jetsfan92588

i was wondering if it was possible to do an international mr if i dont have a passport. i will plan on not leaving the airport, but do i still need to have a passport?

do i have to have permission from somewhere to go into a country? or can i just book the flight and just go?

do i have to reclear security when i arrive at the other country if im not checking any bags? what if i do check bags?

thanks for your help, never been out of the country so i dont really know how this works.

magiciansampras

You need a passport to get on the plane.

FortFun

Though I don't pretend to know the quirks of any/all possible country pairs, in general they want to see your passport before they'll let you on the plane.

I presume that still applies even if you say "but I'm not staying there" or demonstrate same via itin printout.

prestonh

You don't say your destination, but based on US immigration reg change the past few years, I doubt you'd be allowed to check in for a international flight, even Canada or Mexico without a valid U.S. passport (assuming you are a U.S. Citizen). Depending on your destination, you might even need a visa or ETA even if you are transit.

jetsfan92588

yes, travel would originate from the us. are there a lot of countries that require a visa? do i go to a different terminal/have to switch terminals to fly internationally? is it pretty self explanatory when i get there, or will it be confusing?

WineCountryUA

And one to re-enter the USA

jonslow

There are many insurmountable problems. If destination country does security like we do, you wouldn't be cleared to board. If somehow you overcame this problem and got sick going to destination country you would have to deplane and destination country would hold airline liable. If you overcame these problems, you wouldn't be cleared to be on the plane coming back to the US due to our homeland security vetoing you for no passport. If you overcame these problems you might be held at customs in the US.

WineCountryUA

This site, recently posted by another FTer, is very usefully on understanding visa requirements for MRs (or normal travel)
Delta Airline Visa & Passport Information

mre5765

Airlines started asking for passports or docs as early as the 1980s for check in ... too many pax were rendered back at the airline's expense due to lack of docs. Now the airlines are asking for passports during boarding.

GadgetFreak

To say nothing of to get back into the US from a flight originating outside of the US.

LA_Traveler

Heh.. do you plan on coming back to the US after your MR? Need a passport for that....

But as others have stated, UA won't let you on the plane without one. If you check in at the counter, I suspect they won't even let you check in for an international flight without a passport.

channa

It depends where you're going. There are many well-marked airports. There are also many poorly marked ones. There are also various formalities which vary by country.

But if you do fly internationally, please do go outside and explore a bit. Way too many Americans don't leave the country, don't explore, and are clueless about how other parts of the world do things.

gj83

Magic 8 ball says Yes you will need a passport. The only places you can go without one are Canada and Mexico by land and a few more places by sea, but all air requires passport. The land/sea loophole is closing up this summer.
for many countries you can just book a flight and go (with a valid US passport and it helps to have at least 6 months left on it from when you plan to depart). Most of Europe is this way, the Caribbean, Latin America. For Australia you have to get an electronic authorization but it's just $20 AU and takes 30 seconds to get. Brazil requires a visa. Always have proof of onward journey. Immigration isn't nice to people who show up with no return tickets without a visa or reason.
depends

FlyingHoustonian

As others have noted you will normally need a passport. www.state.gov has more info on passports.


The normal exception is if you have a US Military ID (or NATO ID) and orders.
You can enter Canada and the EU on a US military ID with orders and come home to the US the same way. That being said a passport is normally much easier, especially on the US side. That is about the only major exception to the passport rule I can still think of, unless you are already overseas and lose it and must travel home on an emergency document from the consulate or something of that nature. But in that case the airline would have still needed to see a passport to get you to that country in the first place.

So, Since you are not a stateless person or refugee, and not on military orders, I think you are going to have to get the passport.

I suggest getting it trip or not. It is a good form of ID that does not list a lot of personal info like a DL.

Ciao,
FH

envie

You need to have a passport to exit or enter the United States, even if the flight only connects in another country. You will not be boarded an international flight nor allowed across a land boarder without a passport. These are the days of TSA and Secure Flight. But this has been the law for a good year or two now.