Weird Fact

[kiwi hunta]

My wife and I were watching a documentary on CNN last night about the USA, they mentioned that only 5% of american citizens have a passport,only 5%, I would have thought you would have needed a passport to travel to Mexico or Canada, if thats true does that mean that only 5% of the population actually travel outside the states, I mean I have read articles where they say that some adults in the states have never seen the ocean but I always considered that bullshit, now I'm not so sure, surely the population is not that insular, whats the general consensous of this forum?

 

[wilecoyote76]

It wouldn't surprise me that only 5% of the general population has a passport. I am amongst the 95% that doesn't but then again, I don't get out much! I heard from someone that here shortly that every citizen that crosses the border into Canada and Mexico will have to have a passport just to pass. I'm not sure if that is true or not but I wouldn't doubt it one bit.

 

[guppie9]

As of Jan 1st of this year, anyone flying into Mexico/Canada from the US needed a passport. On Jan 1, 2008 you will need one to drive/walk into Mexico/Canada. Prior to this you didn't need a passport for short trips. We went to Cabo in October and all we brought were birth certificates and drivers licenses.

 

[Mojave]

surely the population is not that insular

Surely you jest Kiwi! Jesus have you met some of us? I'd say 95% of the Americans I meet insist I must speak Sweedish when I tell the of my Swiss heritage. That and of course I must own a pair of those nifty wooden shoes.

Ask almost any American on any street in the nation where you live and I bet 95% of them spend a 1/2 hour searching for it on the map.

P.S. I feel naked without my passport. I've had one since the age of 4.

 

[Nut]

As of Jan 1st of this year, anyone flying into Mexico/Canada from the US needed a passport. On Jan 1, 2008 you will need one to drive/walk into Mexico/Canada. Prior to this you didn't need a passport for short trips. We went to Cabo in October and all we brought were birth certificates and drivers licenses.

guppie, I remember reading something about this. I could be mistaken but isn't the passport more for getting back into the USA than going there?


I have never had a passport but I like being and feeling naked.

 

[Whiskers]

Starting Jan, 1, 2007 if you travel to Canada (don't know about Mexico, I don't go there) you don't need a passport to get in, just to get back into the USA. Thats what they told us at the border crossing at the Peace Bridge coming back in this year. I don't have a passport, don't know how to get one. I beleive 95% of the people don't have a passport, who would want to leave this country to go someplace where you could be attacked, you have to shit in a hole, etc.

 

[FLIPPER]

Starting Jan, 1, 2007 if you travel to Canada (don't know about Mexico, I don't go there) you don't need a passport to get in, just to get back into the USA. Thats what they told us at the border crossing at the Peace Bridge coming back in this year. I don't have a passport, don't know how to get one. I beleive 95% of the people don't have a passport, who would want to leave this country to go someplace where you could be attacked, you have to shit in a hole, etc.

@ Whiskers

The only place I would like to go would be New Zealand, Australia and Africa. Other than those places...I do not see a need for me to have a passport.

 

[pa mt man]

I'm SPECIAL. I'm one of the 5%!!!! Got my passport in january for a cruise. It was around 100.00 at the post office and they took the picture.

 

[Curly]

I'm surprised that the number is as high as 5%.

I've only been to Canada twice and I didn't need a passport then.

Australia seems like it would be a nice place to visit.........but I'll probably never go there........or to any other country again. There are just too many places in this country that I haven't seen yet; so there's no need to go out of the country to see things when I haven't seen all that I'd like to in this country.

 

[danr55]

I don't know if it's still true, but at one time 90% of the American population were born, lived their entire life and died, within a 200 mile radius. I would imagine that it's down to around 65% or so, now. I also can't speak for Canada, but in Mexico, you can travel up to 75 kilometers below the border and still be within "La Frontera". US Citizens do not require a passport or a Visa in "La Frontera". Not to say that's not going to change..

 

[mr.smith]

I got my passport while in the Army. I only have a stamp from Panamá, but I've been there twice. Best fishing in the world.

 

[Orca Lover]

January 1, 2007 you will have to have a passport to travel anywhere outside of the USA, including Canada and Mexico. La Frontera is going to be included in the new regulation.

 

[Bambistew]

I think another reason people don't travel much is because its so expensive. There are a lot of people in the states that could never afford to drop $5k on a vacation once in thier lifetime...

I was talking with friend that lives in South Africa, he mentioned the same thing about how Americans don't travel much, when I mentioned that probably 70% could barely pay thier bills each month let alone set a few thousand aside to go on vacation... He figured we were all a bunch of rich bastards....

 

[stilllearning]

The rich are few and the working poor are many. You are suppose to need a photo idea to get into the US right now but we did not get asked last time over to Houlton. Comming back into Canada you don't need anything.

 

[MNHunter]

Guess I am one of the 5%. The # will go up when Canada and Mxico are thrown in the mix. I've been fortunate to travel to Europe a few times so I needed to get one.