4 ms·

Closer to 45 or 50% of Americans. 152 million valid passports in 2022 [0] vs 333 million people[1], of which ~93% are citizens [2]. The “Americans don’t have pa

Closer to 45 or 50% of Americans. 152 million valid passports in 2022 [0] vs 333 million people[1], of which ~93% are citizens [2]. The “Americans don’t have passports” idea seems to mostly be a holdover from the early 2000’s [3]. [0]: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/about-us/reports-and-statistics.html https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/about-us/reports-... [1]: https://www.census.gov/popclock/ https://www.census.gov/popclock/ [2]: https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/distribution-by-citizenship-status/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/distribution-by-ci... [3]: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42586638.amp https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42586638.amp

Uvix 4y ago
It was probably accurate at the time; but with the recent push to require passports for domestic travel, it's natural that the US has seen an increase in the number of people getting one.
- alwayslikethis 4y ago
  When was it required to have a passport for domestic travel? I think everyone just uses a driver's license.
  - labcomputer 4y ago
    In theory, Any Day Now, you will be required to have a RealID (tm) to board a fight. Of course, the deadline has been pushed back yet again. Not all drivers licenses meet that criteria, but a passport does.
    - landemva 4y ago
      > you will be required to have a RealID to board a fight. Which law says that? It is possible to fly domestic without ID. I did it twice and TSA had me sign a form which basically self-declared that I am not a problem. The ID check is to make it difficult to resell frequent flier award travel. So the TSA ID-checkers are the airline's revenue helpers. Last summer I put a bunch of transparent tape over the picture on my passport to see what would happen with TSA. The TSA lady asked me to peel it off. That was going slowly so she called a supervisor who quickly waved me through.
      - ghaff 4y ago
        I have flown without government ID--somehow lost my license between the car and the airport door. Unclear that will remain the case once RealID requirement goes into effect or at least to what degree it will be at the whim of a TSA supervisor.
  - spike021 4y ago
    Not everyone has a driver's license.
    - ghaff 4y ago
      Every state (I assume) will issue a state ID that is not a driver's license.
      - spike021 4y ago
        Just because it's available doesn't mean everyone has one.
        ghaff 4y ago
        And what does that have to do with the upthread claim that there's a push to require passports for domestic travel? Which is simply untrue.
        spike021 4y ago
        Some people who do need a legal document for travel favor getting a passport? But that doesn't mean everyone has a state ID.
- ch4s3 4y ago
  Ehh, most people seem to be getting RealIDs where possible and the new deadline is in 2025.
  - ghaff 4y ago
    Yeah, if people don't see a need for a passport, they'll just get a RealID-compliant driver's license which is probably cheaper and doesn't involve carrying an additional card to fly (eventually).
- midoridensha 4y ago
  No, I think the thing that really changed things was when Canada and Mexico started requiring passports for US Citizens. Before that, Americans could just drive across the border. Lots of Americans don't travel overseas, but go to Canada/Mexico frequently, especially if they live near the border.
pcurve 4y ago
"The pace of growth accelerated further in January 2007 when U.S. citizens traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda were required to have a valid passport. Previously, it was possible for them to enter those countries without one" https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2018/01/11/the-share-of-americans-holding-a-passport-has-increased-dramatically-in-recent-years-infographic/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2018/01/11/the-sh...

Uvix 4y ago

It was probably accurate at the time; but with the recent push to require passports for domestic travel, it's natural that the US has seen an increase in the number of people getting one.

alwayslikethis 4y ago
When was it required to have a passport for domestic travel? I think everyone just uses a driver's license.
- labcomputer 4y ago
  In theory, Any Day Now, you will be required to have a RealID (tm) to board a fight. Of course, the deadline has been pushed back yet again. Not all drivers licenses meet that criteria, but a passport does.
  - landemva 4y ago
    > you will be required to have a RealID to board a fight. Which law says that? It is possible to fly domestic without ID. I did it twice and TSA had me sign a form which basically self-declared that I am not a problem. The ID check is to make it difficult to resell frequent flier award travel. So the TSA ID-checkers are the airline's revenue helpers. Last summer I put a bunch of transparent tape over the picture on my passport to see what would happen with TSA. The TSA lady asked me to peel it off. That was going slowly so she called a supervisor who quickly waved me through.
    - ghaff 4y ago
      I have flown without government ID--somehow lost my license between the car and the airport door. Unclear that will remain the case once RealID requirement goes into effect or at least to what degree it will be at the whim of a TSA supervisor.
- spike021 4y ago
  Not everyone has a driver's license.
  - ghaff 4y ago
    Every state (I assume) will issue a state ID that is not a driver's license.
    - spike021 4y ago
      Just because it's available doesn't mean everyone has one.
      - ghaff 4y ago
        And what does that have to do with the upthread claim that there's a push to require passports for domestic travel? Which is simply untrue.
        spike021 4y ago
        Some people who do need a legal document for travel favor getting a passport? But that doesn't mean everyone has a state ID.
ch4s3 4y ago
Ehh, most people seem to be getting RealIDs where possible and the new deadline is in 2025.
- ghaff 4y ago
  Yeah, if people don't see a need for a passport, they'll just get a RealID-compliant driver's license which is probably cheaper and doesn't involve carrying an additional card to fly (eventually).
midoridensha 4y ago
No, I think the thing that really changed things was when Canada and Mexico started requiring passports for US Citizens. Before that, Americans could just drive across the border. Lots of Americans don't travel overseas, but go to Canada/Mexico frequently, especially if they live near the border.

pcurve 4y ago

"The pace of growth accelerated further in January 2007 when U.S. citizens traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda were required to have a valid passport. Previously, it was possible for them to enter those countries without one" https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2018/01/11/the-share-of-americans-holding-a-passport-has-increased-dramatically-in-recent-years-infographic/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2018/01/11/the-sh...