Select Page

There’s No Better Time for Americans to Get Passports

by | Jun 27, 2018 | International, Travel, Travel tips

Sixty percent of Americans don't have a passport. However, getting one can not only give you access to places all around the world, you might even need one for domestic flights before long.

Did you know that a whopping 60 percent of Americans don’t have a passport? Compare that to the 57 percent of Australians and 66 percent of Canadians who do have passports, according to Forbes, and you can’t help but blush. But why do you need a passport in the first place? If you’re a bit of a skeptic, look through these three reasons there’s no better time than now to get one.

1. International travel is waiting for you

The most obvious reason you need a passport is to travel anywhere outside of the U.S. There are some loopholes, like for those with an Alien Registration Card, but for most Americans, passports are the only way to travel internationally. The U.S. has some stellar travel spots, but who doesn’t want to check off Bermuda from their bucket list?

2. The passport process is easy

Nowadays, if you have your own digital camera and a photo printer, you can perfect your pose and print two 2”x2” headshots for your passport photo. Just follow the official guidelines, and voila! No more cringe-worthy DMV-style photos.

Did you know that a whopping 60 percent of Americans don't have passports? Maybe you think you don't need one, or maybe you've just never gotten around to it. But there's no time like the present to get your passport--especially considering that a number of states' official IDs won't be usable even for domestic flights in a few months.

3. The earlier you apply, the cheaper it could be

If you need to obtain a passport last-minute, you might have to pay extra for expedited services. Even with a fee of about $60, plus overnight delivery costs, your passport might not arrive for another two weeks. And, this is assuming you have all of the required application documents, such as your birth certificate, already in hand. But if you apply using the usual route and time frame, you’ll only have to pay the original application fee.

If you’re an American without a passport in 2018, you’re in the majority. But if you’ve been bitten by the travel bug, or you’ve been planning your trip to Thailand since you were 10, there’s no better time to apply for one. Even if you’re just planning to travel from the U.S. to Canada or Mexico, you’ll still need a passport. In fact, thanks to the REAL ID Act, you may even need one to fly on domestic flights if you live in certain states.

There’s really no reason to avoid getting a passport. The process is easy and cheap, and adventure awaits.