under what circumstances do us passports get us stamps?

mrtravel blabbles:

John Levine wrote:

Why would a US citizen need proof of when they entered the US?


If you spend 330 days out of 365 outside of the US, there are some
favorable expatriate tax provisions that kick in. Passport stamps are
an easy way to establish where you were.

Given that information, I would think you wouldn't want to prove that
you actually came back.


*You* should leave the country, ace...*no* one would miss a drivelling puke
like you...


--
Best
Greg

" I find Greg Morrow lowbrow, witless, and obnoxious. For him to claim that
we are some
kind of comedy team turns my stomach."
- "cybercat" to me on rec.food.cooking

DevilsPGD wrote:

In message mrtravel wrote:


DevilsPGD wrote:


My point is that paying for a flight and printing a receipt and boarding
pass is not the same thing as actually taking the flight, especially not
when dealing with insurance, gov't for tax purposes, or similar.

What would you use to deduct a flight as a business expense?


My company takes the fact that I showed up at the office or at a
client's site as evidence that I did something to earn my reimbursement,
so little to no verification is needed if the expense is reasonable.

(My company doesn't even require actual receipts to be submitted, I'm a
contractor and I simply invoice the total amount, the proof is that I
physically arrived)

When it comes to tax deductions at the end of the year, the gov't is
more concerned with how you spent the money then whether you actually
flew, even an unflown flight is a valid business deduction.


My point was that if IRS will take a home printed receipt as proof of
the expense, then why wouldn't they require a passport stamp as evidence
of you time out of country, rather than other records?

In message mrtravel
wrote:

DevilsPGD wrote:

In message mrtravel wrote:


DevilsPGD wrote:


My point is that paying for a flight and printing a receipt and boarding
pass is not the same thing as actually taking the flight, especially not
when dealing with insurance, gov't for tax purposes, or similar.

What would you use to deduct a flight as a business expense?


My company takes the fact that I showed up at the office or at a
client's site as evidence that I did something to earn my reimbursement,
so little to no verification is needed if the expense is reasonable.

(My company doesn't even require actual receipts to be submitted, I'm a
contractor and I simply invoice the total amount, the proof is that I
physically arrived)

When it comes to tax deductions at the end of the year, the gov't is
more concerned with how you spent the money then whether you actually
flew, even an unflown flight is a valid business deduction.


My point was that if IRS will take a home printed receipt as proof of
the expense, then why wouldn't they require a passport stamp as evidence
of you time out of country, rather than other records?

Depending on your need, any record will probably do.

In terms of a tax deduction, the IRS is usually more concerned about the
expense then the actual trip, so a passport stamp would be of less value
then a receipt.

If you need to prove you spent a certain number of days in or out of the
country, a boarder stamp is far more likely to be convincing that you
actually traveled, rather then simply purchased transportation.

Rightly or wrongly, most people will accept something official from a
government office as more "genuine" or having more "mana" than
something from a private comnpany.

Thus a state-issued I.D. which can be easily obtained with false
documents is far more accepted than say a security pass from a defence
contractor for which the person was vetted sixteen ways, had a
polygraph and maybe an FBI background check.

People just "feel' trusting of one from the government...but even
then, if it's unusual they get edgy:

I show my official credentials from my agency and get funny looks and
intent scrutiny...I whiip out a drvier's license for a state on the
far end of the continent and they just glance at it.

Jim P.

(Sort of how TSA looks at your I.D. like someone appraising a
diamond...they are looking to see if it's altered..it could be bogus
as hell but so long as it isn't altered and looks real, why they are
as happy as a clam. You could show them a passport for the (not a
real country) Conch Republic and so long as it hasn't been altered
they'll probably smile and wave you onto the airplane.)

On Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:59:53 -0700, DevilsPGD
wrote:

In message mrtravel wrote:

DevilsPGD wrote:

In message mrtravel wrote:


DevilsPGD wrote:

In message mrtravel wrote:



I assumed by by the desire to have proof that you weren't a US citizen.
Why would a US citizen need proof of when they entered the US?


I'm Canadian, but my travel insurance is based on consecutive days out
of the country. I have been advised by my insurance company that if I
have back to back trips out of the country but touch Canada in the
middle, to ensure I retain proof that I entered the country.

A passport stamp is one such method.

I can imagine other cases where you may need to prove when you entered
or exited your own country, taxes come to mind.

I travel to the US a dozen times a year, and have been doing so for
several years, I've been stamped once. I've never requested it.

Wouldn't documentation from an airline be sufficient?


What documentation?

I can print receipts for a flight, and even the boarding pass at home.


I can print hotel, charity, and other deduction/expense receipts at home
too, what's your point?

My point is that paying for a flight and printing a receipt and boarding
pass is not the same thing as actually taking the flight, especially not
when dealing with insurance, gov't for tax purposes, or similar.

For my most recent flight, I used an entirely electronic boarding pass,
absolutely no paper was generated at all, save for the luggage tag, and
only that because I wanted to bring more shampoo then would fit in a
baggie. I have nothing that would be considered proof of travel for an
insurance company.

A stamp on a passport may not actually be much harder to forge, but
they're more or less considered trusted.

wrote:

(Sort of how TSA looks at your I.D. like someone appraising a
diamond...they are looking to see if it's altered..it could be bogus
as hell but so long as it isn't altered and looks real,

The ID can be a real as it needs to be. The boarding pass is much easier
to fake. When you book the reservation your name is checked against the
no fly list. This isn't something that is checked at the security
checkpoint for a domestic flight, so people on the no fly list can
easily get through security.

In message mrtravel
wrote:

wrote:

(Sort of how TSA looks at your I.D. like someone appraising a
diamond...they are looking to see if it's altered..it could be bogus
as hell but so long as it isn't altered and looks real,

The ID can be a real as it needs to be. The boarding pass is much easier
to fake. When you book the reservation your name is checked against the
no fly list. This isn't something that is checked at the security
checkpoint for a domestic flight, so people on the no fly list can
easily get through security.

Why even bother with fake ID?

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/08/19...ist/index.html

| Denise Robinson says she tells the skycaps her son is on the list,
|tips heavily and is given boarding passes. And booking her son as
|"J. Pierce Robinson" also has let the family bypass the watch list hassle.

Seriously. Some random kid's name is on the no-fly list, and mom has
figured out how to get around it without any pain at all. Good thing
terrorists don't have access to using initials.

In article ,
wrote:


I show my official credentials from my agency and get funny looks and
intent scrutiny...I whiip out a drvier's license for a state on the
far end of the continent and they just glance at it.

I have a couple friends who say they use the DL because it takes less
time than their police credentials at the airport.. one is FBI.


Jim P.

(Sort of how TSA looks at your I.D. like someone appraising a
diamond...they are looking to see if it's altered..it could be bogus
as hell but so long as it isn't altered and looks real, why they are
as happy as a clam. You could show them a passport for the (not a
real country) Conch Republic and so long as it hasn't been altered
they'll probably smile and wave you onto the airplane.)
At least at Key West airport..
Although the CR passports are a little salty. I think something around
$100 last time I went to the CR Store.