Do your kids have passports?

LovesHashem

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 4:47 am

My American passport has been expired for about 7 years. I got an israeli passport to fly to Europe with but I haven't been back to the states since I moved to Israel. My husband keeps saying you should have valid passports, renew, etc - but I feel safe in Israel and my Israeli passport is fine.

After corona I'd really like to visit my grandparents in the States - they usually come here but one of them isn't doing so well physically and it's not safe to fly even after corona unless they hopefully improve. I haven't met DH's extended family in person (some of them can't fly) either so I may be getting a USA passport in the coming months in that case.

When I have young kids I don't think I will run to make a USA passport. It's a real paint to do it from Israel

Teomima

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 4:56 am

LovesHashem wrote:

If you met the criteria to automatically transfer citizenship to your children, then it's really not hard to get them passports. You make one meeting at the consulate/embassy to get a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Social Security Number (technically they changed the process for a SSN but it's still possible to do it all in one appointment), and a passport, all in one go. There's a bunch of paperwork to prepare but the passport part is just a simple form.

amother

Royalblue

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 5:27 am

Yes my kids all got passports as soon as they were born. My in laws live in a different country than we do but close enough that we go a couple of times a year so its not even a question.

I'm working on getting them passports from my DH country now as the world seems to be going under and you never know what will help

essie14

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 5:33 am

Yes, we are all dual citizens living in Israel with immediate family in America so the entire family always has up to date passports for both Israel and USA in case we would ever have to travel in an emergency.

amother

Linen

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 6:32 am

amother [ Vermilion ] wrote:

We just did for all the kids this week. My youngest 2 have never had, my older were all expired. Ideally I believe a jew should have a current passport, but We put it off because of finances for several years. We felt we could swing it now without feeling the pinch too much. It was a big chunk of money but it's something we felt was proper hishtadlus to do if we can.

My fam are very into that.
We apply as soon as we can after birth.
Also incase if any type of emergency as hishtadlus not to be stuck in one country.

amother

Linen

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 6:37 am

amother [ Royalblue ] wrote:

My parents always said that, as children of holocaust survivors they heard of people who survived or didn’t bec of a paper or lack there-off.
Of course it’s all from Gd but they always felt one had to do his best and have papers.
Everyone used to laugh at them but now with Covid some people had to push off weddings bec of lack of papers to enter another country.
You never know.

amother

Orange

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 7:54 am

I really don't understand this concept of needing "emergency travel" but that's probably because of my financial situation.
Travel is something csrefully budgeted and planned far in advance and then we'd have time to get pasaports. If for some reason that I can't imagine we'd have to travel for and "emergency" we couldn't afford it right now anyways. And yes, we have relatives, even close ones who live out of the country. We just don't see them. That's what phones are for

nchr

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 7:55 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

If yes or no, please explain your reasoning.
I have two very young kids and don't plan on flying internationally in the next few years. I would do it if it was no big deal, but financially I'm hesitating since the approximately $300 it would cost would be sorely missed at this point in time. If it's necessary, I would do it, but financially it would be a pinch.

If you're traveling then don't get passports. We travel.

Teomima

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 8:37 am

amother [ Orange ] wrote:

If you have a parent/sibling out of the country and c"v they were on their deathbed. Or a child/sibling that lives in another country having a medical emergency that you wanted to be there for. Or if you/your child required a specialized medical procedure that can only be provided by a specialist in another country. These are just a few examples of emergency travel. They're not that extreme or unusual, either. All have happened in my family

nchr

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 8:45 am

Teomima wrote:

In the US you can get a passport same day (Connecticut) or overnight for a rush fee.

Teomima

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 8:50 am

nchr wrote:

In the US you can get a passport same day (Connecticut) or overnight for a rush fee.

That's great, but not everyone is in the US. And if you're dealing with an emergency, handling the bureaucracy required to get emergency passports is probably the last thing you need (not to mention, the added expense). It's great that such a service is provided, but personally I prefer to be on the safer side and have all documents at the ready.

silverlining3

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 9:04 am

nchr wrote:

In the US you can get a passport same day (Connecticut) or overnight for a rush fee.

That's even more expensive!
And when something emergency come comes up, not everyone has their mind in place.

amother

Denim

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 9:51 am

amother [ Scarlet ] wrote:

Yes. One of the first things I did after each kid was born was get them passports. Both my parents are the children of 2 Holocaust survivors. They very much drilled into my head that a Jew must always have a passport and be ready to leave in a moments notice. I keep on top of everyone's passport and renew them way ahead to never have any issue.

This, especially the way things are going politically
H”Y

mommyhood

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 10:02 am

I never got for them because it seems an unnecessary expense but watching what people went through who needed passports during corona and needed to jump through so many hoops I think I’m ready to spend the money to have them available if we want or need to go somewhere.

amother

Orange

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 10:03 am

Teomima wrote:

If any if those things happened we wouldn't be able to afford to go anyways. We'd have to deal with phone calls/zoom. Nor would we be able to afford medical care out of the country. All the examples you listed above are the privilege of wealthy people. Poor people don't get to travel in those circumstances so why should we waste money that could be spent on groceries or tuition on a passport that's going to expire before it can be used anyways.

amother

Royalblue

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 10:11 am

nchr wrote:

In the US you can get a passport same day (Connecticut) or overnight for a rush fee.

My father had 3 hours to get on a plane in order to make it for his father's levaya. Even if he had more time I don't think he would want to spend it in the passport office in Connecticut.

amother

Royalblue

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 10:13 am

amother [ Orange ] wrote:

You're right. If all those examples would never even apply to you then getting a passport is probably not necessary.