Travel Archives - PassportInfoGuide.com

Benefits of Applying for a Second US Passport

There are multiple international geo-political conflicts, our society is completely mobile and for many people, having a passport is a necessity in order to travel internationally. However, what most people may not know is that it is actually possible and sometimes necessary to have a second passport. In addition to the regional conflicts around the world, there are several benefits to having a second US passport. What is a Second US Passport? A second US passport is exactly what it sounds like – a second passport issued to an individual who already holds a valid US passport. It is important to note that obtaining a second passport does not[…]

How foreign intelligence agencies could obtain massive amounts of valuable data by infiltrating passport and visa couriers and/or the Hand Carry Passport Courier Program

The following are my thoughts and is pure speculation on my part. There are companies with massive amounts of useful and actionable data that could be a treasure trove for foreign intelligence. After being in the passport & visa facilitation industry for about 8 years and doing a post-mortem on my time there, one of the things that I was most concerned about was the security of customers documents. Not specifically spies, but usually I was worried about potential identity theft problems. I always felt proper vetting of my employees, physically and digitally securing passport & visa applications, and digital logging and security of our database(s) was of the[…]

New Waiver Allows Returning to the US With An Expired Passport Until March 31st 2022 – Conditions Apply

In a memo that was released on December 28, the US State Department stated that citizens that meet very specific criteria may return home before March 31, 2022, on expired passport. To be eligible to return to the US using an expired passport you must currently be abroad, and your passport expired after January 1, 2020. In addition to this, the current expired passport must be an original passport (10-year for adults or 5-year for children) no replacement passports, limited issuance passports or temporary passports are eligible for this limited waiver. The passport must be in generally good condition and unaltered in anyway and of course must be in[…]

Safe International Travel During a Pandemic

As we approach 2022, most of us are craving a vacation. Whether that is to relax or to inject some adventure into our lives following almost two years of limited freedoms. We are yearning for a break from the troubles this year has thrown our way. That may be a blissful week in the sunshine, a visit to see relatives, or even a work trip. However, navigating international travel during the pandemic is not an easy task. The United States is considered a high-risk country by many others, presenting difficulties when attempting overseas travel. It is important to consider that country rules and regulations are changing rapidly, some even[…]

Passport Application considerations now that Covid-19 vaccines are readily available. Longer delays expected.

Now that vaccines are readily available and more and more of the US population is being vaccinated each week; travel, specifically International travel is going to quickly rebound. With the rebound in International travel, passport processing times are also going to increase. I figured it was time to provide an update again as people are starting to travel and daily domestic travelers are getting close to pre-pandemic levels again. Americans pent up thirst to “get the hell out of Dodge” is just going to add to the backlog of passport applications at the passport agency this summer. Processing times have already been running extra-long at 10-12 weeks for standard[…]

10 Important Digital Steps to Take to Improve Your Personal and Property Security When Traveling in 2021 and beyond

With over 3 billion Facebook accounts and over 1 billion Instagram users, we have never been more connected in the online world. Whilst the majority of social media sharing is harmless fun, it is important to know the dangers of oversharing online, especially when traveling. What can seem like an innocent photo upload or a meaningless quick tweet can quickly develop into actionable intelligence for criminals. Announcing Your Travel Plans is Giving Criminals an Invitation We are all guilty of oversharing on social media. With no trip to the airport feeling complete without the obligatory Instagram post. We regularly share intimate details about our vacation without even giving it[…]

Category: Travel