What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. I currently have a passport card that was issued in june 2009. I have a passport card, but also need a passport book for overseas. Does anyone know if the usa passport card can be used for entry in to the dominican republic or does a visitor need the book. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. Its easy to get a passport card for your child when you apply for their minor passport book. What you need to know about passport cards fastport passport. That price difference can be significant for trips across the. If you fly to jamaica, a passport book is the only acceptable form of identification, despite jamaicas membership of the western hemisphere travel initiative. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card. It is smaller and more convenient to carry than a passport book, and it is less expensive to obtain. Passport the application process is the same for either the passport book or card, even if you want both at the same time. The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at u. The united states passport card is an official identity and limited travel document issued by the united states federal government in the size of a credit card.
However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. As it turned out, he was the one in for the unpleasant surprise. This is because a passport book is the booklet containing information about the person to whom it has been issued, which is in addition to a number of blank pages that can be used for travel visas as well as the stamps when said individuals enters and exits a country. You can use this creditcardsized document to reenter the united states from mexico, canada, bermuda and the caribbean when traveling by land or sea. The passport cards usefulness as an international travel identification document is so limited, its not adequate for most of its intended use. The passport card is only for land and sea travel, which means there is no way travelers can use the passport card to board a plane. If you have a passport card and you are eligible to use form ds82.
The card may not be used to travel by air outside the united states. If you are also applying for a renewal of your passport book and you opt for expedited service by mail, your passport book will arrive in 23 weeks, but your passport card may arrive in a separate envelope several weeks later. To enter canada, your passport book or card must be valid. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for adults, and five years for travelers under age 16. You wont be able to use a passport card for air travel to or from the island. Differences between a passport book and passport card. Applying for a passport card by mail will take up to 8 weeks. Should americans have both a passport book and a passport. I recently got my very first united states passport, and i got a passport card at the same time.
To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. Youll need to include your most recent passport, form ds82, an updated passport photo, payment for the new book andor card, and any documentation to support a requested name change. Follow these simple steps to apply for a passport card. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air. Try 2 to 3 monthsthere is currently no way to expedite a passport card, only a passport book. If youre a citizen of the united states, and youre thinking about traveling to mexico, but you dont yet have a passport, you might consider getting a passport card instead of a regular passport book. After he confirmed that his spouse could cruise with just a passport card, he booked their tropical vacation.
Does a passport card work to go to canada by train. Use the passport application wizard to step through the process. First of all, a passport card can be used for travel by sea to barbados. Any frequent traveler knows how pricey foreign travel can get. All you have to do is mark the passport application to show you are requesting both the passport book and passport card. Should americans have both a passport book and a passport card. Passport requirements for travel to jamaica getaway usa. The walletsize passport card is on that list, both the tsa and state department confirmed, and will work for domestic flights but not international.
To protect yourself against emergency situations, go with a passport book, which covers all international travel by air, sea or land. In this case, you would apply for a passport renewal by mail. Generally speaking, when someone is thinking about a passport, chances are good that they are thinking about a passport book. Passport book vs passport card i f youve wondered what the difference is between a passport book and a passport card, youve come to the right place. You only need a passport book if you travel by air. The passport card is the size of your drivers license or state id, fitting in your wallet. The passport card can be used for entering the united states at land border crossings and sea portsofentry from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda. The passport card is not valid for any air travel, including to canada and mexico. The irish passport card is a travel document that irish citizens can use for certain travel instead of the standard passport book. The first step in obtaining a passport card is downloading and filling out the ds11 form. I will be needing to get a passport book within the next couple of years so.
Because you can get one for far less than youll have to pay for a passport book. Passport cards are delivered separately from passport books. You can imagine my surprise when i found myself putting an x in the checkbox on my u. The passport card has the same validity as the passport book. While both passport book and card are valid to cross into canada by train, united states citizens over the age of 16 also have several alternative options. How long does it take to get your hands on a passport card.
Will a passport card work as identification to get you on. You must sign and date this document, preferably using blue ink, and include it with your documents. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel. Visa, mastercard, diners club international and american express cards are accepted. So, yes, you could use a passport card to travel between the usvi and bvi by sea but a passport card cannot be used as a document to establish your citizenship if youre asked to provide that. Getting your us passport as easily and quickly as possible. You cannot use the passport card for international air travel, even when you reenter the u. In this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel. Passport card department of foreign affairs and trade.
Fill out the application using a black ink pen or use the state department online tool to fill out the application, and select passport card. United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for. Our guide will show you the uses and advantages of each document, and will help you figure out which one is best for you, or if you should have both. We do not use 12 day delivery services for passport cards. Can i renew my usa passport book and passport card separately. Yes, you can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book. If you plan to travel by air or wish to visit a country other than canada, mexico, bermuda or one of the other caribbean island nations, you should apply for a passport book instead. Department of state since 2008, and can be used to enter and exit the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or sea portsofentry, and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. If youre traveling by airplane, youll need to use a passport book no matter what. The passport card will match the expiry date of your passport book, if you have less than 5 years validity remaining. Passport card faq get answers to your passport card.
Americans can get 2 types of passport, but one costs half the price. I am in the process of getting passports for my kids and wondering if i should just get the card since it is cheaper. You can apply for both a passport book and passport card at the same time using either form ds11 apply in person or form ds82 renew by mail must be eligible. If i have to present id anywhere, i use my passport card so onlookers dont immediately know im a tourist. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel. Passport card can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or sea portsofentry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. You cannot use the passport card for international air travel, even when you re enter the u.
It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the u. Find a period of time when im not going to be traveling internationally and apply for the renewal book, using the card as id for domestic trips in the interim. This is the base fee and does not include any fees to expedite. Why consider a passport card if its use is so limited. When the book comes, resume my normal travel pattern. You cannot use a passport card on cruises from international homeports. You can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel to barbados. The primary justification i had for doing so was tha. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. A passport card is cheaper than a passport book, but cant be used for. A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, but it cannot be used for international travel by air.
You can use the passport card when traveling in the european union, the european economic area which includes iceland, liechtenstein and norway and switzerland. Use the passport book to get the passport card, keeping the book in my possession. Application form to complete the application for a passport book, card, or both together, first do one of the following. Applying for passport card wo giving up passport book. The passport book has plenty of pages for visas and arrivaldeparture stamps, while the passport card is a onepiece creditcardsized id card. This case is an unfortunate example of what can go wrong if you decide to cruise with just a. You cannot use the passport card for international air travel, nor can you use it for travel to other international destinations. The passport card is cheaper to obtain than the passport book. Also, you cannot use your passport card for international air travel, only as id for.
For travel by land or sea into canada, mexico, bermuda and the caribbean, the u. You can use the card for land and sea border crossings at canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda only. What is the difference between a passport book and. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to indicate that you would like to apply for both products. Youll use the same form that you would use to apply for a passport bookeither a ds11 or ds82. A passport card cannot be used for air travel, only for sea travel. It is intended to be used in place of the standard u. If you plan to travel by air or wish to visit a country other than canada, mexico, bermuda or one of the other caribbean island nations, you should apply. You should know that the passport card is only valid for travel by land and sea within mexico, canada, bermuda, and the caribbean, and you can not use it for air travel or for travel to other.
The new passport form gives you the option to get a passport card. If youve never had a us passport before, this article outlines how you go about getting a passport book not passport card for the first time if youre living in the us and are an adult. You can use your passport card for travel by land or sea to and from canada, mexico, bermuda and the caribbean. The passport card is the size of a drivers license and is used for convenience as it is smaller and cheaper than the passport book. A passport card provides valid identification for national travel, but only provides valid identification for certain types of international travel. Please note that the passport card is valid for land and sea travel onlyair travelers to canada, mexico and the caribbean still need the fullfledged and fullpriced passport book. A passport card is cheaper than a passport book, but cant be used for air travel and is only valid in canada, mexico, bermuda, and the caribbean. You can use form ds82 to renew your passport book at the same time you apply for your first.
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