Man, interesting statistic I just read.

[RockmartDawg]

I'm sure we'll have to be sure to not get this kicked over to the naughty corner. I think we can do that, though.
I read an article discussing the State Department opening more new offices around the country for processing passport applications. Within the article there is this statement:

Back in 1990, only 5 percent of Americans had a passport, a figure that has now grown to 48 percent, he noted. In fiscal year 2023, the department issued over 24 million passport books and cards, “more than ever before.”

I wonder what could explain there being an almost a 1,000% increase in the percentage of Americans having a passport within a period of just under 35 years?

I guess one big factor has to be the fact that one has to now have a passport to to/from Canada and Mexico (legally). That was not required in 1990. But whether that could explain such an enormous increase... I cannot say. It would have to be at least a significant factor.

[JC-DAWG83]

In 1990 travel to many places did not require a passport. Today, pretty much any travel to any other country requires a passport for reentry to the US. The US govt went sort of bonkers after 9/11 and made what had been pretty easy travel to many countries a much bigger pain.

[RockmartDawg]

Yep. I remember a passport being required for like European travel, such as that. But going into Canada or Mexico was just a friendly greeting at what amounted to a manned toll gate but cost no money. They just welcomed you, asked a few questions about where you were going, how long you were staying, do you have firearms, that kind of thing, and then you went on your merry way.

Yes... 9/11 changed that and a lot of other travel-related matters. No more going down to the gate at the airport to see someone off, or see someone who is returning. Now you MUST have a passport to go into Canada or Mexico.

Another passport-related question... I wonder when some countries stopped stamping your passport? When my wife and I go to South Africa they always stamp our passports when we enter and when we leave. But, when we went to the UK five years ago they just looked at the passports, asked a few questions, and handed them back to us. I "think" they may have scanned them, also. But, no stamp in the passport.

[Rogasingingdawg]

We had nearly 50 people from our church go to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip earlier this month. 2 that were planning to didn't get to because of some foul up on getting their passports. I don't know the reason, but they were upset they didn't get to go.

I donate some money so others could go and stayed home in my air conditioned home that's parasite free. (2 years ago a few came back with a ringworm infection in their lower legs and feet)

[Top Row Dawg]

Damn I went to Mexico (Tiajuana Juarez) and drove into unguarded Canadian roadway before. Did not know you needed passport for that now.

[RockmartDawg]

I walked across the bridge from El Paso to Juarez once about 30ish years ago. I think you had to pay like a 25-cent fee on the American side, and so-many-pesos coming back from the Mexican side. But no passport was required. The same was true when I drove into Canada in 1990. Just some friendly chap in what was like a manned toll booth, asking a few questions and wishing us a safe trip. We had the same about 4-6 hours later when we re-entered the U.S. over near Buffalo, NY.

[JC-DAWG83]

Since WW2, pretty much all European countries had not required visas for Americans and the same was true for Europeans travelling to the US. After 9/11, the US started making EU residents get visas to come into the US. The EU recently returned the favor with a visa requirement becoming effective in 2025.

[RockmartDawg]

Interesting. I did some Al Ghore's, as I didn't realize that the U.S. pretty much wholesale requires either a visa or they make provision for travelers from some 39 specified countries to travel under a "Visa Waiver Program" but still having to fill out an ESTA application (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) before entering the U.S. It is notable that they have to pay a fee even when submitting the ESTA. The visa application fee used to be an odd figure like $167, but this was well before Covid. I'm sure it has to be more than $200 now. I wonder if the new EU requirement will be similar to the ESTA or if it will be a full blown visa application requirement? I won't be surprised to see this become the common method of travel requirement all over the world, very soon, as yet another means of controlling the movement of people.

My wife being from South Africa, I am too familiar with the visa application process and how whack-job it can often be. If you are a single male in South Africa, say in your 20s or 30s, and you don't own property, it can be extremely difficult, downright impossible, to be granted a visitor's visa (we have unfortunately found out). We have heard crazy stories from people and the issues they encountered when applying for a U.S. visitor's visa from South Africa. Probably the one that tops them all was a married couple who were going on a cruise. They weren't even coming to the U.S. but at one point the cruise was going to enter U.S. waters. For that reason they were required to apply for a U.S. visitor's visa. They had already bought their cruise prior to submitting the application, as they had no intention of going to the U.S. The story goes that the husband was approved but (for whatever the reason) the wife was not approved. The people in the embassy who give you these yay or nay results sit behind glass and they have already come to a decision before your appointment, and are very quick and direct in giving you the results, and they are not required to tell you why they did not approve your application. The story goes that this woman was beyond irate, banging on the glass and shouting at whomever had given her the disapproval. But she was just made to leave, and they went on to the next applicant. 

And, yet, meanwhile.... (I will stop right there)...

[viper2369]

Yep. I remember a passport being required for like European travel, such as that. But going into Canada or Mexico was just a friendly greeting at what amounted to a manned toll gate but cost no money. They just welcomed you, asked a few questions about where you were going, how long you were staying, do you have firearms, that kind of thing, and then you went on your merry way.

Yes... 9/11 changed that and a lot of other travel-related matters. No more going down to the gate at the airport to see someone off, or see someone who is returning. Now you MUST have a passport to go into Canada or Mexico.

Another passport-related question... I wonder when some countries stopped stamping your passport? When my wife and I go to South Africa they always stamp our passports when we enter and when we leave. But, when we went to the UK five years ago they just looked at the passports, asked a few questions, and handed them back to us. I "think" they may have scanned them, also. But, no stamp in the passport.
[/quote]

When I traveled to the UK back in 2017, they didn't stamp my actual book, but they did stamp a piece of paper that I kept in my passport.  Not sure what that's about.  But apparently there are some countries, if you have  stamp from that country, other's won't let you in.  Think I recall a co-worker going to an office in Serbia bringing that up.  They didn't actually stamp his book because he wouldn't be able to travel to other certain other countries with that stamp. 

I did get a stamp way back when I went to St. Lucia and in 2018 when I went to Ireland.  I traveled to Canada for work in 2017 and I don't recall if they stamped my passport or not.  I do recall getting a piece of paper stamped that I walked about 100 feet to hand to someone else, almost like a ticket to get into a game. 

One thing I have found interesting on my travel out of Toronto, Heathrow/London, and Dublin Ireland.  Each one of those had a US custom's agent on site.  I went through customs before I left the country, so when I landed back at Hartsfield I didn't have to be at a specific terminal or go through customs.

---

A couple of thoughts on possibilities. 

One, people travel a lot more now.  Whether it's for work or leisure.  I know my first international trip was actually for work.  I took 2 in the same year, and could have taken 2 more.  There's also a generation of people who spend their disposable income on travel and experiences more than stuff.  For all the bickering back and forth, the younger generation is more minimalist than the 50s, 60s, and 70s generation.  Think about how much stuff was in your grandmother's house that really wasn't needed?  Like a china cabinet with "fine china" and ornaments all over the place. 

Two, There are lot of things that require some form of identification/verification and a passport makes it a lot easier.  For example, I recently started a new job.  I had to provide proof of right to work stuff and there were multiple ways to do this.  Showing my passport was one of them and it was the only thing I had to provide.  If I used my license, I had to provide a second form of proof.

[McDonoughDawg]

In todays world, a Passport just makes it easier..

[RockmartDawg]

I have used my passport as a form of verifiable identification before. Interestingly, our driver's license is supposed to provide verifiable identification. But, when I moved to Nevada some 20-ish years ago, even though I had a valid Georgia driver's license, I had to provide them with multiple forms of identification in order to be given their "new" and higher-security driver's license. So, I proved out all of that stuff and got a Nevada license. Then, when I moved back to Georgia about 3 years later, it was the same thing. The Nevada license, which was supposed to have provided all of the necessary verification for my identification, was not sufficient to meet Georgia's requirements. So, I had to do the same thing again... provide multiple forms of identification to satisfy Georgia's requirement. It did not matter that just 3 years prior I had a Georgia license. It did not matter that I had a Nevada license... which my previous Georgia license was insufficient to get me an issued Nevada license... as it, too, was deemed inadequate.

That said... beginning in 2025 you will have to have a REAL ID form of a state driver's license in order to fly even domestic flights. You can use your passport to suffice, if you don't have a REAL ID driver's license. I fall into that category as my driver's license does not expire until 2026. I'm not going to renew them just for the domestic travel requirement. I can use my passport if such a need were to arise.

[RockmartDawg]

Yep. I remember a passport being required for like European travel, such as that. But going into Canada or Mexico was just a friendly greeting at what amounted to a manned toll gate but cost no money. They just welcomed you, asked a few questions about where you were going, how long you were staying, do you have firearms, that kind of thing, and then you went on your merry way.

Yes... 9/11 changed that and a lot of other travel-related matters. No more going down to the gate at the airport to see someone off, or see someone who is returning. Now you MUST have a passport to go into Canada or Mexico.

Another passport-related question... I wonder when some countries stopped stamping your passport? When my wife and I go to South Africa they always stamp our passports when we enter and when we leave. But, when we went to the UK five years ago they just looked at the passports, asked a few questions, and handed them back to us. I "think" they may have scanned them, also. But, no stamp in the passport.
[/quote]

When I traveled to the UK back in 2017, they didn't stamp my actual book, but they did stamp a piece of paper that I kept in my passport.  Not sure what that's about.  But apparently there are some countries, if you have  stamp from that country, other's won't let you in.  Think I recall a co-worker going to an office in Serbia bringing that up.  They didn't actually stamp his book because he wouldn't be able to travel to other certain other countries with that stamp. 

I did get a stamp way back when I went to St. Lucia and in 2018 when I went to Ireland.  I traveled to Canada for work in 2017 and I don't recall if they stamped my passport or not.  I do recall getting a piece of paper stamped that I walked about 100 feet to hand to someone else, almost like a ticket to get into a game. 

One thing I have found interesting on my travel out of Toronto, Heathrow/London, and Dublin Ireland.  Each one of those had a US custom's agent on site.  I went through customs before I left the country, so when I landed back at Hartsfield I didn't have to be at a specific terminal or go through customs.

---

A couple of thoughts on possibilities. 

One, people travel a lot more now.  Whether it's for work or leisure.  I know my first international trip was actually for work.  I took 2 in the same year, and could have taken 2 more.  There's also a generation of people who spend their disposable income on travel and experiences more than stuff.  For all the bickering back and forth, the younger generation is more minimalist than the 50s, 60s, and 70s generation.  Think about how much stuff was in your grandmother's house that really wasn't needed?  Like a china cabinet with "fine china" and ornaments all over the place. 

Two, There are lot of things that require some form of identification/verification and a passport makes it a lot easier.  For example, I recently started a new job.  I had to provide proof of right to work stuff and there were multiple ways to do this.  Showing my passport was one of them and it was the only thing I had to provide.  If I used my license, I had to provide a second form of proof.
[/quote]

I do agree that there are probably more people traveling now than, say, 30 years ago. But 1,000% more people? That is an enormous increase in a period of 30 years. I would say that from a business standpoint there may even be less travel. That is true where I work. As one of MANY cost-cutting measures (that seem to never stop coming) they cut out a LOT of travel. Lots of stuff is now done over video conferencing. Granted, the overall number of people living in the U.S. has increased considerably. But the stat given was that the percentage of the population who have a passport has increased, and that also factors in the increase in the raw number of people. The percentage of Americas holding a passport went from 5% to 48%. That's a wildly crazy increase. Not only that, but that says that almost half of the entire U.S. population now has a passport. That's phenomenal.

[GriffWoody]

One world govt