provide factual information on these threads so people will have the confidence to proceed with their plans knowing they are doing the right thing. Sometimes I get a little too worked up if I think that incorrect information is being presented.

Edited June 1, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[sparks1093]

I am pleased if I was able to help. If I appeared to challenge you, I apologize for that. I try to provide factual information on these threads so people will have the confidence to proceed with their plans knowing they are doing the right thing. Sometimes I get a little too worked up if I think that incorrect information is being presented.

 

No worries, I also try to provide the correct information and don't want to give an impression to the contrary.

[aredhel]

If that is the case why do they send our expired passports back to us when we renew them? If they belonged to the government wouldn't they just destroy them?

 

One big reason why they send them back is that the old passport may contain a still-valid visa. Suppose you got a 10-year multiple-entry visa to Country A 5 years before your passport was due to expire. At the time of passport renewal, that visa still has a full 5 years of validity. So if you wished to enter Country A again after renewing your passport, you'd bring along both your new, vaild passport AND the old, expired passport containing the still-valid visa.

[sparks1093]

One big reason why they send them back is that the old passport may contain a still-valid visa. Suppose you got a 10-year multiple-entry visa to Country A 5 years before your passport was due to expire. At the time of passport renewal, that visa still has a full 5 years of validity. So if you wished to enter Country A again after renewing your passport, you'd bring along both your new, vaild passport AND the old, expired passport containing the still-valid visa.

 

Also good information to have, thank you.