The New U.S. Passport: ‘It Is Like Being Given A Coloring Book That Your Brother Already Colored In’

Travel Blog  •  Michael Yessis  •  05.01.07 | 9:41 AM ET

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Reviews of the new U.S. passport are rolling in and we can all agree on one thing: It’s really, really patriotic. Should we expect anything less from a document called “American Icon”? “The short, 28-page version of the passport comes with 13 inspirational quotes, including six from United States presidents and one from a Mohawk Thanksgiving speech,” writes Neil MacFarquhar in the New York Times. “The pages, done in a pink-grey-blue palate, are rife with portraits of Americana ranging from a clipper ship to Mount Rushmore to a long-horn cattle drive.”

Can’t forget “the rather large head of a bald eagle” either, which seems to be the centerpiece of a design that caused one new passport owner to remark about its creator, “Don’t you want to kill this guy right now?”

To be fair, MacFarquhar did track down at least one person who likes the new design. “It’s very patriotic,” Cynthia Yacur of Folsom, Calif., told him. “Cool pictures. An eagle. A bison. Nice. Every page is different. I like it.”

My passport doesn’t expire for almost five years, so I won’t get to experience the joy of the eagle and bison for a while. But I will be keeping my eye on how the new passport is received, particularly the implementation of the embedded RFID chip. As we’ve noted, some privacy experts are worried about the possibility of surreptitious access to travelers’ personal information.

Somewhere, as Gizmodo puts it, George Orwell is crying.



17 Comments for The New U.S. Passport: ‘It Is Like Being Given A Coloring Book That Your Brother Already Colored In’

Jim Benning 05.01.07 | 11:09 AM ET

Ick.

If the stereotypical Ugly American were a passport, he/she would look just like this.

Perhaps we should all be required to wear cowboy hats when presenting this in foreign countries.

Stay classy, America.

TambourineMan 05.01.07 | 11:31 AM ET

Looks like a cheesy designer checkbook.

From the NYT story:
“Others themes considered included American documents, the Wright brothers and space exploration.”

They should’ve let us pick our own theme. For you, Jim, I’d recommend a nice John Wayne motif.

Jim Benning 05.01.07 | 11:47 AM ET

Ha. That sounds, uh, lovely, TambourineMan.

I think a travel theme—a la the Wright brothers—would have been so much better, and so much less obnoxious.

It’s fine to celebrate American history and culture at home. I just don’t think we need to be shoving it down everyone’s throat abroad through our passports.

Eva 05.01.07 | 12:26 PM ET

Ooh I like the idea of choosing from a selection of themes! They could have a ‘great moments in American sports’ theme, a ‘legends of rock’n'roll’ theme… If Canada followed suit we could have a whole passport full of photos of the 1972 Summit Series-winning hockey team. Amazing.

Ariel 05.01.07 | 1:50 PM ET

I want the celebrity themed passport!  Elvis and Britney!

TambourineMan 05.01.07 | 6:27 PM ET

Travel would’ve been cool. But sports, rock-n-roll, celebs? Nah.

What I want is a Thomas Kinkade themed passport, featuring the master’s magical country cottage paintings. The Passport of Light, if you will.

Michael Yessis 05.02.07 | 8:00 AM ET

The Passport of Light. TambourineMan, I can’t think of a passport-style I’d like to see less. You may have identified the bottom.

MandaAnda 05.31.07 | 9:46 AM ET

That’s terrible!  Why would I want to travel the world advertising where I’m from?  Why can’t they just be normal and go for solid dark colours like everyone else?  I’m so thankful my blue passport has a few good years on it yet.

Rachel 07.12.07 | 8:42 AM ET

I’m an American living abroad and today was the 1st time that I have viewed the new passport. I didn’t even know there was going to be one.
I liked it at 1st glance, but then I am patriotic. It beats the hexagonal quilt-like background on the previous version’s identification page.
There isn’t anything wrong with celebrating one’s country’s heritage on a legal document. America has a rich heritage for a nation as young as she is. I am not ashamed to be from the US, and I do not think that putting patriotic concepts on our passports is ugly, nor is it forcing our culture on other countries.
Now the passport chip is another argument and I am not certain it is a good idea.

Tom 08.20.07 | 7:48 PM ET

What is the weird new symbol on the cover?  Anybody know?

It’s a rectangle with a circle in the middle.  Given that this is such a symbol-laden document, I find it strange that they put some obscure symbol on the cover - or does it have some international passport convention meaning?

Also, the back inside cover doesn’t just look like space exploration:  it could easily be interpreted to say that we’ve claimed the Moon - the way the Russians are claiming the North Pole.

Tom 08.20.07 | 7:50 PM ET

I bet that rectangle on cover must be the symbol for the RFID chip inside.

Jerry Haines 02.01.08 | 2:43 PM ET

Oh, good lord.  If they were going to junk up the passport, at least they could have sold advertising space.  I’d like to see my Australia entry stamp printed over an ad for Outback Steakhouse, for example.  Or Colombia on top of Starbucks.

And why don’t they include tear-out coupons, redeemable at airport Cinnabons?

Marketing, people!  Marketing!

Mike Jones 02.01.08 | 6:05 PM ET

I would rather go on vacation with my mother-in-law than use the new passport. In fact I did just that. It was prolonged agony. Did someone say you get crayons with it? What do you expect it,s a federal operation.

Lauren Nicole 04.06.08 | 9:43 PM ET

One reason for all the frill are advanced counterfeit protections.  All the photos are done in the same fine intaglio as the currency.  As well, raised artwork is incorporated into the front and back cover.  You can feel it with your fingernail.  This thing probably cost lots to create, intaglio (metal engraved art) isn’t cheap. 

Regarding the digital chip…. I guess one could choose whether to “bend, perforate or expose to high temperatures” as they warn.  I think the chip is in the back cover, mine already has sort of a wrinkle there.  I don’t think it will last, but it works stand-alone.

At least they remembered Alaska on page 24 (it’s only 20% of the US).

Bill Krason 04.21.08 | 11:13 AM ET

The people that are criticizing the new passport need to read those quotes on those pages and THINK!  It’s troubling to read about folks negative thoughts about the new passport, when our country and its people have come so far and worked so hard to continue to make our Nation what it is.  Instead of complaining, you should use your passport to travel the world, and find out just how much better the U.S. is compared to other countries, then you might appreciate what we/you have here.  I’ve done it - I know!  ‘Just another example…“If you don’t like it…leave it!  “The rest of America will be much better without you!  Don’t let the door hit you…!  P.S.  Take Alex Baldwin with you, please! 

1 Proud American for America!

Erick Guerra 09.22.08 | 6:55 PM ET

I’m not sure why people think that being put-off by an overtly jingoistic and poorly designed new passport that presents a very one-dimensional America is unpatriotic.  Then again, as Samuel Johnson quipped, “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” I’d be happy if they included that quote as well.

Christopher Burdett 10.26.08 | 6:44 PM ET

Not liking designs in the passport doesn’t mean that you don’t like America.

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