World Passport?

[Sand crab]

From that site:
"Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country."
You got the right to leave your country but you don't have the right to enter any others.

[hellosailor]

For a fee, I'll stamp your passport with entry and exit visas from Tranquility Base, Babylon5 and Hawksbill Station.

Hey, if it makes the next customs guy chuckle, it could be a good investment!

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Not to get political, but it is unfortunate that coastal states don't see the advantages to allowing extended stays within their states without having to go through the hassle/expense of reregistering.

This is a problem all over the world for cruising boats... In Europe, the EU gives six months to cruise, then if you haven't left the EU (Not the country) you are subject to a VAT. Now that the EU is so big, there are less and less countries to sail to to avoid the VAT restriction impossed by the EU

Many other countries do a 90-365 day import permit then you are subject to tax.

The only one we have found so far that dosnt seem to care is Mexico, which gives a 10 Year Temporary Import Permit for your vessel.

[wolfenzee]

My Uncle was a diplomat in the UN and my "cousin" (not really related) grew up with a UN passport. The idea of a document that allows passage between countries with out tieing anyone to any particular country might be useful (but they would still have to say what the persons "country of origin" is).... Unless someone is advocating a passport that does not show an affiliation to any one particular country...countries are preferring to keep closer and closer tabs on their citizens as well as people transiting thier borders......that would never fly.

[wolfenzee]

Countries are tightening down their borders with the excuse it is to prevent illegal activities....thing is though, it just keeps out out everyone else.....and drives the "bad guys" further underground...they still get in. The US is loosing billions in tourism, not just by sea either, because it is easier for tourists to go to other countries. Recently their was an article about how Vancouver BC lost a tremendous amount of money because it had become so difficult for Americans to cross the border....this was made up several times over by tourist that went to BC instead of the US.

[E.Newyear]

A friend of mine has one, it's pretty sweet looking

Has all the info in 5 or 6 languages, including Esperanto.

Very cool idea I think, but like a classmate says, will
it be useful offplanet?

[Kettlewell]

On a similar topic, which countries in the world are the easiest to become a citizen of, or at least obtain a legitimate passport from? I have a relative who worked and lived in Ghana in Africa for many years and he kept his passport and driver's license from there, which he would whip out any time he got pulled over for speeding or something in the USA. He said police officers just rolled their eyes upon seeing it and told him to slow down. I guess it is a huge hassle for the police to deal with something that is out of the ordinary. Might also be useful at times to not be from the USA--for instance if you wanted to go to Cuba.

(OT: Hey Tom, how is it in Providencia?)

[onestepcsy37]

it's a scam.

reminds me of the minister who was preaching to his flock that the united states government owed thousands of dollars to every person who claimed to be the descendant of a slave in pre civil war america.

all you needed to do was to file a form with the government. and he had copies of the form, which you could purchase from him for $50.00.......

[boatman61]

Cruising as it is today with circumnavigations a family pastime is relatively new... and lets face it most councilers are more concerned with land deals than a bunch of 'drifters'.. less than 50yrs since the 1st non-stop by Knox Johnson made the masses aware it was no big deal and the 'Gentlemen Sailors' were killed in the rush..
And Americans are not the only ones affected.. if I have a UK flagged bost in Portugal.. in theory after 1 year I either have to take it out off the country or take up Portuguese registration.. same as a car.. rarely enforced (unless you upset someone)...
Spain turns a blind eye to many as well..
Give em time.. it'll come..
Just need to get rid of Governmental Paranoia...

[Kettlewell]

I think it is better to have all your papers look like just any other normal person--don't have anything that will draw attention to yourself or your boat at the border and things will go smoothly. Whip out your World Passport and don't expect the welcome mat to be rolled out for you.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

I think it is better to have all your papers look like just any other normal person--don't have anything that will draw attention to yourself or your boat at the border and things will go smoothly. Whip out your World Passport and don't expect the welcome mat to be rolled out for you.

One has always assumed that an English Passport IS a World Passport...

[wolfenzee]

Recently the US tried to institute a "national ID".....this would have on it a micro chip that allowed for 9 types of ID, SS#, DNA, Retinal scan, finger prints etc....this ID would be *required" for everyone and be required to be carried at all times. There are lots of reason why that didn't fly, but the main reason give was that it was supposed to be handled by the Department of Motor vehicles.
An international passport would take away more freedoms than it would provide.....though this is a global economy we live in now a days and for world interests people should be allow to pass more freely.

[wolfenzee]

link to info on the world passport http://www.worldservice.org/docpass.html

[hellosailor]

"I guess it is a huge hassle for the police to deal with something that is out of the ordinary. "
No, there's no hassle factor involved. What it is, is simply that if a cop spends his time writing a summons to a foreigner, the foreigner can throw it out and what has been accomplished? The cop has just wasted his time, and his sergeant is just going to ream him out for wasting time when he could have been doing something else.

Now, if the cop can write a ticket that woudl result in a felony and get the "foreigner" tossed out, you betcha he'll write it. But for a traffic citation? That's a waste of time and money.

Which is why a traditional beat cop would just walk around back and point out "Your turn signal is broken" CRACK! CRACK! tinkle tinkle and put away his nightstick. Much less paperwork that way, and the expense can be just as discouraging as a speeding fine.

Two can play games.

[wolfenzee]

Thing is thouugh "out of the ordinary" brings attention and when nit comes to border crossings you want things to go as smoothly as possible...this comes with being as "ordinary" as possible...out of the ordinary raises a red flag in the eyes of a border officiial.