Before the tragic terrorist attacks of 9/11, the official U.S. passport could be considered a liberating document. In those long-gone days, that little blue book allowed free travel to and from nations across the world, many of them respectful of America and Americans. Not anymore. Now the U.S. passport has become a government control device -- recording, regulating and ruling where you may come and go. New U.S. passports track your movements, creating a record of every place and time you travel. (And I’m not even referring to the indefensible U.S. secret government "no fly" lists, that without due process, have blacklisted scores of Americans from flying for unknown reasons and with no appeal.) Need more convincing that Big Brother uses these passports to control you? Last week, the U.S. State Department acknowledged publicly that the long delays from the “unprecedented demand” for passports were due to new "anti-terrorism" rules requiring travelers to carry passports when returning from Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. Until recently, Americans could visit all these places with no more than a picture ID or U.S. state driver’s license. As we warned months ago, the usual wait of four to six weeks has now been extended to at least three months or longer. You can blame most of this passport mess on poor or no planning for the "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative" which took effect Jan. 23. This new initiative requires air travelers to produce passports, merchant mariner documents or frequent traveler cards when returning from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.  A Slight Reprieve…for Now  But the incredibly long wait for passports became so unbearable that the State Department gave a slight reprieve on Friday. The State Department announced that this new "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative" will be waived until September 30, 2007 for certain individuals. Basically, any individual who has already applied for a passport but hasn’t received one will be allowed to travel to the affected Western Hemisphere countries (Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean) with only a picture ID such as a driver’s license this summer. They’re doing this simply because they didn’t anticipate Americans would be so quick to comply with the new passport rules – once again proving this whole initiative was poorly planned. But remember this slight reprieve is only for this summer’s travel season. More importantly, as the spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security was quick to point out, "Individuals who have not yet applied for a passport should not expect to be accommodated."  And looking forward, the restrictive requirement is likely to be extended to ship, rail and road travelers in January 2008.  Passport Contradictions  Today passport requirements are moving in two opposite directions, more liberal -- and much more restrictive. With the advent of the European Union, national borders of 27 nations have relaxed. In theory, over 400 million people are now able to travel freely without having to show individual national passports. Holders of British Commonwealth nation passports are able to travel visa free to scores of nations.

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The U.S. and other governments want to use passports as the major means of proof of individual identity, both of their own citizens, and for visitors from abroad. And these high-tech passports, complete with electronic transmitter radio frequency identification (RFID) chips. These RFID chips may contain everything from your DNA, to your blood type and scans of the iris in your eyes. Hooked to official computers, these biometric informers will track your every movement. And they also may be turned into national ID cards to record and control your domestic activity -- "Achtung! Your papers, please!"

Yet another restrictive development is the denial of passports for a host of civil and other wrongs. In the U.S., any parent who owes US$2500 or more in child support automatically has his or her passport suspended. The U.S. government now keeps a computerized record of every exit and entry a U.S. passport holder makes, together with the nations visited.

It may seem difficult to believe, but until shortly before World War I (1914-19), official passports were almost never required by most countries. In those much slower times, document-free international travel was the general rule.

Before the last century, passports were usually special travel documents used to protect official emissaries of nation states at war with each other. These travel documents allowed safe conduct for surrender or peace negotiations. The first modern travel document known as the "Nansen Passport" was issued to White Russian refugees in the prolonged civil war that followed the 1918 anti-Tsarist Russian Revolution.

A Matter of Safety 

The English politician and philosopher Edmund Burke (1729-97) observed in another time: "Early and provident fear is the mother of safety."

That's still good advice for world travelers. Safety means travel using a national passport that keeps the bearer as far away as possible from controversy. Travel in the Middle East, the Balkans, parts of Russia using a U.S. passport may mean you're a target for terrorism. But there are even more attractive reasons to obtain a second passport. Holding a passport from any of the European Union nations gives you the valuable right to live, work and conduct business in every one of the EU nations.

Second passports can be obtained as a matter of right based on your past ancestors born in nations such as Ireland, Italy, Poland or even the United Kingdom. If you can afford it, "economic citizenship" can be obtained from certain countries.

There's no need to surrender your current U.S. passport if you do acquire a second passport. U.S. law fully supports your right to enjoy dual citizenship.

In an unsettled world, acquiring a second citizenship is a wise decision, an investment in your future. Your second citizenship is a choice for life and that protective shield can be extended to your spouse and children as well.

As one who has authored (and several times revised) an extensive book on the subject of dual citizenship and second passports, my advice is to consider obtaining a second passport now, while you still can. That second, non-U.S. document may allow you to break free from unreasonable government surveillance and snooping and to preserve what's left of your personal and financial privacy.

It's not yet too late -- and I'll tell you exactly how to do it legally.
That’s the way it looks from here,
BOB BAUMAN JD, Legal Counsel