I will be the first to admit that I have two valid US passports
and upon learning this information most people assume I am an undercover
spy. The following story will explain the why and how to get one of
these exceptionally useful travel documents.
First, is there really a need for a second passport? Sounds fishy, so why bother?
U.S. passports are good for a number of reasons: notably, they are valid for 10 years, and when you fill up the pages with lots of stamps and visas, the State Department located throughout the continental US can add extra pages for an additional fee. No other country offers a similar feature.
Even though the US passport is inherently more unique than any other passport in the world, it still has its insufficiencies. First, when you visit politically sensitive countries, such as the Middle East, these countries' stamps could cause you travel problems at a later date. For example, most Middle Eastern countries will permit you to enter their country if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport. How to circumvent this? Have a second passport on hand!
I had a major situation happen to me upon my return from Middle Eastern trip at Philadelphia international airport. The immigration officer wanted to know why I had so many Middle Eastern Stamps in my passport and they were absurdly inquisitive about my trip abroad.
What was uniquely appalling about the inquisitive behavior of immigration guards is that I have traveled through customs a few times before, with nothing more than a nod and smile. It got me thinking, what if this was a foreign country or a random airport stop in a foreign land? How would I navigate such intense scrutiny? The abrasive immigration officer then politely addressed my concerns - get the second passport. She stated the second passport with fewer or no stamps would in all probability allow me to avoid the embarrassing separation from the rest of my plane.
Second, as I have engaged in extended stays in the Middle East it does take some finite scheduling to make sure I had the correct visas and they were valid upon entry. More times than not I found myself shipping my US passport back to the US in order to get a visa. Scary thought, being in a foreign land without the only identification that shows I am a US citizen. Basically you are stuck until the passport arrives back in the county.
Thus, the problem: to travel to fun and exotic places, you need visas, which will without a doubt require you to send off your passport for a short amount time. While your passport is sitting somewhere you are pretty much deemed immobile and it confines you to a linear itinerary. Again, having a second passport is a solution.
The U.S. government allows independent travelers to obtain a secondary passport as long as you can demonstrate a need for it. This passport is good for 2 years and you can get it replaced after two years if you still can demonstrate a need for it.
I am just an average Joe and wasn't sure if the government would put me on some secret list. So I filled out the few necessary forms and mailed in my paperwork. I am glad I spent the extra money, as I was out of communiqué for a few days and both of my passports were promptly waiting at my apartment on the promised date.
I was flabbergasted and had a slight nostalgic feeling, that I was replicating a scene from James Bond.
Having the second passport has already helped me several times, by being able to send off the primary 10-year passports to various embassies (Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Israel, etc.) without much concern because I have the secondary 2-year one safely in my pocket.
In fact, while the increased travel freedom is good, the greatest benefit of having two passports is a huge peace of mind. It certainly has allowed me to be more adventurous when traveling abroad and I have not had any more run-ins with immigration officials.
In the end, most people need only one passport. But if you are out and about, especially in countries requiring extra visas, I highly recommend it.
First, is there really a need for a second passport? Sounds fishy, so why bother?
U.S. passports are good for a number of reasons: notably, they are valid for 10 years, and when you fill up the pages with lots of stamps and visas, the State Department located throughout the continental US can add extra pages for an additional fee. No other country offers a similar feature.
Even though the US passport is inherently more unique than any other passport in the world, it still has its insufficiencies. First, when you visit politically sensitive countries, such as the Middle East, these countries' stamps could cause you travel problems at a later date. For example, most Middle Eastern countries will permit you to enter their country if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport. How to circumvent this? Have a second passport on hand!
I had a major situation happen to me upon my return from Middle Eastern trip at Philadelphia international airport. The immigration officer wanted to know why I had so many Middle Eastern Stamps in my passport and they were absurdly inquisitive about my trip abroad.
What was uniquely appalling about the inquisitive behavior of immigration guards is that I have traveled through customs a few times before, with nothing more than a nod and smile. It got me thinking, what if this was a foreign country or a random airport stop in a foreign land? How would I navigate such intense scrutiny? The abrasive immigration officer then politely addressed my concerns - get the second passport. She stated the second passport with fewer or no stamps would in all probability allow me to avoid the embarrassing separation from the rest of my plane.
Second, as I have engaged in extended stays in the Middle East it does take some finite scheduling to make sure I had the correct visas and they were valid upon entry. More times than not I found myself shipping my US passport back to the US in order to get a visa. Scary thought, being in a foreign land without the only identification that shows I am a US citizen. Basically you are stuck until the passport arrives back in the county.
Thus, the problem: to travel to fun and exotic places, you need visas, which will without a doubt require you to send off your passport for a short amount time. While your passport is sitting somewhere you are pretty much deemed immobile and it confines you to a linear itinerary. Again, having a second passport is a solution.
The U.S. government allows independent travelers to obtain a secondary passport as long as you can demonstrate a need for it. This passport is good for 2 years and you can get it replaced after two years if you still can demonstrate a need for it.
I am just an average Joe and wasn't sure if the government would put me on some secret list. So I filled out the few necessary forms and mailed in my paperwork. I am glad I spent the extra money, as I was out of communiqué for a few days and both of my passports were promptly waiting at my apartment on the promised date.
I was flabbergasted and had a slight nostalgic feeling, that I was replicating a scene from James Bond.
Having the second passport has already helped me several times, by being able to send off the primary 10-year passports to various embassies (Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Israel, etc.) without much concern because I have the secondary 2-year one safely in my pocket.
In fact, while the increased travel freedom is good, the greatest benefit of having two passports is a huge peace of mind. It certainly has allowed me to be more adventurous when traveling abroad and I have not had any more run-ins with immigration officials.
In the end, most people need only one passport. But if you are out and about, especially in countries requiring extra visas, I highly recommend it.
Justin Hackett has extensive travel experience in the Middle
East, which includes living and working in North Africa. He holds a M.A.
in Middle East Studies from The George Washington University and speaks
Arabic at a conversational level. Justin advises clients on Middle
Eastern travel,
especially clients wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia and coordinates marketing efforts at Travel Visa Pro. Contact him via email at justin@travelvisapro.com or call 202 684 7150.
Article Source:
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especially clients wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia and coordinates marketing efforts at Travel Visa Pro. Contact him via email at justin@travelvisapro.com or call 202 684 7150.
