Sometimes, people ask me how I have time to achieve certain things. Frankly, I suspect it’s mainly because (1) I don’t have kids (2) I have a really good passport.
Both things have made many other things possible.
Now that I am not fighting an immigration system, like I was for the last couple of years, I also have so much more headspace now to.. just do other stuff.
Dealing with the U.S. immigration system was like having a whole other part time job. For years.
I think people with good passports don’t realize how much of a huge advantage that is.
I have never been asked to prove I have money to go to a country I don’t live in. No one’s ever asked to see my bank statements. No one’s ever asked me for an itinerary or hotel booking.
The richest people I know (like, generational wealth rich) in worse passport countries have to do that all the time
I can literally go anywhere I want in the world any time. (Staying forever is different. But often still easier) this makes a huge difference when it comes to: going for conference, business meetings, school trips, responding quickly to any opportunity that may show up somewhere else.
(I also grew up in a city that is connected to the entire world by plane. It was easy and cheap to fly internationally, even same day. I was able to afford this as a college student working two jobs)
I guess, in leaving that environment I’m becoming more cognizant of how that isn’t the same for many people.
@skinnylatte @jmopp I completely get what you're saying. You've nailed it.
Growing up, I had one of the weaker passports in the world. Exorbitant visa fees for most popular destinations. And easy visa rejections at even the hint of an issue. And like you said, unreasonable funds demands, etc.
It was such a privilege to be able to acquire a UK passport, which suddenly opened the world to us. No tourist visas anymore to most places. And if there is one, it's trivial and cheap to get. (And have since had the added privilege of getting a US one, too).
Folks that never experienced the pain of a weak passport have no idea how frustrating, limiting, and expensive it is.
Adrianna Tan
Leon Cowle