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Passports: United States
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Some New Zealanders are being used as guinea pigs in a "live test" of so-called e-passports that contain computer chips with biographic and biometric information. The trials began today at terminals 2, 4 and 7 of Los Angeles International Airport and at Sydney Airport, and will run until September 15, 2005, the United States' Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
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Passports invariably contain a comment on the national status of the holder. On occasion this can cause problems because countries with complex nationality laws may issue various passports which are similar in appearance but with differing national statuses, for example the United Kingdom which has developed different classes of citizenship as a result of its colonial heritage and domestic constitution. These different statuses are subject to different visa requirements around the world. Another example is Tonga where a version of Tongan citizenship was available by investment. Many countries therefore accept Tongan passports where the national status is Tongan Citizen but do not accept passports where the holder is described as a Tongan Protected Person, not least because the latter has no rights of residence in Tonga.
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OREM, Utah, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. State Department plans on issuing over 15 million electronic RFID enabled passports in 2007. These e-passports will use an RFID chip that is embedded in the passport to transmit your personal information to RFID readers at checkpoints. What does this mean for you the user of these new high tech e-passports? Your information is at.....
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Though passports were not usually mandatory, U.S. passports were requested by Americans. Records of the Department of State show that 130,360 passports were issued between 1810 and 1873, and that 369,844 passports were issued between 1877 and 1909. Some of those passports were group passports. A passport application could cover a wife, a child, a servant, or a female travelling under the protection of a man. The passport would be issued to the man. Similarly, a passport application could cover a child travelling with its mother. The passport would be issued to the mother. The number of Americans who travelled without passports is unknown.[7]
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CHICAGO, Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Natural disasters and other emergency situations highlight the need for quick access to vital documents such as marriage and birth certificates, passports, property titles as well as personal health records (PHRs). Yet, a recent Harris Interactive study of adults in the United States shows that in the event of an emergency, nearly sixty percent would be unable to access their family's vital records within thirty minutes -- not nearly enough time in the event they were ordered to immediately evacuate their homes. Furthermore, merely one in five (20 percent) report they have copies of their own family's medical records. About one in four (27 percent) believe they have access to their own medical records.
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The Department has dedicated additional resources and personnel to meet the increased demand for passports generated by these requirements. In Fiscal Year 2006, the Department issued a record 12.1 million passports to American citizens, and anticipates issuing 16 million passports in Fiscal Year 2007. U.S. citizens can find information about how to apply for a passport at travel.state.gov or by calling 1-877-487-2778.
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