Transporting someone else's US passport across borders?

Wouldn’t it be easier to use DHL/UPS etc.?

laura

A better question (perhaps) is whether it’s legal for the USA citizen to be in another country WITHOUT a passport?

Once, while wandering around Asia, I tried to go from Thailand to Cambodia, and discovered that my passport had less than 6 months to run, which meant that I would not be permitted to travel into most countries in SE Asia. I went to the US consulate in Chiang Mai, and was told, (by a Mexician American woman, who found the situation very funny) that I was an “illegal immigrant” with “invalid papers” since my visa to enter Thailand had been granted in error (only 3 month left of validity). I had to surrender my passport to the consulate, was given a receipt, partially written in Thai, and was given a business card of the consul. I was also told, in no uncertain terms “don’t get in any trouble”. The consulate issued a new passport in about 15 days, and it contained some stamp indicating that it had been issued while I was in Thailand and transferring my existing Thai visa. So I suppose you can be in another country without a passport, if you have some documents from your embassy or consulate.

As far as carrying the passport of another person across borders? I would check with the Dept. of State on that one, since I once saw a guy get arrested at an airport because he had 2 passports on him with two different names, and one of his friends was trying to explain to the cops that he had dual nationality and that his names came out slightly differently in the two languages. I don’t think they believed him, since they (very roughly) dragged both him and his friend into some back room, what happened after that, I don’t know, but I’m sure it was not fun.

Its illegal.
But people do it all the time, why not.

Just dont tell everybody on LS you are involved in “illegal acts in alien territory” as they, most likely, call it, with their war-mongering slang.

Hmmm its too late now. I think Laura got it right from the beginning: Fedex and sorts.

There are too many variations of circumstances to say whether it is illegal. You gotta have some facts.

But, a lot of people who work (as journalists or for NGOs) in the Middle East have two US passports – one for going into and out of Israel and another for travel among Arab countries. It’s legal to have two passports in that circumstance.

I can envision a situation where someone needs to have someone bring their (Arab Countries/Israeli) passport to them so they could enter the (other) country. Although I don’t know for sure, I can’t imagine carrying it would be illegal.