OF BORDERS, PASSPORT CARDS, CHILDREN, & EXPIRATION DATES
After traveling many times over the years to Texas and Mexico, the @papa-pepper tribe had been planning for some time to return. Out of nowhere, we wound up with an opportunity, so to the bottom of the country we rushed. (For the record, when we rush we do not always get all of our ducks in a row first.)
EXPIRED!
Until we were heading down here, we did not realize that something unfortunate had happened. Thirteen days ago, our passport cards for Pinkie Pepper and Red Pepper expired.
The passport cards we have are supposed to be valid for land and sea travel between the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the islands in the Caribbean. Passport cards issued for adults are good for 10 years, while those issued for children are only good for five years. It had just been over five years since we had gotten ours.
The Blessing of Mistakes
Thankfully, they messed up on the passport card for Monster Truck the Pepper. They had his birth year wrong on the original card, which recorded him as being just a few months younger than his next oldest sister, Red Pepper. We are pretty sure that you can’t really have children that are just a few months apart, at least not with the same mother, so we decided to fix that error after having to answer some interesting questions a few years ago about it.
When it was time to get a passport card for Sweet Pepper, we sent in the one for Monster Truck to get it fixed too. Those two cards were issued more recently and are still valid, but the ones for Pinkie Pepper and Red Pepper have expired.
ON NO, WE CAN'T GO!
So, we figured that it meant only two of older four @little-peppers could leave the country. Since our newest boy Buddy Pepper still didn't get his birth certificate mailed back, @mama-pepper was already planning on staying in Texas while @papa-pepper took some of the @little-peppers to Mexico.
Thankfully, I learned yesterday that the expiration dates don't really matter!
HOORAY!
Now, all of the older four @little-peppers are cleared to not only leave the country, but to come back as well. I'll be leaving in a few minutes with Sweet Pepper and Pinkie Pepper, and I'll take Monster Truck and Red Pepper next time. We kind of thought that we had missed out on an opportunity here, but thankfully such is not the case.
I'll have to go pick up my steemit presents at high noon, so I've got to get going, but I'll keep you posted!
As always, I'm @papa-pepper and here's the proof:
proof-of-passport-card
Until next time…
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YAY mexico -Glad the whole gange got to go. Mexico is my next place to visit I think. I liked your 50cents border crossing post... so I made you into a spicy beer last night.
very cool, I don't drink anymore but I might have one of those!
I hope you like your beers description - I tried to go over some of your posts to get the flavour right haha https://steemit.com/steemit/@artwatch/taking-drink-requests-a-steemit-drinking-game-what-is-papa-pepper-wild-man-a-spicy-craft-beer
I don't believe that that's you. I'm going to need more proof.
Yes, I agree. Where is the beard???
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....
Still suspicious about this papa pepper identity
I mean, he looks WAY younger in the picture.
seriously!
Look at the last photo with the ID.
When was that taken... high school? :)
But good job on managing to get on the road anyway despite the expiration!
I recently ran into someone in Bangkok who was in much worse trouble... he didn't even have any money left.
I will post the story (and his simple but ingenious solution) to the @traveladdict blog soon...
Awesome
What I truly love about you and your family, is your sheer and fearless enjoyment of life, and your willingness to share it. You are encouraging us to walk out the front door and LIVE!
WoW! Cool, I am glad that you think so!
We all have the human right to travel without hinderence. Passports violate our human rights. Freeman for life.
Pink peppers and sweet peppers. Wow! Sweet names
The kind of exposure that comes through travel is truly the best. So glad that the older four @little-peppers get to travel! Woo-hoo! They look so happy! :) Best wishes to them for a fantabulous time. :)
So far so good!
Awesome Papa, glad to know that the trip is still on for Mexico! Have a great time with the little ones, be safe and keep us all posted as always!
I didn't know you could get passport cards for babies! Good to know!
huh..
last time I went to mexico or canada no passport was required.
last time I had a passport it wasn't a card it was something like a checkbook.
the system wasn't broke so they fixed it till it was?
Yes, they did. They fixed 'er good too.
And there is still many places along the border where there is a check point and nobody there.
But, the paperwork must flow.
The US Passport Card is NOT a replacement for a Passport book.
It is only valid for land travel in North America.
It is NOT valid for air travel.
See https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/FAQs.html
Correct. Land or sea in North America only.
I see..well that makes it much simpler doesn't it?