Do you have a passport, and when was the last time you used it?

Yep, earlier this year, on a trip to Canada and again on a trip to Europe and possibly one more time next month (yet to be determined). I’ve had a valid passport my whole life and need it routinely as I greatly enjoy traveling overseas. Until you mentioned it I had no idea of that particular number and (provided it’s accurate), while it’s not too surprising, in my opinion it’s a little sad more US citizens can’t, or don’t want to, travel abroad.

Yes. I think the last time I used it was to go to Canada a year ago.

It’s true, many many Americans don’t have passports. I find it odd myself, and I am American, but consider this, our country is vast. We can see mountains, and prairies, and beaches, and countryside, and big cities all within our own borders. The country is 3,000 miles east to west. Your country is like one small state for us. We can experience Latin American fun in the sun in Miami, and brats, beer, and cheese in the upper midwest. It isn’t the same as visiting other countries, but each region of our country has its own uniqueness.

Yes I do. I used it last Monday to come home to the USA, and I will use it tomorrow when I return to the Netherlands.

That said, the thing Europeans need to remember about American international travel is that this country is massive. Just the lower 48 states are substantially larger (by area) than the EU. Until recently, Americans could travel in Canada and Mexico without a passport: a zone roughly as broad as from Norway to sub-Saharan Africa. So international travel normally requires boarding a ridiculously long flight to another continent.

@JLeslie @Mamradpivo I hope my question doesn’t come across as passing any judgement! :-) I am well aware of how large America is, having boarded several “rediculously long flights to that other continent”!

Yes.

@harple Not all. :) I hope I did not come across as though I thought you didn’t understand the geographical differences. Keep in mind we have had questions on fluther where people from other countries have asked things like I’m taking a vacation to America, what cities should I see? Americans come back with, how long do you have? Do you already know where you are landing? What type of vacation do you like? It feels like they don’t realize you can’t just drive around and see everything in a couple weeks. Same with Americans being poor in geography, we are lacking, I agree with that, but also if we just know half the capitals of our states, it is like knowing every capital of every country in the EU. Again, I am not directing it at you, but anyone who also might be reading.

I have one, but it expired last April.

I last used it in 2007 to go to Quebec.

That should be not at all :).

I have one, I used it last Summer when I went to St. Maarten.

Yes. It’s been well used. Last time was to England and then to France via the Chunnel.

I’m a former travel agent and I’ve never had a passport. For two reasons, we don’t have the money to travel abroad and I prefer to travel by car. Like @JLeslie and @Mamradpivo said, the US has much to offer. I think it’s kind of sad that many people who live in the US don’t explore everything this country has to offer.

I would like to visit Canada, so I’m sure I’ll get one some day.

I have had a passport all my life really, since 6 months old or so (I assume) when I had my first ever flight. My parents kept a passport for me until I grew up, and now I am actually just in the process of renewing my passport. At a guess I think it will be delivered in the next 10 days or so. As soon as I get it I’m off to the UK.

The last time I traveled, would have been coming here to Spain from the UK 4 years ago when I returned to Spain from working in the UK a few years.

Obviously I’m not American, but I think Americans don’t have so many passports is due to the size of America. I wonder how America stacks up against say China or India, or perhaps Russia when it comes to passports owned.

@poisonedantidote good question…. To whereabouts are you headed in the UK?

Yes. Used it last year for a trip to Cancun, Mexico; used it three years ago for a trip to Canada; and used it five years ago for a trip to London. I actually use the passport as my photo ID each time I travel by air in the US, which is fairly frequently.

@harple Kent.

@poisonedantidote nice part of the country :-)

I think all Americans should have a passport. It is $75 more or less and it lasts 10 years for adults. If you have the opportunity to travel on a last minute trip, not going because one lacks a passport is ridiculous. Getting a passport rushed is much much more expensive. Plus, I use it as a second ID. My husband and I usually have our passports no matter where we travel, even domestically. One time when my husband travelled to NY, he called me from the airport to tell me the woman at check-in noticed his license was expired. I think if he had not had his passport with him he would have not been allowed on the plane.

Nope. I’ve never had a passport mostly because I’ve never had reason to use one.

Never had one. Traveled to the Dominican Republic on a birth certificate and have been to Canada back when the border guards just waved at you as you drove through.

I have an expired passport. I last used it in 1984 when I went to China.

@Adirondackwannabe It’s not like that to go to Canada anymore, huh?

I unfortunately don’t have one and have never had one before. I’d love to travel out of the country more than anything, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon.

@harple A lot of British people have passports so they can fly off to the sun to escape our hellish climate whereas Americans have a choice of climate within the continental USA. I have a passport myself because I love exploring Europe though I am not a sun lover. I used my passport very recently to travel to northern Italy. It was superb!

@Blackberry You might get into Canada without one, but you won’t get back into the U.S. unless they’ve eased it up a little.

@Blackberry Your biggest problem is getting back into the US. I crossed by bus into America at the Quebec/Vermont border and it was the toughest immigration I have ever gone through and I have been to Japan, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, and others. They actually pulled three people behind closed doors, there was ony about 15–20 of us on the bus. Everyone was released to travel into the US though.

I guess dem illegals ruined it fer us huh. Lol!

Yep. I’ve just finished my application for a new passport, because my other one is expired. Last time I used it I went to Germany – in 2003 – and will use it again next year to go back.

@poisonedantidote ”At a guess I think it will be delivered in the next 10 days or so”

Me too, hey let’s have a bet and see whose arrives first! xD

My passport expired years ago. I don’t have one. I keep meaning to get a new one, because I’d like to visit a relative in Canada, but who knows when I’ll get around to it.

@ANef_is_Enuf I know how that feels. It took me 7 months to actually finish my application after a lot of procrastinating. I was asked to visit the place where I lodged it to resign my declaration because the signature was so old. But it feels so good to finally get it done.

I just used mine in February when my husband and I flew to Argentina, sailed to the Falkland Islands, went to Chile, and then went into Peru. I had one in the “olden days” but never used. Then we usually just went into Mexico and Canada. We did go into the Bahamas and into other parts of the Caribbean. It was never stamped, but we did need it for that.

I have a passport but only because I’m leaving the USA for the first time in 45 years.

@Neizvestnaya, YEAH! Where are you going?

@GracieT: I’m going to cruise the Caribbean next month.

As a child, I’d been into Canada with my parents but a passport or visa wasn’t required for any of us. Up until a few years ago, people visiting Mexico told me they didn’t ever use passports or visas.

I have never traveled outside the United States so I do not own a passport. If I had the money to travel, then I would definitely own a passport. It’s something that I am currently looking into for the future.

Yes. Last weekend I went to Paris on the train for the day.

I’ve had one my whole life. It was last used to go to Chicago or something. I thought you had to have one now to fly anywhere. I will use it next to go to Australia yay!

I have 2, as a dual citizen. Last time I used both of them was 8 months ago.

I have one and I used it in September.

I have one, and I used it June/July last year when I went to Europe from Australia. I’m dying to use it again, but alas I have a few too many commitments down here at the moment.

I have one because we travelled to England and Belgium 7 years ago. Then we had to renew because flashing our birth certificate at the U.S. border is no longer sufficient.

We travelled down to Point Roberts this year and were advised at the U.S. border that our 16 year old son now needed a passport. I had completely forgotten the age cut off for using birth certificates was 16. I had visions of us having to leave him at his Nana’s house. The border guard let through, though, and let us know that he just labelled him as non-compliant.

We travelled back and forth across that border 4 times and no other border guard mentioned it.

We’re in the process of getting him a passport now that we are back.

I have a passport. I am in Australia. I went to the UK about a month ago.