Number of Americans who hold valid passports
 

Has anybody seen an official figure defining the number of American citizens who currently hold a valid passport?

I am sure the number will rise when the regulation requiring a passport to return from Canada takes full effect.

A propos of not much (but SOMEONE had to mention the Ryder Cup), one of my partners was playing golf in a Pro Am with one of the Eurpean team 2 weeks agao, and he was told by this wonderful person, that no fewer than 3 of the Americans had to apply for their first passports to go to Ireland this week.

It's a different world!

The State Department has repeatedly said that "one in four US citizens currently holds a passport".

i realise there are all sorts of good reasons why so few Americans have passports, but I can't resist my equivalent of Sheila's story.

About ten years ago, Ms F and I were having dinner at the the house of the Malaysia country manager of one of the world's ten largest companies. A company doing 90-odd percent of its business outside its home country. Fellow guests were other Megacorp staff from the region, including the newly appointed, 45 yo, head of a business unit of said multinational for SE Asia. A long serving American employee.

Over dinner he revealed he'd only ever been to Canada, Mexico and a few Caribean islands. "Wow. Only places you didn't need a passport for" observed one smartarse.

"Yup" said the Yank. Got my first ever passport last week."

Fellow guests - who'd all joined Megacorp mainly to see the world - were simply dumbfounded. Indeed Ms F has never, in all our 30-odd years together, remained silent for so long. Nor have I.

I guess I don't see why this is an issue. We met a German couple in their 40's last summer who had only been to Denmark for 2 days, and otherwise had never left Germany. Our sweet French friend's parents are coming over to see her in Miami this winter...they have never been on an airplane before. I am sure there are many examples like this, but does it make it a newsflash?? Some people just don't have the desire to travel like we do is the only conclusion I am going to make...to each his own.

I don't think the airplane thing counts. Your friend's parents could get to any European country from France without flying. And, people actually crossed the Atlantic by ship for many, many years. Some still do as they prefer not to fly.

so what is the rate of passport holding supposed to tell us about national character???

the US is becoming more insular and some would say more xenophobic as they are stopping passport-free travel between its neighbouring countries of canada and mexico. as a result, the number of PP holding americans will INCREASE as it is now needed for the most common trips out of the US.

europe is becoming more open in allowing passport-free travel between member states. as a result, the number of people holding passports will naturally DECREASE as it is no longer needed for the international travel that most people do.

therefore, there is little link in the rate of PP holding and national behaviour. the rate of PP holding is just a result of artificial borders and how they are policed. in a perfect world, nobody would need a PP.

so in 10 years when a much greater % of americans have PPs and a much smaller % of europeans have PPs as compared to today, what is that telling us? nothing, same behaviours, different need for PPs.

Well actually I was trying to figure what kind of crunch could be expected now that one will soon be needed for Canada and the Caribbean, at least to get back home!!

I will need renew mine soon, and figured I better allow plenty of lead time.

If I renew in September of '07 I hope the new one would be in my hands by May of 08.

If only 25% of us have one, then a large numbers of new ones will be issued in the next two years. I have read estimates that the demand will double.

I am wondering if I should do it NOW!!

Many people in the US (including me) have never been to all the States in the US since the country is so large.

Naturally, I have a passport but there is a lifetime's worth of traveling right at home including mountains, deserts, beaches, big cities, etc.

Therefore, it's not necessary for any non-American to feel superior to a US citizen who has never needed to get a passport. Just another reason to slam the US.

Amen, carrybean.

I agree, too. If you are French, going to Germany or Italy is like a Pennslyvanian traveling to New Jersey or Delaware.

I would like to know how many smug Brits have traveled OUTSIDE of Europe. That would be very interesting to find out.

I agree with you Carrybean. This question is trotted out fairly regularly on this board just so all the Europeans can feel a little more cultured, educated and smug. But it's all just so much rubbish.

For Americans to require a passport means that they're travelling longhaul. What proportion of Europeans travel longhaul? The only reason Europeans are more likely to have a passport is because within a 4-5 hour flight we have how many different countries we can visit? 10? 20? More? If Brits want a guranteed 2 weeks of sun, we've got to go to Spain or Greece, and believe me, that's why most Brits travel.

I travel to Italy about 8 times a year on a flight dominated by Italians, and have noticed that, because it's within the EU, most travel with just an Italian ID card. If the UK ever introduces an ID card that takes us on planes Europe-wide, you can bet the passport take-up will plummet.

I think you will find that the percentage of Canadians holding passports is much higher than their neighbour. As they have the same access to "a lifetime's worth of traveling right at home including mountains, deserts, beaches, big cities, etc.", I wonder why they punch well above their weight when it comes to international travel?

A year or so ago, I'd heard only 14% of Americans hold a VALID passport. I live very close to the Canadian border--less than an hour's drive away, and I read in yesterday's newspaper that there will be a numer of "passport fairs" held in large, public venues here to get more folks to apply for passports, since it will be required soon for Canadian border crossings.

BC

I would like to know how many smug Brits have traveled OUTSIDE of Europe. That would be very interesting to find out.>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>>

Short answer - most of us. That's because travel is much cheaper for us than you(strong pound and all that) and also we get in the habit much younger (most of us take our holidays abroad).

Having said that an awful lot of us go to florida. So I don't know what that proves.

Ditto to carrybean. And let's keep in mind that international travel is expensive, and very few Americans can afford it. I'm really enjoying this season of Amazing Race with the couple from Kentucky who had only ever been to Kentucky or Tennessee - and not because they didn't want to travel. It's a priviledge, not a right.

Why do Americans think travel is expensive? It isn't. is it just the weak dollar or are you being ripped off?

A weak dollar is only relative. How do you explain the amount of travel that Australians make, given that our dollar is now only 75c US and a few years ago it was 50c(ouch)?

I think travel is expensive, and I thought so several years ago when the dollar was significantly stronger than the pound or the euro. It costs several hundred for a flight and another for a hotel. Plus, very few Americans have the guaranteed long leave times that most Europeans do. Many have a week or less, and this has to accomodate family visits and holidays. I think this explains lower international travel as much as anything - far more than cultural traits.

Does anyone know the answer to Bob's original question?

Really, I am curious. That statistic must be available to us somewhere?