Is it true that more citizens of the USA don't have a current valid passport than do, and millions of them have never seen the ocean?

[CubaPirate]

[Red_Arrow]

I have never had a passport and have lived within a few miles of both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. I have traveled on the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, the Mediterranean Sea, and the South China Sea. I have visited countries on both sides of the Mediterranean, along the Indian Ocean and in the South China Sea, and along the North Atlantic. All without a passport. It is amazing the amount of the world that opens to a guy in the Navy.

[Red_Arrow]

Thank you for MHO. :-)

[RedInnocent68]

Absolutely. Only around 40% do, and that’s up substantially from 30 years ago, when it was closer to 10% but you could still go to Canada and Mexico without one.

[CubaPirate]

Oh I didn't know that you can go north or south without one

[RedInnocent68]

No, you can’t anymore, but that was a driver for the increase. Still pathetically low for an OECD country.

[exitseven]

I do not have a passport. I have seen the ocean lots of times. I have probably visited 30 states at one time or another and have been to Canada several times.

[douride2]

You must have been up here before 9-11. Because you need a passport now.

[exitseven]

@douride2 I think the last time I we t to Canada was in 2002 and the laws had not been changed yet. I did have to bring a birth certificate

[douride2]

Yes I can remember crossing into the US with just my drivers license.

[BCA6010]

As an American, if you don't travel abroad regularly, there's very little need for a passport, so that's probably true. As far as "seeing the ocean," we have over 320,000,000 people living here (that we know about/acknowledge) so it would be a statistical anomaly if we didn't have millions who haven't seen an ocean.

[abc3643]

That's probably true.

I've seen the ocean; I was born a few hundred yards from it. I no longer have an active passport though; it expired in 2015.

My wife, born and raised in Missouri, didn't see the ocean for a long time and she only just got a passport at age 49 in 2007.

[Nikki1989]

Most Americans I have talked to have never been out of their state, let alone the country. Sad!

[DryGermanGuy]

I have read statistics that in the poorer states (Alabama, Mississippi...) only 10% of the population have a passport.

[WhiteSteve]

No passport, but I could hit a golf ball into the ocean from my front lawn.

But I would never…..

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ESe0-_YRX7U

[NathanDavis]

I have two passports, but...

https://www.youtube.com/embed/EcQkETTb5rY

[Crankor]

Seems legit. If you don't live within a few hours of the ocean then it makes sense people haven't seen it before. Traveling outside a country from the US really isn't needed or even desires by most. Unless your a single women on a dating app haha

[KrakenAttackin]

The U. S. is a large country, with everything anyone needs within its borders. I have a passport and have traveled extensively, but I am also perfectly content to enjoy what my country offers.

[pervertedjester]

The rest of the world HATES America. Stay home.

[OddBeMe]

Passports are true. Not sure about oceans but I wouldn’t be surprised. The most nationalist Americans don’t travel much.

[Roudyrebel8]

I would say so

[slatyb]

Probably true

[legalboxers]

I dont. No desire to travel

[jahaims]

Duh.