The rules for leaving and entering this country will become stricter for many travelers in a few days. In the past, most United States citizens did not need a passport to leave and enter many Caribbean nations, as well as Mexico and Canada. If you plan to travel to those destinations by air, you will need a passport. You can find out how to get a new one or renew one that has expired by typing “passport” into any search engine.
Before I retired, I traveled to many international destinations. I have seen travelers make really stupid mistakes with their passport and I have some tips on going through customs in various places.
In my travels, I have learned to be very careful when I pick a line to stand in. In every other country in the world, if a person or group of persons look even remotely like “bad guys”, you can be certain that they will be there for a long time. You do not want to stand behind these people. Get in a longer line if that is necessary. There is absolutely no political correctness practiced in any other country in the world, other than the United States.
Many countries in the world have military people standing in the customs area holding (as if they are ready to fire) automatic weapons. The last places that I remember this were France, Singapore, and Hong Kong. I have not traveled much in the Orient, but others have told me that it is a very common practice.
Also, just prior to landing in Singapore, you will be given a card to fill out that warns you in large red letters that Singapore executes people who smuggle drugs. They mean business.
I almost lost my passport one time in a foreign land. I had flown to Europe on Monday and had been on an airplane once or twice every day that week. By the time, I returned to London Gatwick late on Friday night, I was tired and not feeling well at all.
I had learned to be very careful with my passport. That night, I was the only person entering the customs area. I stopped in the back and got something out of my briefcase. When I approached the customs agent, he said that he thought that I had dropped something when I stopped. I stumbled back to where I had been and there was my passport on the floor. I was very fortunate that he saw me drop it.
On another trip, I had just arrived in London having flown overnight from Houston. Several big planes had landed at the same time and the customs area was crowded. There was a lot of noise in the queue next to me. I was able to listen as I waited for my turn. An American lady was explaining to the British customs agent that she had a passport, did it really make that much difference that it belonged to her sister, it was a valid passport, no one had told her that she had to present her own.
I would have loved to listen longer, but it was my turn in my queue and I had to go to work.
Related Blog:
Holiday Travel: Important Passport Information For Parents and Children
Passports For Children–What You Need To Know
New Passport Guidelines and Castaway Cay
Ed Paul is a Families.com Adoption Blogger. Read his blogs here.