BajaNomad - Another stupid question on passports

Another stupid question on passports

Keri - 8-11-2010 at 03:36 PM

My brother wants to come visit. He doesn't have a passport. anyone have any current experiences trying to get back with out their passport. He does have birthcert.,k

BajaBlanca - 8-11-2010 at 04:20 PM

I found this online:

Do I need a passport to travel to Mexico and Canada?
The answer is yes if traveling by air: you need a passport to return to the United States from Mexico and Canada by air as of 2007. The answer might be no if crossing borders by land or sea, because other documents specifically intended for land and sea crossings (like a PASS card) may be used. Yeah, complicated, but the gist is that you can no longer do it with a regular driver's license and birth certificate.

Bob and Susan - 8-11-2010 at 04:45 PM

no

our neighbors 2 weeks ago
went right thru with out a passport
just ID

its up the the border employee

David K - 8-11-2010 at 05:33 PM

Passport makes it easier for the officials to verify your status... but, they cannot keep you from returning to YOUR own country. We have been asked for some time now to get a passport or the cheaper passport card to go to Mexico (by land)... But, the worst that can happen is being sent to secondary so they can verify your status. Bring a photo ID and birth certificate, at least... as that was the requirement before the passport requirement.

[Edited on 8-12-2010 by David K]

You Can ALWAYS get back

MrBillM - 8-11-2010 at 06:43 PM

Without a Passport.

By the time you speak with the official, you've already entered the U.S.

Woooosh - 8-11-2010 at 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Passport makes it easier for the officials to verify your status... but, they cannot keep you from returning to YOUR own country. We have been asked for some time now to get a passport or the cheaper passport card to go to Mexico (by land)... But, the worst that can happen is being sent to secondary so they can verify your status. Bring a photo ID and birth certificate, at least... as that was the requirement before the passport requirement.

[Edited on 8-12-2010 by David K]

ditto. An educational delay in the secondary inspection area is about as bad as it will get if you are a US citizen. Plenty of action to watch while you are waiting in your car too. I've had agents tell me Passports are intended for entry to a foreign country- not your own.

BajaWarrior - 8-11-2010 at 08:11 PM

Keri, my daughter forgot her passport away at college and didn't tell me about it until we were heading back home after this past Memorial Day. Drivers license and the original Birth Certificate I had in the truck got her across the border without a question.

elgatoloco - 8-11-2010 at 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Keri
My brother wants to come visit. He doesn't have a passport. anyone have any current experiences trying to get back with out their passport. He does have birthcert.,k

K - there are no stupid questions. :dudette:

Best to you and Miguel.

Mexicorn - 8-12-2010 at 06:18 AM

Has anyone bought the new passport card? Do you use it alot?

meme - 8-12-2010 at 09:13 AM

My brother was here to visit in June without his applied for passport card. He only needed his drivers license & birth certificate to show when going back. They have since both gotten the cards & been here again in July.
We both have the cards in addition to the books & they work just great for having them in your wallet where you cannot carry the books.This way we can keep the books locked up for safe keeping.

astrobaja - 8-12-2010 at 10:41 AM

My Wife crossed the SY border into the states yesterday and took her Canadian passport with her instead of the US one (she has dual citizenship) she got detained for half an hour and was lectured ad nauseum that she MUST carry her passport with her!
This is obvious BS so what does one do call them on it and clearly state your rights, or do you just say yes sir and kiss butt to get through?
Its really annoying how a few border agents abuse thier powers just cause they can P-nche MIGRA!

BajaBlanca - 8-12-2010 at 02:06 PM

way way way back when, didn't we just need a driver's license ? I really don't remember ever taking my birth certificate years ago ... but maybe my memory does not serve me well ....

Bajahowodd - 8-12-2010 at 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
way way way back when, didn't we just need a driver's license ? I really don't remember ever taking my birth certificate years ago ... but maybe my memory does not serve me well ....

Yep. Those were the days. Never thought twice about an extemporaneous trip for the afternoon or evening. Think about it. Who among us carries their birth cert around with them all the time? The Birth cert requirement was step #1 as they moved toward the passport requirement.

bajalera - 8-13-2010 at 11:16 PM

A couple of years ago the guy tossing baggage around at the Santa Barbara airport refused to take my suitcase for a flight to La Paz via Phoenix, and told me I couldn't board because I had no passport. I did have a receipt with an official stamp indicating I had applied and paid for a passport a week earlier, but he said this didn't mean anything.

After walking around a bit and muttering a few bad words, I returned and told him I was going to Phoenix. He couldn't very well refuse to let me travel within the U.S., and at Phoenix nobody gave a hoot whether I had a passport for the connecting flight to La Paz.

Unimportant little people enjoying a power trip seem to be one of the random hazards of travel.

Debra - 8-14-2010 at 02:53 AM

David is right, they can't refuse you entry into YOUR country. I took my grand-son down with his school picture ID and birth cert. no problemo upon return...........the worse that can happen is a delay (if they want to push the point) at secondary.

FYI: Proof of citizenship is all we needed in the "old days" IE: voter registration card, bith cert., DL (photo ID)...... _"legally", it's still all you need. They just don't want you to know that. :lol:

Getting on a plane is totally diffrent, they will deny boarding without a passport............outbound, coming back........again, they can't deny you entry.

And Keri, Crazy Cat is right..........."no dumb questions" it's only dumb when you don't ask..........that is how we learn. :light:

Hope your brother has a great time, mine did! And so did my grand-son.

Bob and Susan - 8-14-2010 at 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Debra
David is right, they can't refuse you entry into YOUR country.

yes they can....

BajaBlanca - 8-14-2010 at 08:07 AM

somehow I think not ???? In the real world, there are so many ways to check your citizenship online these days .... I can't imagine they would not let an American back into the US ?? Does anyone have a real story about not being allowed back in the country ??

Debra - 8-14-2010 at 11:00 AM

Bob & Susan.........no they can't. A US citizen can NOT be denied entry into their own country, period! Americans do not have American rights while traveling out of our country, but, we do in our own country (all of our rights, unless we have forfited them by unlawful acts........entry isn't one of them)

BajaBlanca: I would also like to hear one story about what you speak.

David K - 8-14-2010 at 11:18 AM

You are physically already in the U.S. when you drive up to the customs agent... So, they would have to have a deportation order to send you out of the country and Mexico would have to allow you in.

I wonder if there is a big deal between physically in the U.S. vs. legally in the U.S.? Heck, there are millions in the U.S. who are not legal and we can't deport them!

Have you guys seen the Tom Hanks movie 'Terminal'?

[Edited on 8-14-2010 by David K]

BajaBlanca - 8-15-2010 at 10:37 AM

Do any of you know a border patrol agent whom we could ask ?

In Brazil, they announce on the international Brazilian TV channel that we can go back to our country with ANY Brazilian document and be allowed in. If you say you are Brazilian, they will even look up your information without any passpsort or ID .... We did have a problem years ago when they did NOT accept dual nationality and Brazilians were having kids abroad in countries which did NOT extend nationalities to kids of foreigners...so, we had these lost in limbo kids. Obviously, the law had to change and did.

In my case, I was born in the U.S. to parents who worked at the Brazilian Embassy and had automatic dual nationality. Whew...so lucky to have the best of 2 wonderful worlds.

Bajahowodd - 8-15-2010 at 03:17 PM

Actually, the US is among very few nations that bestow automatic citizenship to those born here, regardless of the nationality of, or the legal status of the parents. Anyone who watches the news will know that there has been a major kerfuffle involving zealots who want to change the 14th amendment of the US Constitution, to eliminate that benefit. Interestingly, as time passes, more and more, especially, mainstream Republicans are distancing themselves from that notion.

BajaBlanca - 8-15-2010 at 03:43 PM

Bajahowodd = I think nowadays almost every country allows for automatic citizenship if you are born there. I looked it up and a very few either don't or place restrictions on those wanting to NATURALIZE (China, Korea, Singapore) ...

The Gull - 8-15-2010 at 03:57 PM

I have a number of acquaintences who just use their Cal Driver's License. Border guys tell them that it has holograms and harder to fake, so it's good for the crossing.

Last year, friends from Chicago and Tampa used just THEIR driver's licenses.

Screw the passport threats.

Tell the customs guy you are going to the US to build a Mosque at Ground Zero in New York and you want to be welcomed to the White House for Ramadan, next year. I'm sure that HLS team will let you cross, knowing that you can refer to our President's position on Muslims.

Bajahowodd - 8-15-2010 at 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
Bajahowodd = I think nowadays almost every country allows for automatic citizenship if you are born there. I looked it up and a very few either don't or place restrictions on those wanting to NATURALIZE (China, Korea, Singapore) ...

Actually, I was trolling for a specific purpose. I know what you found. Just wondered if any others would take the bait. Cable news and talk radio has been rampant on this topic, feeding misinformation about it. Using the angle that changing the 14th amendment would bring us in line with everyone else. Thanks.

Cypress - 8-15-2010 at 04:43 PM

Bajahowodd, Trolling for a specific purpose? And that would be?

Marc - 8-16-2010 at 07:56 AM

Yes you can return to US without a passport, but why not just get one? Even my small grandchildren have passports. I think one can be rushed in a few days for an extra fee.

Marc - 8-16-2010 at 07:59 AM

Quote:

Not so! Better check your facts!

BajaBlanca - 8-16-2010 at 09:21 PM

Enlighten me, Marc....I wd really like to know what countries don't allow you to be a citizen if you are born there. That way, in my next lifetime, I'll be sure NOT to have my kids there :spingrin:

I was born in NY and could not naturalize my Brazilian born kid American automatically 'cause I had lived abroad too long after I turned 18. By about a week. To say I was bummed is putting it lightly. So, I can't imagine what I would have done had he not been able to be Brazilian nor American.