Acceptable Identification Document
What Do You Need In The Airport?

Here's a biggie... if you plan to travel abroad, and your passport isn't valid... or if you forget it at home.... you're not going. Simple as that.

Your passport should be current. An old, expired passport is not an acceptable identification document in most cases. It should have blank pages so that there is room for visas or entry and exit stamps. Some countries require that your passport must be valid for three or even six months after your visit to their country.

You need to think about this if you are flying or cruising or driving.... Sometimes even when you're walking. When we went from Tibet into Nepal, our tour driver dropped us off just short of the border. We walked across into Nepal, but we still needed those passports and visas!

For most countries the requirements are similar. The Acceptable Identification Document should contain your name, date of birth, and gender. It should have an expiration date and a tamper-resistant feature to make forgery more difficult.

If you are traveling within your home country, you will probably need some form of local ID. In most cases, it should be a government issued document with a photo and the above information... and not expired.

Foreign visitors to the USA need a passport to enter the country, and depending on your home country, you will need a visa. Even visitors from visa waiver countries need to register in advance of their visit now. This law became mandatory in January 2009.

All travelers need to stay alert to changes like this. Just because you "didn't need it last time"... doesn't mean that you can travel without the proper documents today. Rules change. U.S citizens now need passports to fly into Canada and Mexico. They "didn't need it" before... now they do. Doing your research on the acceptable identification documents you'll need for your destination is just as important as doing your research of the destination itself.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration says, "Passengers who do not or cannot present an acceptable ID will have to provide information... ...in order to verify their identity. Passengers who are cleared through this process may be subject to additional screening. Passengers whose identity cannot be verified by TSA may not be allowed to go through the checkpoint or onto an airplane."

I'm sure it's pretty much the same worldwide. Just take your acceptable identification document and avoid the hassle. You're a traveler.... you should never be without your passport!

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it!   Judy and Mark

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