Do you currently own a passport?

[memphis]

Not sure if this is true of other nations as well, but American citizens cannot own a passport. It says very plainly and in bold This passport is the property of the United States government. Upon demand made by an authorized representative of the United States Government, it must be surrendered.

[memphis]

I just read that a US passport costs 110$ + 25$ execution fee.

It also takes 4-6 weeks (!!!) to get it, using the standard procedure.

Here, the fee is already included in the 100$ and it takes a week or so to get it (my mum waited 4-5 days last year).

As is very fitting for the United States, one may pay an additional fee for faster service. When I was in college, I decided fairly spontaneously to visit a friend who was studying abroad in the UK. I think it was about an extra $50 to get it in just a week or two. Now that the Schengen Agreement has been in place for a while, I wonder if those living on the continent are any less likely to get a passport. Perhaps if the UK and Ireland were willing to join. When I was in UK, we decided to go to Germany for the weekend, and (not being all that informed on European affairs) I remember being surprised that I had to use my passport again.

[memphis]

Several posters without passports live in states that border Canada though. Nowhere in Washington is more than a few hours drive from the border. Aren't you just a little curious to see what's out there in BC? That'd be much less challenging that an Australian leaving his country.