First Things First
© Jerry Whaley

While traveling in the United States requires only "the means to do so" (a few bucks) and "a means to do so" (the family car will do), traveling abroad requires a travel document - a valid passport. A U.S. passport will allow you, in most regions of the world, to travel freely from country to country with very little trouble. That is not true for passports from all countries. Would you like to try traveling freely with a passport from Libya? I certainly would not. Some countries do require a visa (a travel document issued by the country being visited) for U.S. citizens to travel inside their borders, mostly due to the U.S. requiring a visa for citizens of that country traveling in the U.S. - tit for tat.

In the Knoxville area, the best place to start the passport process is the main U.S. Post Office on Weisgarber Road, which has a special passport office (phone 588-4529). Forms, photos, documents and a few bucks will put you in the running for an official U.S. passport. You will need: 1) proof of citizenship - a birth certificate, 2) two identical photographs - go to a studio that does passport photos, 3) $65 fee, and 4) proof of identity that includes a photo and signature - a drivers license or previous passport.

Renewing is much easier, requiring a form, two photos, your old passport and $55 - well, a little easier. Anyway, once you have the passport, make a copy of the cover and first couple of pages, in fact, make two or three. You will need to keep information on your valid passport (number, date and place of issue) in your office and also with you when you are traveling, in case the passport is lost or stolen. Another way to save yourself a potential hassle is to photocopy the receipts for your major photographic equipment (camera, lens, any item over $100). You can register it with customs, but making a photocopy is easier. You just need to be able to prove the equipment was purchased in the U.S. when re-entering the U.S., if questioned.

All the travel guides say never to surrender your passport, yet that seems to be a common thing to do with it. In addition to customs agents, tour guides, and other officials, I once had to leave my passport with a hotel desk clerk in Florence, Italy. It was late; I was exhausted, and we needed a room. I had no choice, and he wanted to be certain the hotel bill was paid before we 'foreigners' were on our merry way. I saw a number of passports in slots behind the desk, so I assumed it was the local custom. I also had my photocopy with me, so if the passport walked, I could immediately report it to the nearest U.S. Embassy with all the necessary information at hand.

In case you're wondering, I slept very well that night in Florence. In fact, the wooden shutters on my third floor windows were so effective at keeping out sunlight and noise from the street below that I almost missed the breakfast time at the hotel. A passport is your "ticket" to the world outside the U.S. borders and all the fascinating places, memorable experiences and photographic opportunities to be had there.

 

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