What percentage of US citizens own a passport ?

Show all answers

cartier95

How many Americans own passports?One of the reasons America is sometimes described as being an insular country is the low ownership or passports, and thus the low rate of international travel. Which in some ways is fair enough; in comparison to Europeans, for example, popping over to another country is often a bigger deal than jumping on a train. But Ted read that only 7 per cent of Americans own passports and wondered where the figure comes from. It seems the statistic varies, for example:

25%: â€œ75% of Americans don't own a passportâ€
22%: â€œjust 22% of Americans own a passportâ€
<20%: â€œless than 20% of all Americans own a passportâ€
15%: â€œ85 percent of Americans do not own a passportâ€
10%: â€œonly 10 percent of US citizens *ever* own a passportâ€
<10%: â€œfewer than 10 percent own a passportâ€
7%: â€œonly seven percent of Americans own a passportâ€
None of these are remotely official but I can't find an official government statistic for passport ownership. The closest I've found is this page of the number of passports issued per year. First, lets be generous and say that every passport was issued to an adult and therefore lasts ten years. Assuming that everyone who's been issued a passport over the last ten years still has it, that's 60,884,784 people with US passports. Given the US population is around 280 million, that gives us 21.7 per cent owning passports. Taking into account some of these will be five year passports, we have a figure that's probably a little under 20 per cent. Is there any reason this calculation would be way out?

Incidentally, I graphed the statistics for US passports issued per year [updated 24 April 2004]. You can see the dramatic rise over the past ten years. This may account for some of the lower figures people give; they could simply be out of date. Using the same method for the years 1981-90, for example, we get less than 15 per cent ownership, without taking into account five year passports. If the rate of issue stabilised at around 7 million per year, never mind further growth, then by 2013 around a quarter of US citizens will own a passport (assuming the same total population).

Update: From the comments, the Economist has a subscriber-only article that states 34% of Americans over the age of 18 own passports, but cite no source for this. By comparison, it says 41% of Canadians over 18 have passports. (10 Sep 2005)

Update 2: Here is a source for the above figures, the Canada Tourism Commission research report 'The Potential Impact of a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Passport Requirement on Canada's Tourism Industry' (500K PDF). They conducted â€œhousehold surveysâ€ in Canada and the US with the results summarised in a table titled 'Passport possession in the United States and Canada' on page 4:

2005 Survey Results United States Canada
General population (18 years and over) 34% 41%
Same-day travellers (transborder) 44% 60%
Overnight auto travellers (transborder) 50% 70%
Overnight air travellers (transborder) 67% 75%

The percentages of passport holders among those who travel between the two countries might help to make better comparisons with Europeans travelling between countries. (21 Nov 2005)

Comments
nick at 31 Jan 2003, 9:01pm. Permalink

It'd be interesting to see how many of these passport-owners are newly naturalised American citizens, for whom getting a US passport is a natural step to ensure less hassle by the INS when travelling.

Anyway, there's also the fact that it's harder as an American to travel to Canada and Mexico without one: the old 'drivers' license only' rule is increasingly being tightened, so that you need a birth certificate or some other concrete proof.

Add on the fact that the US is big enough for you to travel domestically for a lifetime and still think a) you've seen a hell of a lot of world; and b) you've still a lot of world to see.

goose1077

I don't know but I don't know that many people who travel over seas. One of the advantages of living in such a big place is that there are many places we can travel to without dealing with all that foriegn customs stuff.

wildwood081

about 3 of them own passports, Rice, Bush and the US armed forces, they all get in out of US on one passport

Gerry

about 5%

Jonathan

Probably not that many, one source says 22% and I can believe it.

Mantra

As per the US Passport Service and Dept of Homeland security statement 2004, 63% of US citizens are passport holders.

tweetymay

I don't know, I don't have one and really don't want one. So many people (including those here in Y! Answers) don't appear to like Americans.

While I would like to see the rest of the world, England, France, and Australia, in particular, I feel that there are many things here in America to see. I would love to see the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Hollywood, San Fransisco, Dallas, Texas, Nashville Tennessee, Washington, DC, and so much more.

Why should I travel someplace where the only reason I am allowed there is to spend my money (as someone in an previous answer stated!)

golfer

I don't know the percentage of US citizens that own a passport, but come January 8,2007 anyone traveling across the boarder to anywhere will have to have a passport. So whatever the percentage is now look for it to skyrocket in the next few months. Let's see, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas any vacation spot that only required a birth certificate will now have to have a passport. So all you travelers out there you should start applying today...this minute...do not delay if you are looking forward to a winter get away. Passport processing takes six to eight weeks. Good Luck!

Magick

about 15%

I have one.

100% of the americans overseas has one (^_^)

pugsbaby

The dude on the website below says he can't find the exact %.

I personally don't think enough Yanks have passports.
1. not enough people have seen the world and what really happens out there (not just from USA either)
2. the insular ideals of many in the States needs to be changed, and nothing does this better than seeing things for yourself
3. people from USA are great fun when travelling, though loud and obnoxious, but they are so supportive and keen to do and see and try things, so bring out some more of that positive energy for the world to enjoy
4. the world needs more of your US dollars to help their economies, so get out, spend more, and help spread the wealth
5. oh and if so many of the Yanky boys are 'out of town' that leaves more girls at home for us foreigners coming to USA

So all you Yanks, get out and enjoy the world.

Monkey Harris

Too many. I wish to God they would all stay in America.

changmw

USA got everything, right? Except oil...

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: