Do you have a passport?

Last night we went to a twin gathering in Buffalo NY. There were 14 sets of twins there, 5 from Canada and 7 from the US (representing 5 states! it was kinda crazy actually) We invited anyone from away to come visit today and are planning something in Feb/March and hope to have it in Canada. The issue came up that many of the US twins don't have passports so can't come over. One girls lives within walking distance to the international bridge and doesn't have one. 
 
I've seen references to somewhere between 30 and 58% of Americans having one. Most Canadians I know have one but then, I live in a border region. 
 
Do you have one?

 

Yep. I've had one since I was 18. It sucks now that you need a passport to get into the US, which I know has driven most Canadians I know to get one.

 

Yup we all have one. We went to Italy when boys were 9 months old. And Annabella went right before she was two. We cruised to Bermuda and kids all needed one so we rushed them. Ours expire in 2018 and we will get them again. We hope to go back to Italy in 2016. Well I do. My husband would rather not lol.

 

I have one but it expired earlier this year, my husbands expired last year.  We kept meaning to renew them but never did.  Our home state now has some sort of federalized driver's license that allows you to use it in place of a passport for travel to Canada and Mexico (I think?).  Because my husband is military, we can't get it (STUPID.), we just have regular licenses from our home state.
 
My first passport was issued to me when I was 4 months old!  My dad was in the military and I was born in a foreign country so I needed it to go home. 

 

I've had once since I was a few months old and so have the girls.  DH has always had one since I've known him.

 

Not currently. I got one is college for a trip to Europe.  DH had one for awhile when he went to Spain to visit his BIL and sister.  Both of ours have long since expired and we haven't bothered to renew them.  Not sure why we would need to really unless we plan to go somewhere.

 

I've had one my whole life but I think it's due for renewal in the next two years. Paul has one, also probably due for renewal.

The girls don't have one yet.

 

No but were trying to find time to go get pictures for applications. Probably wouldn't have except were cruising in March

 

Yes. DH and I and the twins have them. Ellie doesn't yet. She's 15 months, and it hasn't come up.

 

Ben & I do. We went on a cruise last year. 
 
Our plan is to get the kids passports in a couple of years. After Disney, Europe is the next 'big' trip we want to take.

 

I renewed mine when I got married but it has since expired. Twins made a trip as infants into Canada with grandma who didn't think she'd need any info on them coming back to the United States.  Whew!

 

I have one and so does DH. But mine needs to be updated with my married name.

 

yup- dh, me, and our girls

 

We have passports, but when I travel in the US I don't have it with us.

 

We all have passports now.  The youngest got his last year and the oldest just had to have hers renewed.

 

Since birth a Canadian (born there)
Then at 18 I also got an American (Mom is American) because of an Intership
After that I got a job in Germany (we live on the border) and needed a European passport
Dad is Dutch.
Now I only have the Dutch
 
My kids have dual citizenship and I should get them a Canadian Passport before Holland desides that dual citizenship is not allowed
 
The kids have there Dutch ones because of traveling

 

I do and I renew mine about six months before it expires because some countries require you to have at least six months left on your passport upon entry.  I feel naked without a passport and hate the 2-4 weeks the renewal process takes.
 

 
Until the United States started requiring passports from Canadians the figures were about the same.  I knew lots of people that didn't have passports including one friend that wasn't even sure what a passport looked like.  I still know a few that don't have a valid passport.

 

I also recently got Global Entry, which gives me the ability to use precheck lines (my primary motivation) and avoid long customs lines. I don't do a ton of international travel, but I did get to use it on a return trip from Canada in September.

For me, there truly is a possibility of short notice international travel. I only knew about my trip to Vancouver in September about a month before I went. And there's a possibility of needing to go on a week's notice for work. It's just safer.

 

Both DH and I have one that is up for renewal in 2016.  I do want to get the kids one as well.  

 

No.  Need to get that taken care of though.

 

 
Because you're coming to Canada? YAY!

 

I do and have always had one.  My father has always worked overseas and I traveled for work overseas occasionally at my previous job.  DH has never had one.  None of our kids do yet.  They have all been to Mexico but not since the passport requirements changed. 

 

I think I'm in the only one that has never had one! My 14yr old DD is the only one to have a passport because she goes on school trips out of the country.

 

My husband and I both have passports, we've not taken the kids out of the country yet so they do not.

 

I don't have one. I got one in my 20's when I was planning on heading to Japan to teach English. Never happened and my passport never got used. My kids don't have one either, nor does my husband.
 
We have no plans on getting one, unless someone on here gives me a good reason why we would need one. I don't see us traveling internationally anytime soon. Neither of our jobs would ever require it (not a chance either) and our finances aren't going to be permitting it any time soon.

 

  
 
It is SOOOO nice for trips that include multiple countries.  Totally worth the hassle of the interview, etc.

 

Definitely. It was actually really easy once I finally got in for the interview appointment.

 

Funny, we were just talking about a week ago about getting everyone passports. Mine expired in 2010  :blush:  I'm sure DH's has expired as well. The girls have never had them.

 

I have always had a passport (lots of international travel with my parents, lots of international travel for business and pleasure as an adult), DH got his for our engagement trip to New York a couple of years ago, the kids don't have one so far because we have never been abroad with them.

 

nope - never have...Tony did as a kid but never renewed it.

 

I used to, but it expired.  I had it to travel to Barbados at some point.  Now I've replaced it with an enhanced Michigan drivers license, which works to travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.  So until such time I travel outside those places, the license works for me and was cheaper.
 
My twins do have passports, as we were going to cruise somewhere where they needed them (but ended up having to cancel due to a job conflict for my DH).  They are probably about a year away from expiring.

 

I have a Canadian and an American passport and my husband has one.  The kids don't have them at this point as they have never been out of North America.  All 7 of us do have Nexus cards which allow us to use the trusted traveller lanes at the border and the airport and that is all that the kids need to go between Canada and the States.

 

Tina, I didn't know the kids didn't need a passport to the US.. do they need it if they don't have Nexus? We've been thinking of Nexus for a while now since Kris travels so much for work, but haven't gotten around to it.

 

Devon and I do but the girls have expired. Technically we don't need one when cruising unless something happened and we would need to fly out.

 

 
As far as I know, kids under 18 are fine with a birth certificate if you are driving across the border.  If you are flying, that's a different matter altogether.  But the kids didn't need a passport for their Nexus application and the application process is free until they turn 18.  Totally worth it!