Do you have your passport?
 

Do you even have your birth certificate?

With the change in laws, particularly the one that says you need a US passport to get BACK into the US after visiting Mexico, I decided to get one.

First, though, I had to write away for a new birth certificate. The original one, being folded and refolded for 50 years, is in a sorry state.

I mean, ya never know when I'll be whisked away to Cancun . . . or wherever, and then I'll need a passport right then! Smile

. . . and they're not cheap to get. Or quick.

Depends. You can get one in 24 hours if you have a booked ticket and are willing to pay the extra charge. We have to do it occasionally at my firm.

Yes, I have my passport. But it expires in a year or two. I've got all my (2 or 3) old ones in a drawer somewhere. They are stamped by some countries that don't exist any longer.

I had to get one before my cruise this month. I requested it in Mid December, it showed up after the first of the year.

It was looked at a grand total of about 2 minutes. Once when I was checking onto the ship, and once when we were passing through customs in Tampa - that one really surprised me - he barely even glanced at it as we walked by. (Glad that was just coffee in our bags, and not something else!)

I got most of ours last year. I am waiting for my college-age son to take the preprinted form I filled out for him along with the two checks required and go stand in line at the nearby post office to submit them. I've been waiting for two months.:right:

I've got my second one. My first one has a bunch of stamps from Europe...The current one only has the Czech Republic, which I was lucky to get; I had to ASK to have it stamped when I got to Ruzyne. Bastards don't stamp for Mexico and Canada :(

I had to get one for my upcoming trip to Panama in May. How do you tell if you have one of the RFID chips in it?

Microwave it. If a spot bursts into flames...it did. :D

Post 9-11 all military contractors had to proof employees. Since I never had an original birth certificate, just a paper from the town clerk when I needed a ration card and pre-school shots that didn't fly. They wouldn't even accept duplicates (Xerox or FAX). I signed a release and they got me an original certificate, satisfied their crap by faxing a copy to headquarters, they mailed it to me, gratis. I questioned why they could fax and we couldn't. They had sent a special super duper sworn, bonded, authorized, folded, spindled and mutilated, person to Philly from headquarters for a couple months to check the originals and do the official faxing. Wonder what that job pays?

I noticed this week, the sign in the Post office, $97 passport, $15 pictures, $billions for expedited service with no guarantees. I wonder if having an expired passport helps? :confused:

They claim (they being the people I've found on Google) that an RFID passport has a special marking on the front. Looks something like what's here

From what I've read, RFID passports are only being issued in FL and CA currently (but that's hearsay from former clients). If you get a passport now, without that symbol on it, you don't have an RFID tagged one - mine doesn't have the symbol, and it is identical in every way to ones that were issued 6 years ago.

Depends on how long it's expired - renewing one - well you're already in the system...so it shouldn't take so long.

that's why I kinda want to do it now when I don't NEED it; rather than wait until just before a trip and whoops!

It's a good idea to do it now while you don't need it - because there's a hard cut off at the end of the year, and lots of cruise lines are starting to require them ahead of schedule, we've heard stories of people who've had to cancel vacations because they're without travel papers.

Maybe I'll wait a bit and see how many that got them have been executed or shipped to Gitmo. :worried:

On top of the additonal charge, for $60 you can take it to the office of your local representative or senator and submit it there. You get the passport in 7 working days.

I have a relatively recent birth certificate (<10 years old), and I need to get a passport soon, since April and I are probably leaving the country for our honeymoon.

Here in MO, you now have to have a BC to get a drivers license, even if you already have a license from another state.

Less than ten and going on a honeymoon already! Dang and I thought girls in GA married young!:D

If there's grass on the field, play ball!