So, you’ve got a week’s vacation coming to you and really want to go to some place great. You’d love to visit a foreign country, but just realized that your passport expired. Guess what, you’re not alone! Only about 36% of Americans have an active passport. Instead of opting to stay in the country, you can still go overseas. There are several places you can go as long as you have your state issued ID and birth certificate.
The Caribbean Islands On A Cruise
Citizens of the U.S who board a cruise ship at a port in the U.S. and travel only in the Western Hemisphere can use their ID and birth certificate to visit Caribbean islands as long as they are returning to the same port. This is what is called a closed loop cruise. It’s always a good idea to check with your travel agent or cruise line before booking a cruise to make sure that you will be able to enter a country while at the port without a passport, rather than having to stay on the ship while everyone else is out having a good time.
Puerto Rico
The 51st state of the U.S., Puerto Rico, doesn’t require a passport for Americans to visit it. It is located between the British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic. Some of the best places to visit are Mosquito Bay and Vieques. If you are looking to go to a place with an island feel, without feeling like an outsider, this is the place to go.
U.S. Virgin Islands
These islands are located about 111 miles off of Puerto Rico’s eastern coast. They consist of St. John, St. Thomas and St. Croix. What’s nice about the U.S. Virgin Islands is that you basically can visit three places all in one. Also, the official currency is the U.S. Dollar so there’s no need to have to worry about exchanging currency. If you are in the U.S. Virgin Islands be sure to check out Buck Island, Cinnamon Bay or Morning Star Beach.
Guam
This island is located a little over 1,500 east of the Philippines. Guam is fairly small which makes it easy to fit in everything you want to do, even on a short vacation. The weather never gets below 75 degrees so if you are looking for a place with warm weather in December, you will be pleasantly surprised here. Popular activities include seeing the beautiful waterfalls or partaking in one of the many watersports.
American Samoa
This territory consists of five main islands- Aunu’u, Ofu, Olosega, Ta’ū and Tutuila, and two atolls- Rose and Swains. It is located in the South Pacific, about 2,031 miles from New Zealand. Many tourists head over to American Samoa National Park to explore the 8,000 acres or see the 2,500 acres of coral reef. American Samoa is a popular place for cliff-diving as well.
As you can see, there are several places you can visit, even if you don’t have a passport. However, it is always recommended that you obtain your passport and keep it current as there are 173 different countries that you can visit without a visa.
If you’re traveling domestically, make sure your ID meets current airport requirements. See our guide to What You Should Know About REAL ID for the latest requirements, and learn how TSA PreCheck vs CLEAR: Which Is Right for You? can speed up your screening experience.
