Are the Amish eligible to apply for US passports?
 

If everyone will need a US passport to travel to/from Canada, does that
DHS requirement include the Amish?

Are the Amish eligible to apply for US passports?

The reason I'm wondernig is that Native Americans can use their tribal ID
or document in lieu of US passport... is it the same for the Amish?

Yes.

Why wouldn't they be eligible?

Do they allow themselves to be photographed? :confused:

I just looked it up. It's against their beliefs to be photographed. They consider the photograph a graven image, and they view it as a form of vanity and the photograph itself, when viewed, is an idol.

Photography is allowed strictly for medicinal and for official purposes in which the government, and not by the amish themselves, keep the photograph.

So this is a gray area. The government will issue them a passport, but they have to allow themselves to be photographed in order to have one.

So you're telling me the people in the ads for those Revolutionary Amish Electric Fireplaces aren't really Amish. :eek:

;) But you're not really buying the fireplace, you're buying the fine Amish woodwork, the fireplace is free. :eek:

that's what the waterbed salesman told me... "you buy the bed and we'll throw in the water for FREE!" :mad: (unless he was planning to fill the waterbed with Evian, it's not really a deal)

No.

Unlike the Native Americans (who were here before the rest of us, had functioning governments with whom the USA made treaties, etc.) the Amish are not a sovereign group and so don't have a 'tribal id'. They're just plain old American citizens.

Just to be clear, there is a statement in the U.S. passport that it is the property of the United States government.

Yes, but the photograph is the property of the person who paid for the photograph until the person willfully surrenders the photo to another party (i.e., the passport issuing authorities in this case).

By my reckoning, anybody who was "here before the rest of us" would be at least 233 years old - or 400 years old if you start counting from Jamestown.

You cant have it both ways. Anyone remember that Muslim woman who wanted to get her drivers license photo taken while wearing a face covering?

Interesting question. My guess is they can, but if it goes against their beliefs they either have to adapt or go without a passport. Most people will adapt. ; )

WWPS: What Would PETA Say?
 

Even IF the Amish can produce a photo and get a passport, they cannot FLY to Canada, as the result of a lawsuit filed by some disgruntled Canadian citizens.

Seems they object to the overflights of those horse drawn 747s. . . :D