Does the president need a passport?

[HopeHoops]

Serious question.

One would think that somewhere along the line an AP photo would have had the caption, "President (somebody) Gets Passport Stamped Entering (somewhere)".

Anyone know?

[Dennis Donovan]

1. I don't know, although I believe he would be covered by diplomatic credentials...

:shrug:

[Vickers]

2. I seriously doubt that any country makes the head of another country

even go through the motions.

[Solly Mack]

3. Yes. A diplomatic passport, which is different from a regular passport

But No....he doesn't stand in line to process...staff does

[HopeHoops]

4. That explains the lack of pictures! Thanks.

[Solly Mack]

6. You're welcome!

[lunatica]

5. Good question and good answer

I learned something today and it's still early. I love learning things

[excess_3]

7. what about his family? ...nt

[Solly Mack]

8. His immediate family, yes...diplomatic passports as well (I mean)

[enid602]

9. passport

Only in Southern States.

[MindPilot]

10. why the hell would someone unrec this?

It's a perfectly valid question.

[HopeHoops]

12. There's someone on DU who unrecs EVERYTHING.

Seems to be a stupid game they are playing. Whoever it is needs a life.

[rucky]

13. Apparently more than one

I just rec'd and it's still in the negative. Some people think that asking questions is stupid - Google is your friend and crap like that.

[Moochy]

14. someone scanned the headlines and thought it was Birther Related

:shrug: just a guess. but I like your theory of Lone Unreccer by the grassy knoll.

[HopeHoops]

17. (Actually, there were two of them)

BWAAAHA-HA-HA!

[Posteritatis]

18. To annoy the people who do the "who would unrec this?" tantrum at every other post, maybe (nt)

[KharmaTrain]

11. A Traveling Diplomat...

I doubt he has to worry about going through customs...nor do any of our accredited foreign officials. There's an "understanding" among nations to observe "diplomatic immunity" that allows a person to freely enter a country in return for that country's diplomats having the same access. It was this "immunity" the Soviets used to base spies in the U.S. and visa versa during the Cold War.

[kestrel91316]

15. Don't know, don't care. He certainly had a passport the many times he travelled abroad before

he became president.

Birther much?

[47of74]

16. Here's an answer I found on Slate

I found this answer over on Slate. Yes it's from 2001 when Shrub was occupying the White House, but it's just as valid now as it was then.

http://www.slate.com/id/1007828/

Yes, he needs a passport, but no, it's not like everyone else's. The president of the United States, his immediate family, certain top officials, and diplomatic personnel are issued diplomatic passports, which have a black cover and for which the bearer doesn't have to pay a passport fee. When the president travels, a team of people, usually from the State Department, coordinate the paperwork of the trip and hold onto the president's passport. After the president emerges from Air Force One, waves to the crowd, and gets in his limo, he doesn't then stand in line at customs. The State Department employees take his passport, and those of the others in his entourage, through the host country's customs procedures.

[Posteritatis]

19. Interesting - thanks for the info! (nt)

[Lagomorph]

20. I dunno, but it would be a great souvenir

of the years spent in office.