America, is that you?

Are we living in the same America that was founded by immigrants?

Only 37% of American adults say they have a valid and unexpired passport

This is about the same as those who have never had a passport at all (38%).

20% of Americans have an expired or invalid passport.

41% of Democrats and 38% of Republicans are equally likely to hold and not hold valid passports, according to a recent Economist/YouGov poll. There are economic and regional divides on who is able to travel outside the United States.

Those in a higher income bracket are more likely to have a passport.

64% of Americans with a household income of $100K+ have a valid passport

4 in 10 adults in the Northeast (40%) and 45% of those living in Western states hold valid passports, while 1/3 of those in the South (33%) and Midwest (35%) have one.

Possession of a valid passport increases dramatically with income.

One in five Americans with a household income of less than $50,000 (21%) has a valid passport, compared to 44% of those with an annual household income between $50,000 to $100,000.

Two-thirds of Americans (64%) with a household income above $100,000 have a valid US passport. 

That is also the case with higher education. The majority of those with only a high school education or less have never had a passport, while 58% of those with at least a college degree have one that is valid.

Why Does This Matter?

America is a nation made of immigrants (at least it once was), and yet shocking statistics show that the majority of people do not have passports!

As Americans, we love to “embrace our diversity” having a population with a mix of different cultures, but we fail to inform ourselves of what’s happening in the world outside of America.

This especially becomes evident when you turn on the “news” and only hear reports on what’s happening in the U.S., even if something huge is happening globally.

I don’t mean to sound like one of Klaus Schwab’s young global leaders, but he does make a good point in these regards!

We (Americans) should be a little more concerned with the rest of the world and how global events impact our nation’s well-being and future. 

Traveling outside of America will open your mind to a whole new “world,” quite literally.

It will expand your mind in ways you never thought were possible and allow you to see how other people think, behave, dress, and interact with one another.

Of course, not everyone can afford to pick up and take a trip to Spain, but with the right money-saving tips, one day you can!

As a bonus, the food is almost guaranteed to be amazing!