The expense of renewing it seemed unjustified, considering how unlikely it is that I will be physically able to travel. But letting my passport expire felt like a surrender.
Every now and then in the past 3 years - my passport expired on 8 November 2015 - I've mentally debated the decision. It came down to one question.
Not: "How likely is it that I will use a passport?"
But: "How much value does the option of getting on a plane carry?"
Once when I had a medical appointment in a city I rarely visit these days, an hour away, I stopped at the AAA office and had pictures taken. Just in case.
And one day when I came across my old passport while looking for something else, I put it in a place where I could find it when wanted. If wanted.
Well, on the subject of renewal:
My Massachusetts driver's license is going to expire in December. Hoping to avoid a trip to the Registry, I went online to renew it. It quickly became apparent that the licensing system in MA has changed, and is in the middle of a transition related to federal ID requirements. I read all the instructions two or three times, and after spending an hour on the website, I came to a startling conclusion:
The simplest way for me to renew my MA driver's license
would be to first renew my passport.
Crazy but true.
This morning, I renewed my driver's license online.
Because a few days ago, this came in the mail:
And I feel very good about it.
~~~~~
I think your determining question was a good one. Value is very subjective but I think it's important to make this decision rationally rather than emotionally.
ReplyDeleteWhen expenditure is involved, I generally "rational" decisions right into the ground, as I think you and Dan are also likely to do ;)
DeleteYay for having it done. I need to dig mine out and see when it expires!
ReplyDeleteDid you know about the changes, Sally? I should perhaps follow MA news a bit more closely!
DeleteHappy Updated Passport!
ReplyDeleteMassachusetts, weirdness never ceases to amuse.
This has more to do with Federal law than Massachusetts, but it was an unexpected complication, either way. I'm SO glad I didn't wait til the last minute to renew my license, thinking it would be a typical "snap" to do it again!
DeleteYes! Because you never know when an opportunity might present itself. And these days you have to have one to even go to Canada.
ReplyDeleteYep! I *still* didn't get the form of license that will serve as a federal ID, but I saved a trip to the Registry, and with a passport, I also have a federal ID. I don't mind carrying a passport if I expect to be in an airport or federal building. Heck, I'd probably carry it in those circumstances anyway!
DeleteWe've let our passports lapse too mainly because we have no intention of ever leaving the country. For most of our lives we didn't have a passport and so it's not a wrench not to have one now. Interesting that it's necessary to renew a drivers license though - wonder how long it will be before that's the expectation here as well.
ReplyDeleteJust to attempt to clarify: a passport isn't necessary to renew a driver's license, but there are at the moment two types of ordinary license and there is a "proof of ID" and "proof of legal residency" requirement to make a MA license function as a federal ID. A federally accepted ID will very soon (I think March 2020) be necessary here to enter a federal building or get on a plane, even for a domestic flight. There was a two-page list of info about what documents are acceptable as this proof, and for me, the simplest to put my hands on was a passport. All this faff, even though I was renewing a license I've held (and renewed) for over 30 years - at the same address!
DeleteLife just seems to get more complicated every, I was going to say year, but I think week might be more accurate! Decisions, decisions.
ReplyDeleteI've been in the same situation. My spine makes plane rides intolerable... so I let my passport expire. But now we're talking about a long slow drive to Alaska at some point... for which I'd need a passport. I think that I'll follow your lead! Thanks!
ReplyDelete