Jim Buck relates, in true urban legend style (friend of a friend), that having three stars on your passport photo apparently means you are of special interest to the U.S. government.
I went and checked my own passport. 3 stars. Woo hoo! Must be an enemy of the state. I did go to Pakistan once. Man that made it difficult to get in and out of the U.S. for a while. ALWAYS missed my connecting flights because Immigration wanted to quiz me. This annoyance finally stopped when I later updated my passport, thus removing the offending country stamp.
Does anyone else have 3 stars on their passport? Or know for a fact what the 3 stars mean? Google doesn’t seem to be cutting it for me on this issue.
I’ve only got 2 stars, but 9 times out of 10 when I have checked baggage at the airport it gets “randomly” searched.
Interesting. Perhaps there is a system to the stars? Because I have never once been searched, though I have been pulled aside for questioning.
Oooh, 3 stars on mine too.
I only got “randomly” searched in person one time, but my baggage always gets checked (they leave the little notice in there telling you that).
I dunno…I’m ex-military? I used to have a security clearance? I’m so freakin’ boring I can’t imagine why I’d be of special interest…
1. Great, I just wasted an hour at Snopes.
2. The fact that we all have multiple stars on our passports (I have two) tells me that this doesn’t mean anything. We are not that cool.
p.s. I love his source. A friend was having lunch “with a French woman he met” when she told him this.
WELL. I mean, I was skeptical, especially since it seemed to be hearsay, but if it ultimately came from a French person… They KNOW. They know. It’s where the NSA keeps all the U.S. government’s secrets. I mean, what could be more secure than the entire nation of France? Who would ever look there? Well, except Germany.
Also, I’m getting sick. I think it’s all the fluoride in the water. Or maybe those chemtrails I saw overhead earlier.
“We are not that cool”? What you mean “we”, kemosabe? My new theory is that those of us with 3 stars means we’ve been to France, and thus are cooler than all you 2 star losers.
I’ve been to France.
I’ve never been to France. Unless Quebec counts.
…um… those of us with 3 stars have been to Canada, and thus are cooler than all you… erm. Never mind.
I’m Canadian.
I only got “randomly” searched in person one time, but my baggage always gets checked (they leave the little notice in there telling you that).
I think they just open you bag and leave that message, because I just left the country with a box full of scientific samples that come in the form of tiny hand-labeled vials of white powder, and when I opened my bag after the trip, a “we searched your bag” note was on top of my bag, which looked exactly as I’d packed it, and the box and explanitory letters had not been opened. If my luggage was actually searched then they’ve gotten very good in the last five years. Last time, they unwrapped a box of gift chocolates and threw the wrapping paper on top of the box when they repacked; this year, either they reached Big Brother levels of bag repacking, or they’re just tossing the notice into unsearched bags.
3 stars on mine. Never been searched or questioned beyond the mundane. Also ex-military, but I never had a security clearance (Navy deck dawg). The only stamps in my passport are from Japan.