The passport is most commonly associated with international travel because it’s the required identification document you need to have to go through customs. Most people only really think about it when traveling abroad for a vacation. But there are actually many reasons, in addition, to travel as to why you need a passport. Today, Mark Alvarado San Francisco shares eight of them.
Unexpected Events
Many people have close friends or family members that live in other countries. You can’t see them without a passport or maybe they frequently travel to you so that you don’t have to go visit them. But as life is known to do, sometimes unexpected things happen. A very common need for sudden travel is an illness or accident. Since passports are valid for 10 years at a time, having one means planning for a decade’s worth of unexpected emergencies without wondering how you’ll get there if it comes to that.
Getting a passport fast is possible. But in an emergency, waiting to get one is stressful. It also comes at an increased cost depending on the fees set at the time.
A Long Lasting ID
Your passport is an accepted form of ID that lasts ten years. State IDs and driver’s licenses usually expire before this period of time is up. So having a passport is a good idea if only because it serves as a valid form of ID that can be used while waiting for your renewed state ID. In addition to being an interim ID, a passport might just be a lifesaver for states that do not meet Real ID requirements.
The Real ID Act, passed in 2005, is a law based on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. It mandates certain standards to be adhered to across all state IDs and driver’s licenses. Some states already meet these standards. However, many states don’t meet all of them yet and are under an extension.
If the standards aren’t met by this date, the Federal Government may opt not to offer further extensions and refuse to accept state driver’s licenses or IDs from these states. Having a passport means that people in these affected states will have a valid ID in the event that extensions aren’t offered.
Positive Things
People travel internationally for more than just vacations or emergencies. They also need passports for positive developments such as new job opportunities. If you dream of working overseas at some point for your company, have a valid passport. Work trips often come up without a lot of notice. And even though, you’re traveling for work, such a trip allows you to see a different part of the world. So without it, you might miss out on opportunities that won’t come around again.
The Ability to Go Anywhere
Getting a passport gives you the option to travel anywhere, well almost. Some countries also require a visa to visit. But hundreds of countries are literally open to you with a valid passport. This means that you can explore and create your own experiences all over the world. Of course, doing so takes more than just a passport. However, the vital first step in an international journey is applying for and having a passport.
Personal Development
Traveling for work or pleasure internationally helps with personal growth. Why? It puts you in situations that you might not otherwise encounter, like navigating around using another language that isn’t your own. Learning how to get from where you’re staying to a point of interest and back again is also a challenge in an unfamiliar place.
And of course, visiting another country provides you with a chance to experience the culture, life, art, and the political system of another place. Having a passport leads to the chance to open yourself up to new experiences.
A Passport Creates Lifelong Memories
Traveling also creates incredible memories. No matter what you do in your life after a trip, you’ll come back having made at least one memory that cannot be topped or replicated. You’ll never be in the same place at the same point in your life again. So being able to travel and have the chance to experience something that is specific to the place you visit and nowhere else is special. Often, pictures and videos don’t accurately convey what it’s like to be in a certain place in person.
Missing out on it because you didn’t take the time to apply for or renew a passport is avoidable. Even if you’re certain international travel will never be a part of your plans, it’s always better to act as if it might be.
It Tells the Story of You
Every time you visit a new country, you receive a passport stamp. If you travel frequently enough within that 10 year period, you’ll begin to notice that those stamps tell a story about you- where you like to go and what you did there. Your passport will enable you to visit places and do things that you might otherwise never have done. Why not discover a part of yourself you might not have otherwise known?
Reinvention
Yes, a passport allows you to visit another country, to grow, and discover things about you that you might not have ever realized. It’s also the first step in reinventing yourself. To some, this might mean taking a trip to decide if living overseas is for you. Other people might look at the trip as a chance to change your outlook on life back home. Whatever your reason might be for starting fresh, you can’t do it without a passport for an international trip.
Passports are equal parts practical and fun. They identify you while at the same time granting you access to another country should you choose to travel. Investing in one is a commitment. But regardless of how likely it is that you’ll travel internationally, having one is always better than not having one.