New U.S. Law Allows Passport Seizure For Unpaid Taxes

originally posted by: mikell
And you may mot be able to fly within the US

4 States to Require Passports

Wow, I thought it was 'unconstitutional' to impede travel over state lines as a previous poster stated?
I guess there is no 'right to fly' though so I could see how it could be legislated for.
If interstate flights requiring passports is true, and the law in the OP comes into force then you guys are screwed for with any tax disputes.
Orwellian for sure.

a reply to: grainofsand



enjoy!

a reply to: NewzNose

I do thanks.
Should leave the US once in your life, there's a massive world out there!

a reply to: grainofsand

Been on a cruise to Mexico but only needed a drive's license. I do plan a trip to Montreal next summer and will get passport once trip is confirmed.

I will travel to distant lands vicariouly through you!

a reply to: NewzNose

I wish you exciting and interesting travels
Losing my passport would be a massive loss to my freedom so I hope the 'owe us money, lose your passport' law does not become real for you guys.
Knowing I can leave the country at a whim is a feeling of freedom I would not enjoy losing.

originally posted by: Edumakated
a reply to: Telos

Our tax system is out of control, but if you owe money, you should have to pay up.

"Pay your taxes citizen, or we will restrict your freedom of movement until you do"
Disclaimer: Does not apply to corporations or banks

"Do as I say, not as I do". In 2008, Banks owed money, taxpayers paid up to bail them out. It's funny how the government lawmakers pass laws that focus on punishing Joe-average but conveniently don't pass laws that focus on punishing Corporations.

Why do citizens have to pay tax when all it does is go to protecting corporate fat-cats, politicians, the militarization of law enforcement, increased surveillance and not the rebuilding of domestic infrastructure and job creation and things that are of benefit to the taxpayer?

a reply to: grainofsand

Sure. Note the verbiage in these:
traveltips.usatoday.com...

To re-enter the United States through air travel, however, a valid U.S. passport is required.

traveltips.usatoday.com...

Traveling to Mexico is a breeze these days, with one exception: The U.S. Department of State recently amended its passport requirements for U.S. citizens traveling to and from Mexico.

Looks like the US pressured the rest of the Americas to coddle America's rules with the Western Hemisphere Initiative. If you're entering a country FROM the US, the destination country is supposed to refuse you entry if you lack a passport. Seems like a big load of BS to me. I've always held to the fact that if I ever leave the USA, I will be filing the expatriation papers immediately. Please don't take that as an "I can't wait to GTFO of this cesspool country" statement, because I presently have no plans to leave nor really any desire to do so... but I've never understood why anyone would move overseas, build a life for themselves, and still file paperwork and go through the silliness of America's tax code every single year. Just make it a clear, clean divorce... "Here's my passport and my documents that say I'm done with you, USA, now you will leave me be." type thing.

a reply to: grainofsand

I walked and drove across the border to Mexico, both ways, and all I ever took with me was my birth certificate. This was around three years ago and things may have changed but I did it, numerous times. I don't even have a passport.

So, there's that and I know not the rules other nations might have so I can't help there. Burdman said we need it to return, well, I didn't need it to get back from Mexico.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: grainofsand

Incorrect. I can travel to many foreign countries without a passport. The reason virtually all Americans have one for international travel is because the US requires one to return to the US. If someone is leaving the US because they're fed up with the US' bull crap, I doubt they'll be too concerned about reentering.

Good point. The purpose of a passport or other travel documents are for re-entering.

Anyways, I heard about this last year some time, when it was proposed it would be enforced.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: grainofsand

Incorrect. I can travel to many foreign countries without a passport. The reason virtually all Americans have one for international travel is because the US requires one to return to the US. If someone is leaving the US because they're fed up with the US' bull crap, I doubt they'll be too concerned about reentering.

I guess americans are different from the rest of the world because no matter how "strong" and likeable is your passport, you need one to enter in a foreign country. Canadian and Australian passports are considered to be the most strongest and likeable passports and yet you need one in any country you go. That being said, maybe US doesn't care if you have one passport when you leave the country but the country of destination cares for you to have one in order to enter the border.

originally posted by: Telos
Canadian and Australian passports are considered to be the most strongest and likeable passports and yet you need one in any country you go.

I don't really know what you mean 'strongest & likeable' but as I said earlier, UK, Finland & Sweden passports will get you into more countries without a visa than any other nations passports.
Currently 173 countries will let Brits, Finns, and Swedes in just with our passports, so regardless if my Brit passport is less 'likeable' than Canadian & Australians as you assert, mine will get me into more nations than theirs will.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
Looks like the US pressured the rest of the Americas to coddle America's rules with the Western Hemisphere Initiative. If you're entering a country FROM the US, the destination country is supposed to refuse you entry if you lack a passport. Seems like a big load of BS to me.

Apologies for the late reply but I take it you now accept that your original statement regarding 'travel to many countries without a passport' was incorrect then?
You won't get into any European nation without one, or Asia, African nations, or Australia and New Zealand.

Fact is you need a passport to travel the world, and the only passport accepted by the rest of the world is the one issued by the US government and paid for by taxes. That passport then is a privilege afforded to you, not a right, indeed your constitution is irrelevant to the rest of the world.
Like any privilege, government giveth and government can taketh away,
...best pay your taxes or you guys won't be able to travel the world. I'm surprised this thread has had so little attention to be honest, it's a total limitation on freedom which I'm not sure any other country does.

Saying that though, aside from Eritrea, the US is the only other country in the world to tax its citizens on earnings overseas, be they temporary or not. You have to renounce your citizenship to be free earning money abroad.
That is shocking and a disgrace in my opinion, lasnd of the free? Yeah...urm...okay.

a reply to: grainofsand

Actually as my Californian friend who emigrated to the Netherlands, and expatriated found out, the US IRS still demand that you pay US taxes on your earnings as well as taxes imposed by your new country, even though you are no longer a US citizen.

In her case, the Netherlands is refusing to enforce the US demands, but it means she can't ever return to US controlled countries, or she will be instantly arrested.

a reply to: BMorris

Wow, that really is shocking, the land of the free is the only one in the world to do that.
...and now taking passports away from folk in tax disputes, I'm surprised so few US folk are outraged at this limitation on their freedoms.

originally posted by: grainofsand

originally posted by: Telos
Canadian and Australian passports are considered to be the most strongest and likeable passports and yet you need one in any country you go.

I don't really know what you mean 'strongest & likeable' but as I said earlier, UK, Finland & Sweden passports will get you into more countries without a visa than any other nations passports.
Currently 173 countries will let Brits, Finns, and Swedes in just with our passports, so regardless if my Brit passport is less 'likeable' than Canadian & Australians as you assert, mine will get me into more nations than theirs will.

I think you're confusing the need for a visa to enter to a foreign country with the need to have a passport. They're totally different things.

originally posted by: Telos

originally posted by: grainofsand

originally posted by: Telos
Canadian and Australian passports are considered to be the most strongest and likeable passports and yet you need one in any country you go.

I don't really know what you mean 'strongest & likeable' but as I said earlier, UK, Finland & Sweden passports will get you into more countries without a visa than any other nations passports.
Currently 173 countries will let Brits, Finns, and Swedes in just with our passports, so regardless if my Brit passport is less 'likeable' than Canadian & Australians as you assert, mine will get me into more nations than theirs will.

I think you're confusing the need for a visa to enter to a foreign country with the need to have a passport. They're totally different things.

No confusion, A British passport (and also Finnish & Swedish) will get you into more countries than any other passport without a visa, 173 to be precise.
Note, I am saying it will get you in without a visa, just the passport. That makes passports issued by UK, Finland, and Sweden more powerful than any other nations passports, including the US.

...now, please list all these countries you can enter legally without holding a US passport. Any in Europe, Africa, or Asia?
I call bull#, so please do tell how US citizens can travel the world without a US government issued passport?
You can't, it's bull#.

*Edit*
And reading your reply again, I think you have never left North America, maybe a day trip to Mexico or Canada, but you get my drift, I don't think you have ever truly travelled anywhere in the wider world if you honestly believe you can enter all these nations without a passport. lol, how could you even imagine that?
US citizen arrogance perhaps?

a reply to: TheSpanishArcher

Theirs one heck of a lot of borders where you can just walk across, in some countries the border passes through your living room. Theirs also ways around all the bull.. like if you can prove Irish ancestry you can become Irish. The moment someone impedes free travel , so they can get your money it starts to smell.

originally posted by: anonentity
a reply to: TheSpanishArcher

Theirs one heck of a lot of borders where you can just walk across, in some countries the border passes through your living room.

Yeah, but you are illegally in that country, massive difference to walking through a border with a friendly smile from border guards.
I've entered countries illegally, through lack of a checkpoint or paying corrupt guards because I didn't have a visa, but it is not the same as rocking up with a passport which opens doors for you.

Theirs also ways around all the bull.. like if you can prove Irish ancestry you can become Irish.

If you are trying to say that someone in the US hood who has a Gran from Dublin can get automatic Republic of Ireland citizenship then again I cry bull# and suggest you investigate the reality of immigration agreements between Ireland and the US. #ing dreamland to be blunt.

The moment someone impedes free travel , so they can get your money it starts to smell.

They already have fella, see the OP, you is owned by the US govt.

In Canada, the government owns the passport, not the individual, I don't know about the United States though.
Our passport can be revoked at any time they see fit for any reason.

originally posted by: Cynic
In Canada, the government owns the passport, not the individual, I don't know about the United States though.
Our passport can be revoked at any time they see fit for any reason.

Same for the US. There is nothing in the hallowed constitution about government issued passports which allow citizens to travel the world lol.
Other countries require US government issued passports to enter. The constitution is irrelevant to the rest of the world.
US passports are a mere privilege, they get you into less counties without a visa than British passports, and can be taken away by the US government at its whim.
Land of the free eh?

...can't enter other countries if your passport is revoked because you owe government taxes.
...forced to pay taxes on earnings while living abroad, #ing scandal, just you US folks seem to ignore this thread because these facts are so shameful.