Info good through 2005.

discharge the Army made it ridiculously difficult to get a passport so I went up to the nearest consulate and got one the same day. But, the military ID is not a replacement for a passport in countries that haven't agreed to accept it.

A passport is definitely not required for an invasion.

stationed somewhere like Japan and wanted to see China or Thailand.

able to wander around NATO and other Allied countries with no problem, but couldn't even think about getting into East Germany and didn't try sub-Saharan Africa.

The SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) would allow for entry exit and residency with official orders and an ID card.

If there is no SOFA in place then the host nation will decide how they handle military members in the country -The exception being Military Attaches and their staff. Those people are covered under Diplomatic Agreements.

They enter and exit with Official (Brown Cover) passports

Trainers and instructors brought in to an allied nation are managed on a case by case basis, but would also have brown official passports and a visa from the host nation.

Military members who enter a nation as part of hostile actions don't have any visa requirements

ETA, Most formal treaty signatory nations such as Korea, all of ANZUS and NATO have reciprocal agreements that allow service members to travel with the DD form 2 ID card and leave orders. So, if I was stationed in Japan I could take leave to visit Korea or New Zealand but would need a passport and comply with any Visa requirements to travel to non-allied nations such as PRC or Indonesia

I thought they changed after Hezbollah murdered that Navy diver. They ID’d from his Navy ID

I didn't need a passport to enter into Kuwait in 1990, or into Iraq in 1991.

All I needed was my M-16 and my CUCV truck, pointed in the right direction.


When I lived in Germany, I didn't need anything other than my ID card and leave papers to get into the FRG and back to the USA.

After about 2 years in Germany, I DID get a passport, so that I could easily enter France, Austria, and Switzerland.


My Grandfather didn't need a passport in 1918 when he entered France, either. He just used his M1903 rifle for ID.

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Or it wasn't in my case I deployed to Iraq/Kuwait. I'm not sure if you need one if you plan to travel outside the US for Leave but I just went back home to Arizona.

When I entered the military in 1980 there were two types of passports, a free one from the department of defense and the regular passport that everyone can apply for and receive. I purchased a civilian passport to insure I could go anywhere without restrictions. In most instances, the Military ID card is sufficient, but you cannot go wrong with the standard US passport issued by the US Postal service.