6 ms·

"Success in crossing a border using a World Passport is generally attributable to the whim or ignorance of individual immigration officers, not official recogni

"Success in crossing a border using a World Passport is generally attributable to the whim or ignorance of individual immigration officers, not official recognition of the document." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Passport https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Passport

Aeolun 5y ago
That sounds logical? A document given out by a US nonprofit doesn’t have any legal status.
- shawnz 5y ago
  Why would a passport need to have legal status in the US to be recognized anywhere besides the US?
  - kadoban 5y ago
    Because generally countries care about passports from other countries. It's certainly not a necessity, international/foreign law can be whatever nonsense you want, but that's how it usually works.
  - refurb 5y ago
    Because countries have specific laws about what constitutes acceptable documents for entry into a country and the usually include things like “issued by a countries recognized and lawful issuer of passports”? Most immigration decisions are negotiated and often reciprocal (you give me visa free travel, I’ll give you visa free travel). Unless a document is specifically recognized as issues from a non-state entity (e.g. UN refugee passports) they aren’t valid travel documents anywhere.
    - shawnz 5y ago
      Like you say yourself it is possible that non-state entities can have their travel documents recognized in some cases. I don't see any reason why that non-state entity couldn't potentially be a US non-profit. Obviously in this particular case, this agency's documents are not widely recognized, but that has nothing to do with their legal status in the US.
      - torstenvl 5y ago
        The non-state entities that get recognized are usually quasi-states -- Palestine, Taiwan, etc. To recognize a random non-profit based in the capital of a superpower that does not recognize such a thing would be... pretty novel.
        dogma1138 5y ago
        Other than the historic lineage how different would it be to say SMOM? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_Military_Order_of_Malta_passport https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_Military_Order_of_...
- hardware1 5y ago
  If you're from a 2nd/3rd world country, your passport might as well be fake because that's how Uncle Sam treats papers from nth (n > 1) world countries. Getting a visa stamped in your passport is like playing a lottery game with somewhat higher chances of winning than the latter. Again, though, visa doesn't guarantee a successful entry as you can be just as easily turned away at the port of entry. If the border crossing officer deems you unfit (no reason necessary), you'll be denied and no justifications will be given.
  - secondaryacct 5y ago
    Huuh I meant there are hundreds of other places than the US, why make it about just that country ? The US demands biometric passports and fingerprint scans anyway, I think.
    - billfruit 5y ago
      US is very vehement in stating that a US visa does not guarantee entry, and it is the prerogative of the official at the entry point to decide to allow entry.
  - caturopath 5y ago
    I'm pretty sure virtually all 2nd world passports (Russia, Armenia, Latvia...) and most third world countries (Brazil, Peru, India...) are taken pretty seriously by the US.
    - mandeepj 5y ago
      > most third world countries (Brazil, Peru, India...) You are still considering India a third world country? Even though they have recently launched rockets to Moon and Mars orbit
      - LadyCailin 5y ago
        “Third world” in this context might refer to the original meaning, that is countries which neither aligned with the communist block nor NATO during the Cold War. Colloquially, of course, it’s mostly meant to mean technologically deficient or otherwise “not modern” countries. However, I am not OP, so I do not know which meaning they intend.
tyingq 5y ago
Guessing your chances go up significantly with each stamp you do get.
- dmurray 5y ago
  If that's true, the WSA should start selling their fantasy passports pre-filled with some fantasy visas.
notjesse 5y ago
I was admitted to Brazil 5 times under an allegedly expired visa. I had no way of knowing it was expired, it’s not specified anywhere on the visa or in any Brazilian embassy/travel advisory site. But on the 6th time after it had expired, I finally hit an immigration agent who cared enough to turn me away or understand that it was expired. So this really tracks.

Aeolun 5y ago

That sounds logical? A document given out by a US nonprofit doesn’t have any legal status.

shawnz 5y ago
Why would a passport need to have legal status in the US to be recognized anywhere besides the US?
- kadoban 5y ago
  Because generally countries care about passports from other countries. It's certainly not a necessity, international/foreign law can be whatever nonsense you want, but that's how it usually works.
- refurb 5y ago
  Because countries have specific laws about what constitutes acceptable documents for entry into a country and the usually include things like “issued by a countries recognized and lawful issuer of passports”? Most immigration decisions are negotiated and often reciprocal (you give me visa free travel, I’ll give you visa free travel). Unless a document is specifically recognized as issues from a non-state entity (e.g. UN refugee passports) they aren’t valid travel documents anywhere.
  - shawnz 5y ago
    Like you say yourself it is possible that non-state entities can have their travel documents recognized in some cases. I don't see any reason why that non-state entity couldn't potentially be a US non-profit. Obviously in this particular case, this agency's documents are not widely recognized, but that has nothing to do with their legal status in the US.
    - torstenvl 5y ago
      The non-state entities that get recognized are usually quasi-states -- Palestine, Taiwan, etc. To recognize a random non-profit based in the capital of a superpower that does not recognize such a thing would be... pretty novel.
      - dogma1138 5y ago
        Other than the historic lineage how different would it be to say SMOM? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_Military_Order_of_Malta_passport https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_Military_Order_of_...
hardware1 5y ago
If you're from a 2nd/3rd world country, your passport might as well be fake because that's how Uncle Sam treats papers from nth (n > 1) world countries. Getting a visa stamped in your passport is like playing a lottery game with somewhat higher chances of winning than the latter. Again, though, visa doesn't guarantee a successful entry as you can be just as easily turned away at the port of entry. If the border crossing officer deems you unfit (no reason necessary), you'll be denied and no justifications will be given.
- secondaryacct 5y ago
  Huuh I meant there are hundreds of other places than the US, why make it about just that country ? The US demands biometric passports and fingerprint scans anyway, I think.
  - billfruit 5y ago
    US is very vehement in stating that a US visa does not guarantee entry, and it is the prerogative of the official at the entry point to decide to allow entry.
- caturopath 5y ago
  I'm pretty sure virtually all 2nd world passports (Russia, Armenia, Latvia...) and most third world countries (Brazil, Peru, India...) are taken pretty seriously by the US.
  - mandeepj 5y ago
    > most third world countries (Brazil, Peru, India...) You are still considering India a third world country? Even though they have recently launched rockets to Moon and Mars orbit
    - LadyCailin 5y ago
      “Third world” in this context might refer to the original meaning, that is countries which neither aligned with the communist block nor NATO during the Cold War. Colloquially, of course, it’s mostly meant to mean technologically deficient or otherwise “not modern” countries. However, I am not OP, so I do not know which meaning they intend.

tyingq 5y ago

Guessing your chances go up significantly with each stamp you do get.

dmurray 5y ago
If that's true, the WSA should start selling their fantasy passports pre-filled with some fantasy visas.

notjesse 5y ago

I was admitted to Brazil 5 times under an allegedly expired visa. I had no way of knowing it was expired, it’s not specified anywhere on the visa or in any Brazilian embassy/travel advisory site. But on the 6th time after it had expired, I finally hit an immigration agent who cared enough to turn me away or understand that it was expired. So this really tracks.