Reasons To Get A Passport TODAY!

May 9, 2011 | By Doreen Lopez

What’s pocket-sized, blue and a key to the world? A passport!!! If you don’t already have a passport, today is the day to go and get one! You’re probably thinking that you don’t really need one because you don’t have a travel adventure planned, but nothing could be further from the truth.

• A passport is the ultimate identification. It is more than just a driver’s license – it proves who you are around the world. Be proud of where you live and make it official!
• A passport is for the long-term; it is valid for 10 years. Just think, the picture you take today will look fabulous as the years roll by!
• Having a passport is one of your constitutional rights. Some countries restrict travel; having a US passport represents our freedom. Back in 1776, the new US Government handed out passports to represent the formation of the new country. We were originally recognized as citizens because of our passports.
• Our immigrant ancestors traveled and braved great dangers to create a better life. There is no better way to see where your family came from than to get a passport and travel.
• It’s the new rule…if you’re going anywhere outside the United States, you must have a valid passport. You cannot leave home without it. American citizens who travel by air between the US to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central, South America, and beyond will be required to present a valid passport. The same rules apply to anyone entering the country by any method – air, land, or sea.
• Have you dreamed of cruising to Alaska? Many cruise lines originate or stop in Canada on the way, so your passport will make the voyage possible. Same for the Caribbean cruises that drop anchor in places like Jamaica, St Maarten, Grand Cayman, and Mexico. We are getting more and more requests for travel abroad, exotic lands, and adventurous destinations. A passport is required!
• Traveling is the best way to truly understand the people and cultures of our world.
• You can go anywhere at any time. Let’s say you win the lottery and want to jet-set to Paris. There’s no waiting for the State Department to process the paperwork (typically 4 -6 weeks). The total passport application fee is $100. But if you wait until the last minute, you’ll have to pay an extra service fee to expedite (and more on overnight delivery fees).
• Your passport becomes a stamp collection, or your memory book. When you travel between countries, the customs officers stamp and date your passport. It’s fun to watch your passport fill up with adventures.
• Not to mention a passport makes you a jet-setter! When you have a passport you join the international, glamorous, living global crowd.
• It’s a very easy process. You need to have a current picture taken, get a copy of your birth certificate, complete the application and send it to the State Department. Follow this link.

There’s something about simply having your passport in hand that makes you feel so free and so cosmopolitan. For the next ten years, you’ll be ready to go anywhere, do anything. Anything so empowering and offering so much potential is money well spent a wise and worthy investment!