| By
Gary Scott
This site reported how Houston
customs officers lost my passport at TRAVEL
WARNINGS. The message stressed how vital it is
to keep your eye on this document and to have backup ID data when
you travel.
Readers shared some interesting
insights on this that I now pass onto to you.
“Hi Gary. Read your
passport experience with interest and dismay. I also
have to sympathize. I had a lost passport and had to
do the fast-replacement-shuffle, so I know how much trouble it
can be, and I really have to sympathize. Mine was a stopover
in Hawaii, and I had to island-hop to Honolulu to get it replaced.
The interesting thing was
that the Passport Office guy told me that once you have
had a lost or stolen passport once, it can be much harder
to get a replacement if it happens again. It could also
take significantly longer. Thanks for the info. Doug
and Judy”
This point is clear. Be careful.
If customs lose your passport, the passport office may then mark
you as careless….or worse!
Here us what another reader wrote:
“Gary, Sounds like
a conspiracy to me. I had a student in Japan who was seriously
questioned by immigration officials and made to feel like a criminal
in America because she made so many trips back and forth out
of this country. The U.S. immigration officials even suggested
to her that some consequences may come if she does not limit
her travels. What was the reason for her travels back and forth? Taking
care of her grand daughter. In freedom? , Brad”
Merri and I have had customs officers
mention this to us as well. They act like there is something
wrong just because we travel a lot. I do not think this is a crime
yet so perhaps these officials are jealous. There is a good point
here. Keep your profile as low as you can. Do not be ostentatious
anywhere you travel.
Many readers felt that someone
in Customs stole my passport. They wonder where that passport will
go? They asked how could it be used and how might this affect me? Here
is what one reader shared:
"Gary, Aren't you
worried these immigration people are going to try to use or duplicate
your passport for some sort of illegal purpose and cause you
even more headaches? I wouldn't have left without getting
my passport if I had to scream holy hell. Bob"
Bob has a good point but I needed
to get to San Antonio to speak at a seminar. Many people would
have been let down had I not showed. I was concerned about
the consequences of screaming too hard at a customs agent..besides
it is never polite to scream. We cannot let the shortfalls
of others create shortfalls in our own actions. There are other
ways to handle poor public services as you will see below. Other
readers mentioned the risk of shouting at law enforcement officers
as well:
“Hello Gary, You and others
have mailed stories about the new regime of homeland security. I'm
very surprised that the guy who shouted about getting his passport back
wasn’t arrested and put into jail. I personally find
it very hard to withhold comments when being 'served' by the ultra
courteous who have a '---- you' attitude under the razor thin veneer.
Many of the guys who get these jobs probably have some power issues
apart from being in the marginally employable ranks. It's
also nice to hear that you made lemonade from the lemons with your
friends in Houston. Jay”
Other reader shared how they lost
their passports also:
“Dear Gary, It
is good that you relate this story. I also travel ALL the time.
Whether I am in Africa, So. America, Europe, or Asia, I am NEVER
treated rudely, ignored, nor like a criminal. I absolutely dislike
returning to the U.S. From the time you leave the plane, someone
is shouting at you to have your passports out and visible,
get in this line, no cameras, no phones, and all with dogs sniffing
at you as you walk down the corridors. In no other country have
I experienced this.
“I also, had the
same experience with a lost passport. I did have a copy of my
passport, but it was NO GOOD. They don't accept copies as proof
that you had this same passport that is in their very computer!!
Personal freedoms have been diminished to the point that you
have no rights to challenge any authority figure, as your case
shows. If they tell you that is the way it is, that is the way
it is, and you pay. Citizens used to be the check on authorities.
Congress used to be the check for the executive branch. Now both
do what they want, and no one can deter them, even if every one
knows that they are being trampled on. Thanks for being a voice
crying out in the wilderness. Frank”
Let’s end with a travel tip
from another experienced traveler:
“Hi Gary... What
I do is have a gmail account from Google that makes searching
for information a breeze. You can have up to 2.7 gigs of
space. I took color scans of everything in my wallet; credit
cards, passport etc. so I can always go to an internet shop
and at least provide numbers and information to get any search
for lost documents going. Cheers...REG”
Finally in your travels, remember
to enjoy life and remember that sick societies mean that the average
is sick. Do not let the incorrectness of others draw you down to
their level.
Until next message, enjoy good
travels and good investing. Our freedoms and global abilities
are still a miracle that no past generation has ever enjoyed!
Gary
Learn more about our next
Import-Export course
Here is one of the many
markets you will visit on the tour
P.S. Join Merri, Thomas Fischer
of Jyske Bank at our next International Business and Investing
Made EZ course. Review where to invest and do business now
and learn which markets and currencies may be strong in the year
ahead. DETAILS
P.P.S. Double your profit potential
with the MultiCurrency Sandwich. For details on my Borrow
Low - Deposit High service
|
