Why don't you own a passport?

Question

For that matter, why don't most people own passports, especially Americans? I believe only 20% of US citizens for example own passports. I seems like a document you would definitely want to have just in case you have the need or have the opportunity to travel. I'd say its definitely the most important easily gained document next to ones drivers license, yet nobody ever seems to bother actually acquiring one.

Well that begs the question then why don't Americans travel abroad? A passport lasts 10 years, so you have to do very little traveling outside your own country to actually own on. Are people really that disinterested in what lies outside their borders?

Answer 1

Most Americans do not need a passport because only few travel abroad.

Answer 2

Americans have a huge country. Many people in smaller countries need to have a passport just to get to a different climate. Alaska, Hawaii, the Rockies the beaches, the desert, all are in the USA.

I have a passport, but for years after my kids were born I let mine lapse. At that time we could travel to Mexico and Canada without it, and did, leaving the US once a year, at least. Kids just don't travel that well on longer flights.

Now that we need passports for Mexico and Canada, we have them, and I will be taking the kids to Europe for the first time next year.

I suspect that a lot more people will have passports now that we need them to visit our neighbors. The backlog this last year in getting them sure indicates an uptick, to me.

However, travel abroad is expensive, and when so much is available here, and you have only so much vacation time, isn't it a crime not to know one's own country better?
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To the person above, you can now travel on an EU passport and EU is no larger than the US. How many Europeans don't leave the EU? And regarding variety, believe me, I wish there were more. When I used to travel more, there was more, and it was a delight. Now everywhere has a 'sameness' to it unless you know the local spots, and if you travel to 'discover' a place, that is exactly what you DON'T know.

I've been to a number of countries in Europe, the Carribean, the Western Hemisphere, China, Russia, Taipai, South Africa, Kenya, Turkey... I'm glad I went and hope I have money left when I retire (with failing social security) to be able to travel again. However, there are equally wonderful places to see here, and if someone wants to see Yosemite instead of Austria, in part because it is many times cheaper, I would never say they shouldn't vacation to Yosemite, having been to both. Part of this is that Americans only get 2 to 3 weeks of vacation a year, which includes their religious holidays such as Christmas (other than the day itself), and a portion of that vacation time is typically devoted to family. We don't get European 'holidays'.

Answer 3

You question reminds me of what an American said to me in France. She said that because America was such a big country with so much variety that a lot of people didn't see the need or feel the desire to travel out of the country. As a result that contributed to the arrogance perceived by others of Americans (even here if you post a question saying if you weren't born in the USA were would you like to be live you'd get at least a few patriots saying "USA there's no other place I'd rather be").


*waits for the thumbs down to come*

Answer 4

I'm not going anywhere so why spend the money? I've got plenty in my own country on the list of places to see to keep me busy for the rest of my life. I don't see where there is a problem for you with that. Vacation time is limited, work life is full, opportunity to travel abroad doesn't present itself in a way that I care to bother with. That's why.

Answer 5

I'm sure the people that can afford to travel do have passports. Twenty percent sounds about right. Some people can't even afford the passport.

Answer 6

What's the point in having a passport when nobody can afford to go anywhere anyways?

Answer 7

Why get one if you don't intend on leaving the country?