Passport

[R. Richard]

I have to obtain a passport, because of my work. I got the US government form and filled it out, as directed. I got to a question that asked, "Have you ever used any other names?" and a space to fill in said names.

Okay: "Stud Horse, Bad Motherfucker, The Ladies' Home Companion, SIR!"

The passport clerk then informed me, "Those aren't the kind of names we want."

They asked, I answered. It's the kind of thing you get, dealing with the government.

Comment?

 

[TxRad]

That is the kind of space you always leave blank. That is unless you are an actor using a stage name or such.

In the space that asks about sex, I always put yes. That always gets me a dirty look.

 

[sr71plt]

If you actually want the passport, you leave that blank. Being a smartass about it isn't going to make anyone want to help you. Fake pen names aren't what they are looking for with that question.

 

[TimothyM]

A bit off target

but for some reason I got to think about the little green Visa Waiver slip you had to fill out on airplanes bound for US if you are a non-US citizen.

They ask you if you are a criminal or a terrorist or Nazi and a couple of other nasty things, and I've always wondered what the point was. Did they really think anyone was going to tick the YES box on any of those ? Or is it that they also want to bust you for perjury if you are caught in a criminal act ?

 

[sr71plt]

but for some reason I got to think about the little green Visa Waiver slip you had to fill out on airplanes bound for US if you are a non-US citizen.

They ask you if you are a criminal or a terrorist or Nazi and a couple of other nasty things, and I've always wondered what the point was. Did they really think anyone was going to tick the YES box on any of those ? Or is it that they also want to bust you for perjury if you are caught in a criminal act ?

These are there because at some time or other (for some, in the distant past) a law was inacted saying these things had to be asked (and that their were punishments for lying on the form). It stems in the McCarthy era as a runaround in law from the prosecution having to pin down the membership as hard. All you have to do is catch them in their disclaimer being false and the passport (and thus, their capability of moving internationally) can be pulled.

It's like the Bill Clinton issue. The action that could be taken was on the basis of the lie about doing it, not on the basis of having done it.

 

[R. Richard]

If you actually want the passport, you leave that blank. Being a smartass about it isn't going to make anyone want to help you. Fake pen names aren't what they are looking for with that question.

You're required to swear, under oath, that all of the passport information that you furnish is true and complete. I did what I believed was correct.
The names that I used were street names that I was actually called in the Souith Central.

 

[sr71plt]

You're required to swear, under oath, that all of the passport information that you furnish is true and complete. I did what I believed was correct.
The names that I used were street names that I was actually called in the Souith Central.

I'm not surprised you interpret what they are asking for this way.

 

[lovecraft68]

I had to struggle with this one. I wanted to leave it blank, but I did legally change my name back when I was 22 and I don;t know how closely they check so I ended up putting my former name on there.

 

[ishtat]

Discretion

As a basic principle learned from almost constant travelling over the past 25 years, never, ever do anything to piss off a customs, immigration, passport control, security or quarantine official. These people have powers you can't even imagine.

And rights? Just act on the basis that on and between the plane and the outside world, you don't have any.

I've never had problems but I've seen various tired, stressed out individuals suffer some severe indignities - mainly because they couldn't keep their smart ass mouths shut.

 

[Handley_Page]

As a basic principle learned from almost constant travelling over the past 25 years, never, ever do anything to piss off a customs, immigration, passport control, security or quarantine official. These people have powers you can't even imagine.

And rights? Just act on the basis that on and between the plane and the outside world, you don't have any.

I've never had problems but I've seen various tired, stressed out individuals suffer some severe indignities - mainly because they couldn't keep their smart ass mouths shut.

If you think it real fun, remember that pair of UK students trying to enter America and giving the wrong answers to questions. They were in the chokey for 48 hours and shunted back home with "Personal non Grata" on their passports.

 

[TE999]

The TSA Thugs have the same sense of humor as Torquemada and almost as much power. They're just itching for you to mouth off so they can play Grand Inquisitor and make you miss your flight. If it didn't take so goddamn long to drive or take a train anywhere I'd never fly unless I had my own LearJet.

 

[sr71plt]

TSA has nothing to do with passport control--other than to check occasionally when the passengers go through check points that they actually have one.

Always got to have sweeping categories of people to hate, TE999?

 

[lovecraft68]

Above me is SR71Pilot once again not starting an argument with anyone.

 

[TimothyM]

As a basic principle learned from almost constant travelling over the past 25 years, never, ever do anything to piss off a customs, immigration, passport control, security or quarantine official.

I totally agree, just smile, answer their questions quietly, politely and carefully. But to be fair, most of the ones I've met (though I've mainly travelled in Europe and North America, so my experience is limited) just do their job without any fuss or bad attitudes and even wish you a pleasant stay. So maybe it's just because few the scary incidents stand out in your mind, that we feel like this.

Oh and what does TSA stand for ? Transportation Security Agency or something like that ? I swear I've never met any people who use abbreviations as much as US Americans. Sometimes it's frustrating reading here, beacuse either you have to guess or humiliate yourself by asking stupid questions.

Thanks for the answer to my question, SR, but did you really mean that US authorities can take passports away from non-US citizens based on this? I would have thought the logical punishment (apart from any relevant prison sentence) would be deportation and forbidding them to enter US again.

 

[Boxlicker101]

That is the kind of space you always leave blank. That is unless you are an actor using a stage name or such.

In the space that asks about sex, I always put yes. That always gets me a dirty look.

I suppose they also want women's maiden names or previous married names. And, you know, some people do legally change their names for perfectly valid reasons.

 

[sr71plt]

Thanks for the answer to my question, SR, but did you really mean that US authorities can take passports away from non-US citizens based on this? I would have thought the logical punishment (apart from any relevant prison sentence) would be deportation and forbidding them to enter US again.

They have a range of actions they can take. They can deny entry and make the foreign national turn around and leave. They can detain the foreign national and turn the passport over to the embassy of the issuing country for decision by that country what to do (done if the person/passport is on a detain list from that country--or if there's reason to believe the passport is fradulent), or they can hold the passport and detain the foreign national (if it's suspected he/she is on a U.S. hold list). The U.S. cooperates with other countries; we don't just turn the person away if there's evidence he/she is wanted by another country or is using another country's documentation fradulently.

As I recall, though, wasn't I just saying that the TSA folks can't take any more action on a passport than to turn the person over to passport control if they suspect something is wrong?

 

[sr71plt]

I suppose they also want women's maiden names or previous married names. And, you know, some people do legally change their names for perfectly valid reasons.

Yes, this is mainly what they want to keep track of.

 

[lovecraft68]

They have a range of actions they can take. They can deny entry and make the foreign national turn around and leave. They can detain the foreign national and turn the passport over to the embassy of the issuing country for decision by that country what to do (done if the person/passport is on a detain list from that country--or if there's reason to believe the passport is fradulent), or they can hold the passport and detain the foreign national (if it's suspected he/she is on a U.S. hold list). The U.S. cooperates with other countries; we don't just turn the person away if there's evidence he/she is wanted by another country or is using another country's documentation fradulently.

As I recall, though, wasn't I just saying that the TSA folks can't take any more action on a passport than to turn the person over to passport control if they suspect something is wrong?

Translation, "I googled the criteria to detain a person based on their passport and and put the answer here and am pretending I work for the Government"

 

[RjThoughts]

Other names means if you have had id under another name or two, or if you've received a paycheck under another name