Saipan
 

I am leaving soon to assist with the federalization in Saipan. I was told that I won't need a passport because Saipan is a US territory. However, does anyone know if I will have any problems without one if I happen to have a layover in Japan?

IMO, nowadays, you don't want to go anywhere outside CONUS w/o a passport. You may not NEED one but they are universally recognized as a valid form of identity. In fact, if you're traveling via commercial airlines, I doubt they'd let you on the plane without a passport. Suggest you apply for one asap. Enjoy your trip!

I am not sure if you will have a problem but you really should get a passport. What would you do if for some reason your flight were delayed or canceled and you had to spend the night in Japan?

http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html

You can get an expedited passport if you are in a hurry.

Update:

I was called today and received my orders to deploy to Saipan at 6am on Sunday. The flight goes from Minneapolis to Detroit to Honolulu to Guam to Saipan. Sheesh...they could have made it a little shorter. Well, I guess the flights from Minneapolis to Hawaii were pretty full and they didn't want to send us through Japan because a couple of us don't have passports. I guess there wouldn't be enough time to get one anyway.

Well, wish me luck and hopefully I can find some Net access and check up on the board now and then.

Have a good trip...sounds like it will be interesting! What's with the "federalization" of Saipan?? I don't know squat about Saipan except for a vague idea of where it is.

Saipan is basically a US territory and will have federal security (TSA)at the airport much like Puerto Rico and Guam.