What happens if you are a citizen trying to enter the US without a passport?

Question

With the new passport rules taking effect, I'm curious as to what will happen to a person if they try to reenter without a passport.
I don't think they can turn you back to the country you came from, because wouldn't that country also require a passport to take you back in? Do you just end up in limbo like the guy in The Terminal?

Answer 1

Assuming you are an American citizen who has lost your passport, If you have some form of identification showing a residence in the USA, they may hold you in dentention until they verify your citizenship and check the State Department or Homeland Security to verify that you have a valid passport.

Answer 2

It depends on the customs agent.

I grew up crossing the border on a regular basis and most of the time, especially if crossing by car, they don't even ask for ID. Well, at least not before 9-11.

If you don't have any form of ID they send you to secondary inspection and depending on they guy at that counter they might let you into the states if you provide enough information to convince the guy you're a resident or citizen. Other times, the guy just sends you back.

I happens on a regular basis. I've had to drive back into México 'cause someone in the car didn't have ID and call someone to bring it to them. Nobody bats an eyelash on the Mexican side 'cause they don't check for passport or ID when crossing.

Personally I don't see the benefit, as far as homeland security goes, of making passports mandatory. If you can fake a California ID you can probably fake a passport; you can also run a license on a computer pretty easily and I don't know if you can do that with a passport. To most people on the border the passport thing just means shelling out some dough so you can do what you're legally entitled to do: leave and enter the country.

Answer 3

I don't know if this is the case, but I would also expect you would be fined. A few years a friend of mine was mugged while abroad, and her foreign passport and green card were stolen. She went to her passport country's embassy and the American embassy, had all the paperwork and police reports when she came back to the US. She was detained for verification for several hours and had to pay large fine. I imagine the process would be somewhat similar for a citizen trying to enter without a passport.

Answer 4

You can't enter the US without a passport, it is your responsibility to go to the American Consulate and ask for a passport to be issued before entering the US again. This will give the Government a chance to check up on you and make sure that you are really a citizen.

Answer 5

I don't know how you can even leave another country by plane to come to the US.
Every country I have ever been to won't allow me through passport control without one.
Especially since 9/11 it has got tougher.
If someone hasn't got a valid passport of some kind then they would have to be sent back via airline they come on.
Walking over border..well that is another issue.

Answer 6

i read about this not 10 minutes ago in the paper. what happens is, they will take you for "further questioning to determine your legal status." basically, they will take you in the back and question you, call your place of employment, your parents, whatever they need to do to make sure you are an actual citizen. i'm sure it won't be quick, because they are going to be pissed and busy with more pressing issues.

so no, you won't end up like The Terminal...not for too long anyways, but there is no need to hold up the system...get the passport. we are like, the only country without a national ID, and this is basically going to be like one...it's a very good thing and a great step towards making our country more secure and making border crossings more efficient and safe.

Answer 7

A person coming to America without a passport is returned back to the country of origin. An airline or ship who brought the person without the passport is required to return the illegal entrant to the country where he came from on their next available flight plus exorbitant fines.

Answer 8

in case you lose your passport (or it is stolen) once you're in a foreign places country, you ought to bypass to the closest US consulate in that country and get a exchange. do not hassle claiming idiocy like "I left it on the airplane," or another such nonsense. it fairly is a needed legal record and you ought to take solid care of it. in case you won't be able to coach you're a US citizen on the border or airport arrivals, they are able to deny you admission and/or positioned you on a airplane returned to anyplace you got here from till you have you some way of demonstrating citizenship and a solid rationalization for not having your passport.

Answer 9

You could be spending days or weeks in the detention centers of the USCIS, they have a lot of these.

Answer 10

WIth this administration, who knows! They might end up transporting you to Git Mo.