Can one be countryless?

[Nomad63]

In this day and age, can one be a RTW/European bike traveler without a county or bank account in one place? Sure, you can sell everything that doesn't fit on a bike, buy a bike in Europe, insure it for a few months and be off, but what about long term? Can you do it without a credit card and be "off the grid"? Be a true nomad?

[liammons]

No real reason why it cannot be done without a credit card or bank account, but its going to be very difficult without a passport or some form of identity in virtually all parts of the world.

You would be effectively be off the grid though because unless you are crossing a real international boundary, no record of your passing will exist.

With 2 or 3 passports it would be possible to mix it up a little though I suppose.

[Warin]

Several questions there...

Countryless - without the ability to get a normal passport. YES.. people displaced by violence within 'their own country' frequently cannot get a passport. These people usually cannot prove to their governments satisfaction that they were residents in their own country .. for what ever reason.

Travel without a credit card ... I'd extend that to a card and/or bank account. NO. You do need money to travel for long periods of time - you cannot reasonably take it with you .. exception - travelers checks .. though usually if you now buy enough of them you now get plagued with people wanting to give you credit cards... catch 22.

For variations on the question - you can get prepaid Visa/Master cards - thus they are not credit cards .. you could travel on them if you have enough money stored away on them (no interest and vulnerable to theft .. possibly travel with several .. use one up and then start the other?).

[docsherlock]

Not realistically possible IMHO.

[anonymous1]

Originally Posted by Nomad63

"off the grid"? Be a true nomad?

Ok if you'd robbed the local bank or worse......? I could understand wanting to get that far off the grid. If you were lucky enough to get away with it i'd imagine youd have put a plan in place, maybe your still planning ???

Otherwise why go to so much hastle? At minimum you will need a bank account & passport not to mention a postal address. Try crossing a border, registering a bike, getting a carnet & insurance without the above mentioned, way more trouble than it's worth.

[markharf]

A European citizen with desirable job skills, staying within the EU: yes of course. You can work, move around freely, fit yourself into the spaces between other lives, and you can do this for as long as you've got stomach and funds for it. The real question is "Why?" Why not have a bank account somewhere?

But if you mean RTW travel, it'd sure be tough. Money is the obvious issue: earning it, storing it, accessing it. And you need state-sponsored ID, which means you're not stateless at all, and that makes you subject to rules about immigration....etc. etc. etc. Not impossible, but difficult at best. Most people can't do this--in fact, most people wouldn't even bother trying. Then again, lots depends on what you mean by "long term." Two months? A year? A couple of decades?

Mark

[brclarke]

I know one French fellow who has lived a very vagabond existence for the last 12-13 years. I think he uses his parents' or other relatives in France for mailing purposes. He does have a French passport, of course, and uses the relative's address as his 'home address'. I think he does have a French credit card for purchasing plane tickets, etc.

He has made his living teaching both English and French in various schools around the world, particularly China and Latin America. He can put all his worldly possessions in a large dufflebag.

I'm not sure I could do that, but he seems quite happy and has plenty of friends around the world.

[Danny Diego]

Not realistically, no.

One may definitely become countryless (where a country refuses to acknowledge one of its citizens or nationals) or a national departs their country and it no longer exists when they return.

But eventually, to travel, etc., one must obtain citizenship, nationality or legal residency in some country. Or be prepared to spend time in detention while it's sorted out.

Why do you ask?

[Nomad63]

Life change. Almost everything I have is liquid or can be soon enough. I want to explore the world and make the big change...big. Don't want to be tied down to anything.

Maybe it's my mid life crisis. ...or retirement.

[Senno]

I wish it were possible - I'd like to be a citizen of the world and not be tied to one country, but alas I can't see how it could work

[anonymous1]

Nomad, I too am working towards a similar lifestyle although some stuff I've collected over the years I want to keep, photo albums, documents, tools, guitars ect. I have arranged secure storage FOC. As far as the rest is concerned all I require is ... A bank account, passport, postal & email addresses! Oh and bike or 2 here and there.

IMHO and seriously, it's far from being tied down! They are the absolute minimum and impossible to travel without, surley easily enough to put in place whithin an hour or 2 and once done the world is yours, just do it and once you're free you find the past will soon fade into oblivion, enjoy!