Archive for January, 2011

How Many Passports Can One Person Have?

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Passports: Can a person own more than one passport? 

Rush Passport Passport ExpeditersImmigration laws all over the world allow one person to own multiple passports.  The practice of owning more than one passport is known as dual citizenship or even multi-citizenship.  The benefits of owning more than one passport allow you to travel easier and give a passport holder the rights that citizens have of the country in which the passport was issued.   Passport holders can easily work, study, own a home and host of other rights when you own a passport from a corresponding country.

How to Get a Passport

Each country has its own requirements regarding getting a passport.  However, there is practically no limit to the number of passports that one person can have.  Citizenship can be determined based upon place of birth, marriage, permanent place of residence and by being passed down from parents.  Since a child gains the citizenship of his/her parents, therefore a passport can be obtained based on the country of birth of his/her parents, and/or the country of his citizenship.

Passports at Birth

Believe it or not, but at birth a child may already hold five passports.   This is about to get a bit complicated, but imagine that the father is, for example, from the UK, but is now a naturalized citizen of the U.S.  Now imagine that the mother was born in Ireland but is now a citizen of Canada.  Are you still with me?  Now, imagine that child is born in New Zealand.  This child is then eligible to own passports from these five countries.

Passports in Adult Life

Now, this same person has 5 passports.  Now there are additional passports that can get obtained as an adult that are based on residence or marriage.  However, it is important to keep in mind that not all countries allow dual citizenship, which means having more than one passport is not allowed.  Other countries have restrictions such as allowing for a person to gain that country’s citizenship after living there for 3-5 years, or after being married to a citizen of that country and living in that country for at least three years.

If you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.

Can a Person Hold More Than One Valid Passport from Different Countries?

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

US passportWhen it comes to passports and citizenship, every country has its own set of rules and regulations.  For example, Spain allows dual citizenship with many Latin-American countries. 

What about the US?  Is dual citizenship allowed in the US?  Can a person actually hold valid passports from two different countries?  The answer to this question is “Yes.”  Did you know that Arnold Schwarzenegger retained his Austrian citizenship during his service as a Governor of California? 

However, what are the rules about dual passports in India?  Indian authorities maintain that a person cannot have another country’s passport while simultaneously holding an Indian passport. 

Do you know what country’s passport, Kung Fu superstar Jet Li holds?  Here’s a hint: It’s not a Chinese passport.  For the past 20 years, Jet Li has held a US passport.  That’s right – Jet Li had been living in the US and traveling back and forth with his US passport up until his recent move to Singapore.  Did you know that Singapore forbids its citizens from holding dual passports?

That means that Li had to give up his US citizenship.  It was important for Li that his children receive a bilingual education with social stability and without being harassed by journalists and reporters.

If you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.

Same Day Passport? Emergency Passport? Call Rush Passport Now! (877) 937-7277

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

US passportNeed a US Passport in a hurry?  Do you have a passport emergency?  Are you looking for a rush passport?  Do you need a same day passport?  You have two choices, go to the nearest US passport office or go to Rush Passport™, Official Passport Expeditors registered with the US Department of State and Foreign Consulates.  After reading a recent blog entry by Rick Hill written for San Antonio, Texas online news site blog.MySanAntonio.com – there is only one choice   – Rush Passport™.

His difficulties getting a passport are chronicled in a blog entry aptly titled “Passport to Hell”.  First, Mr. Hill commends the US Department of State on putting together easy to use passport applications that are self-explanatory.  Then he goes on to say that the passport fee structure is ‘straightforward.’ 

Mr. Hill’s quest began at a US Post Office that offered passport services.  Although the hours stated that the passport center was open from 8:00am – 4:00pm, after arriving at 8:20am he was told that they had fulfilled their day’s quote for passport applications for the day by 7:45 am.

Hill returned to the post office to get his passport four days later.  This time, he arrived at 7:35 am.  He was fourth in line for passport services.  At 8 am the passport center opened up and he sat in the passport office waiting room.  There were no magazines or televisions.  The only items for his viewing pleasure were the several signs reminding passport applicants not to fight or try to cut the line.  There were also some “diagrams on how to contain your cough.”

Forty minutes went by and nobody had even spoken to him yet about getting a passport.  Another hopeful passport applicant informed Mr. Hill that the passport center opened at 8:00am but not begin processing until 9:00am.

Here are some of the comments that Mr. Hill overheard from other passport hopefuls:

■“Why don’t they let you know online about the 25 passport limit?”

■“I didn’t know there would be so much drama just to get a piece a paper that allows you to leave the country.”

■“The way to go is to book an appointment at some locations but the one I checked had a 5 week wait.”

■“My neighbor was stuck here for 8 hours so I’ll do back-flips if I’m done by lunch.”

■ “I bet once they open they’ll be very efficient. It’s all they do so they should have it down to a science.”

Finally at 9:04 am, a passport clerk arrived and read the passport application rules. She let it be known that she would be the only one processing passport applications and that passport applicants would need to have all paperwork completed in advance.  She also told them that there were no public restrooms.

It took 16 minutes to process the first passport application.  That meant that the 25th person to walk in would have to wait over 6 hours.

Finally at 9:47 am Mr. Hill’s passport application was reviewed.  The passport application process was done at 10:02am.

Mr. Hill called this experience ‘Passport Hell’.  This was his experience in a small post office in San Antonio, Texas.  Now just imagine what the experience would be like at the passport center in New York City!

Take some advice, getting a passport shouldn’t be stressful.  Leave it to Rush Passport™, Official Passport Expeditors registered with the US Department of State and Foreign Consulates.

If you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.

Changes to US Child Passport Application Coming March 1, 2011

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

US passport applications are getting a make over on the heels of the recent repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell”.  When it comes to passport applications, the State Department is considering more gender-neutral language on passport applications.  Gay rights activists are insisting on further changes to federal policies that they maintain are unfavorable to gay Americans.

Get a Passport Quick in NYCCurrently, passport forms required for first-time passport applicants younger than 16 ask for child’s “Mother” and “Father”.  The State Department was planning to update the forms to ask instead for the names of a child’s “Parent 1″ and “Parent 2.”  Gay rights groups see the “parent” reference as a more gender-neutral reference for same-sex parents.

Gay rights groups are thrilled at the projected changes but feel that the passport application is just one of hundreds of government forms that still need to be changed.

The State Department’s statement about the passport changes states that the passport applications simply reflect “recognition of different types of families.”

Initially, the State Department had announced that children’s passport applications would no longer contain the words “mother” and “father”.  Instead the child passport application would contain the phrases “parent 1″ and “parent 2.”

However, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton intervened and ordered that the terms “mother” and “father” remain on passport forms.

The State Department has confirmed that the passport forms will now ask for the names of the child’s “mother or parent” and “father or parent,” or possibly “mother or parent 1″ and “father or parent 2.”

The new passport forms will be available beginning March 1, 2011.   In the meantime, people can continue using the current passport form as long as they plan to submit the passport application before March 1, 2011.

If you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.

Your US Passport: Do You Know Where it is?

Friday, January 21st, 2011

Fake PassportDo you have a valid US passport?  Do you know where your US passport is?  Identity theft is on the rise and it is important to protect your US passport.  Recently in San Juan, Puerto Rico a citizen national of the Dominican Republic was arrested after U.S. Customs and Border Protection caught him trying to use the passport of a US Citizen.

Illegal use of a US passport is a felony charge under Title 18, United States Code; Section 1524; false statement in application and use of a US passport. 

The person allegedly arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico after using a US passport that did not belong to him to board a Jet Blue Airways flight from the Dominican Republic.  He allegedly presented a US passport that did not belong to him and told US Customs that he was returning as a United States citizen.

The man reportedly presented a US Passport under a different name.  After showing the US passport, when pressed by Border Patrol for additional identification he allegedly provided a Massachusetts ID card and a Puerto Rico birth certificate.

After inconsistencies and further questioning, the man reportedly admitted his true identity and admitted using a US passport that belonged to somebody else.  He also allegedly admitted that he obtained the passport fraudulently. 

Every day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers look out for people who possess fraudulent or invalid passports.  If convicted, the man can be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in jail for using the fraudulent US passport.

If you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.

US Passport Renewal Process Made Easy: Rush Passport

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Adult US Passports are valid for 10 years.  If your US passport is getting close to the 10 year mark, it is a good idea to apply for a passport renewal before your passport expires.  A person with an expired passport can always get a new passport, but it is best to do so before the passport expires.  As a matter of fact, stop reading this passport blog article for a moment and check to see when your passport expires.  It makes sense to keep a valid passport especially since a passport is now required to travel back and forth from the US to all other countries including Mexico and Canada.  With a valid passport you can be ready to travel whenever necessary.

In order to renew an expired passport it is always better if you can find your old passport.  The expired passport is handed in along with the passport renewal application.  But don’t worry – your old passport will be returned along with the new one.

When applying for a passport renewal, it’s not like renewing a driver’s license – I still have the same driver’s license photo from 15 years ago.  A passport renewal requires new passport photos.  You will need two copies of the passport photo to attach to your passport application.  Don’t worry – at Rush Passport™ – we offer professional passport photo services on the premises. 

When renewing your passport, it may also be a good idea to get a US passport card in addition to the passport book.  The card is of particular value to travelers planning to visit Canada, Mexico or the Bahamas.

If you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.

Can a Congressman or Senator Help Me Get My Passport?

Monday, January 17th, 2011

US passport trouble?  Have you lost your passport?  Was your passport stolen?  Is your passport expired?  Do you need a passport for the first time?  Do you have a passport emergency?  What would you do?  I’ve heard people give the advice to call your member of congress.  “Call your State Senator.” “Call your Assemblyman.”  Does it really work to call your State Senator to help you get a passport?  Can a Congressman or Senator really help you get your passport?

senator passport helpI wasn’t sure if you could call a Senator and ask for help in getting an expedited passport.  I figured that they would be too busy to help a regular citizen get a passport.  So I decided to look up the phone numbers of the New York State Senators and I got contact information for NY State Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.  I called Senator Schumer’s office to find out that his office was closed from Friday December 24th and would reopen open on January 3rd.  Good luck getting passport help from Senator Schumer’s office…  Then I called Kirsten Gillibrand and I got an answering machine that told me to leave a message.  I also called a local Senator Toby Ann Stavisky’s office and again received an answering machine.

So, what is a person to do after they turn to a State Senator and come up empty?  You can go to the US passport office in NYC and wait in line for 5 hours praying that you will get a chance to speak with someone – or you can take a more logical approach – call a US passport expeditor.

Rush Passport™ is a registered expeditor of the US Department of State and foreign consulates.   Rush Passport™ can process all of your passport applications in person at one of the passport agencies across the country.  If you’ve tried calling your State Senator and you’ve tried calling the passport agency to make an appointment and you cannot get one before your trip, Rush Passport™ can help. 

If you don’t have the time to visit the passport agency in person, and can’t take time away from work, call Rush Passport™.  If you can’t deal with the frustration of waiting on long lines at the passport agency, or dealing with confusing passport paperwork – call Rush Passport™. 

Rush Passport™ makes the passport expediting process easy for you. We process in all 50 States, and if you just don’t know where, what or how this whole passport process works – don’t worry – we make it simple. 

Other passport companies on the internet have tried to piggyback off the trustworthy reputation that RushPassport.com™ has created. Please be careful, there is only one RushPassport.com™, and our reputation stands for itself. We welcome you to investigate our reputation and take a closer look at RushPassport.com™. Feel free to see our Better Business Bureau report, our clean bill of health for over 7 years! RushPassport.com™  has an A+ Better Business rating!  Visit us on CitySearch and see hundreds of 5 star ratings and reviews we’ve received from real people just like you.

Call us today at 877 937-7277 and speak to one of our knowledgeable passport representatives.   You will be impressed with how helpful our passport agents are and how easy the passport process can be with our guidance.  We answer phones 24 hours a day.  A live expeditor from our company will answer your calls. Imagine being in a situation with a passport emergency, in the middle of the night packing your bags and realizing that your passport is expired. Answering the phone at that hour is vital for you to have piece of mind.  At Rush Passport™ we look forward to serving you for all your passport expediting needs and hope to be making your trips come true!

Is it Possible to Enter the US from a Foreign Country Without a US Passport? Yes – Read this US Passport Blog Entry to Find Out How…

Saturday, January 15th, 2011

US passports are required for US citizens wishing to travel to and from Canada or Mexico by air, land or sea.  Even though a passport is required, it seems that over 2.3 million Americans reentered the country by land or sea from Mexico or Canada without producing a passport.  How did these people enter the country without showing a US passport?  Nope, they didn’t show a birth certificate or another secure document to establish their identity and nationality.  Then how is it possible to enter the US without a US passport?

US passport Rush passportAccording to a report by the Department of Homeland Security, in California alone, approximately ½ million people were allowed to pass through ports of entry without a US passport.  These travelers were allowed to pass without a US passport after undergoing extensive questioning and producing at least a driver’s license.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) was approved by Congress last year.  It requires US travelers reentering the country from Mexico or Canada to present documents, such as a US passport or birth certificate, to US Customs.

The busiest land border crossing in the country, the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego, sends most travelers without US passports to a secondary inspection post.  At the secondary post, the travelers who were not able to produce a US passport are subject to further scrutiny.

Each day over 1 million people enter the United States.  Approximately 750,000 arrive by land from Mexico or Canada.

If you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.

Passport News: Columbus Ohio Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison For Attempting to Get a Fake Passport

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Passport StolenA Columbus Ohio man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempting to get a fake passport to travel to Pakistan and for keeping an arsenal of assault weapons and pipe bombs.  The man, Abdullah Muslim, formally known as Johnnie Clagg converted to Islam while spending time in prison.

According to prosecutors in the case, Muslim stole personal information from people and then attempted to use the information to get a passport.  Once he got the passport, he planned to leave the country to visit Pakistan.

Muslim was wanted on charges of identity theft and attempting to falsify a passport.  Police stopped his vehicle in Columbus, Ohio back in October of 2009.  After his arrest, federal agents found an arsenal of weapons including two AK 47s, a 9mm semiautomatic rifle and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, pipe bomb materials, a ballistic face mask and vest, and a flak jacket.

It is unknown if Muslim has ties to any terror organizations or if he was acting alone.  If he hadn’t been caught for trying to get a falsified passport, one can only speculate as to the damage that he could have done.

It is important for people to keep forms of personal identification safe.  If you suspect that your passport is missing or stolen, you should report it immediately.

If you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.

Rush Passport: Celebrity Passport Applications Revealed: Celebrity Passport Summary

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Passport ApplicationThanks to the Freedom of Information Act, the Department of State has given the public access to thousands of celebrity passport applications.

In case you missed the last 6 Rush Passport™ passport blog entries we highlighted the passport applications of 6 of the 20th Centuries most famous Americans.  Some of the passport applications had passport photos and some did not.  However, the passport applications were filled with plenty of facts about the celebrity passport applicants.

Bet you didn’t know that Yankee slugger Babe Ruth got his passport to play baseball in Havana, Cuba.  Did you know that Marilyn Monroe’s passport application listed her as Marilyn Monroe – not Norma Jean?  Ernest Hemingway’s passport is one of the most well traveled passports around.  In 1957, Judy Garland’s passport was only valid for travel to and in Bulgaria.  Jesse Owens filled out his passport application on July 1, 1936 – just weeks before he won 4 gold medals in the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.  Ironically, in 1944 Humphrey Bogart’s passport only allowed him to travel to North Africa where he filmed Casablanca two years earlier.

We hope that you enjoyed Rush Passport™’s celebrity passport applications.  If you are interested in seeing some of your favorite celebrity passport applications, you can contact the US Department of State through the Freedom of Information Act.  Or, you can access passport applications issued between 1795-1925 on the web at Ancestry.com’s passport application database

If you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.