A passport card allows significantly fewer opportunities for the holder to travel, but often its enough for some. The us passport card is a credit card sized identification document. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea.
The traditional passport book is still required for most travel purposes. You can even write a letter to the us dept of state reminding them to return your valid passport book. The us passport book vs passport card salon prive mag. Nov 22, 2019 the passport card is basically an individual credit card sized id card. Types of us passport books get your passport book today. You must have the original copies of all required documents. It has several pages for visas and travel documents. To be considered as an adult you must be 16 or older, and to be considered a minor, you must be 15 or less. Oct 16, 2017 the passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. A passport card looks like a drivers license or credit card in size. Here are the countries and territories where a us passport card is valid. The passport card is only valid for land and sea travel to canada, mexico, and the caribbean. Randy randolph your passport book will be returned with your new passport card, in order to get a passport card you still need to apply for a renewal. Department of state recommends the passport book as it is more versatile.
Passport books can be accepted in any country unless theyve barred us citizens from entry, like north korea, and are valid for visa applications, while a passport card can only be used to enter countries by land or sea which countries can be accessed with us passport cards. Previously issued passport book or passport card official military identification card a photocopy of the valid form of identification id, showing the front and back of the id and provided on plain white 8 12 x 11 paper must be sent in with the passport applications. Now, in terms of a passport book vs passport card, if you happen to be applying for a passport, you will need to consider which to get. Applications for a passport or passport card may be submitted at any of 9,300 passport application acceptance facilities, which typically include u. This service is not available for passport card applicants. Currently, all citizens of the united states need a one or the other for international travel, even to neighboring countries such as mexico and canada. Here is a table showing the principal differences between a passport book and a passport card. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. Most importantly, a us passport card cant be used for international air travel. Therefore, a statement is required when applying for a new u.
Getting your us passport as easily and quickly as possible. Passport book booklet style id travel document standard passport book has 28 pages. In short, a person with a passport card can use it to travel to either canada, mexico, bermuda, or the caribbean so long as they are taking either a land route or a sea route. S department of state offers two versions of a passport.
Feb 12, 2019 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. Sent the new application and all the requested forms and a check registered mail, return receipt requested. Last summer i was in michigan and the opportunity arose to go to canada for the day. You cannot use a passport card when traveling by air internationally. Difference between passport book and passport card. Depending on where you are traveling outside of the u. 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. Passport cards are a form of us passport that are the size of a credit card or drivers license. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u. There are many places in the us that can issue a us passport card. Entering the united states at land border crossings and sea portsofentry from. The card may not be used to travel by air outside the united states. The us passport card is less expensive to get then passport book, and is much smaller.
For travel by land or sea to, from, and inside canada, mexico, the caribbean, and. The difference between passport and passport card us. When i last renewed my passport i decided to pay the extra few bucks for a passport card and im glad i did. 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. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for their travels abroad. There are similarities as well as differences between the two options, which will be further discussed here.
Apply for a passport card bureau of consular affairs us. The passport card is valid for up to 10 years if you are an adult, and allows you virtually unlimited travel to the caribbean, bermuda, mexico, and. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. You must prove both us citizenship and identity in a passport or passport card application. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport. Our guide to us passport books will teach you about the different types of passport books so you will understand which one you need and why. 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. Can you use the passport card for travel to the bahamas. If you have a valid passport book, you do not have to get a passport card as well. Us passport book and passport card online application. The passport card is about the size of any credit card, and fits easily into your wallet for frequent travel. The passport card can be used only to reenter the u.
Enhanced drivers license many people may not know but depending on the. Otherwise, it carries the rights and privileges of the u. The passport card has one fee for us citizens when you apply for the first time, and another fee when you already have a passport. The form for renewing a passport or passport card is ds82.
To enter the united states at land border crossings or sea portsofentry from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda, you can use a passport book or a passport card. 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. The passport card will match the expiry date of your passport book, if you have less than 5 years validity remaining. Start today by applying for or renewing your passport. While the passport card is permissible for a cruise, you may want to reconsider getting the card over the book. For instance, if there is a medical or family emergency, you will not be able to fly out of the country to return home. It is intended to be used in place of the standard u. It is an alternative to carrying a conventional passport book and is valid for land and sea travel to and from mexico, canada, bermuda, and the caribbean.
I didnt have my passport with me but i did have my c. Everything you need to know about a us passport card. The passport card is a walletsize travel document that can only be used to reenter the united states at land bordercrossings or portsofentry by sea from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda. But the passport book that most americans are familiar with isnt the only kind of travel document available in the us theres also the passport card, which is made of plastic and is about the.
Passport card department of foreign affairs and trade. A passport card fits in your wallet, making it a more convenient form of id to carry on certain trips. All passport cards will be returned using first class. The adult and minor passport card fees are about the same. In this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel. The passport book is much larger and it contains a series of pages for arrival and departure stamps, along with visas and so on. Besides passports, limited use passport cards and are issued by the same organization subject to the same requirements. Visa, mastercard, diners club international and american express cards are accepted. Ds11 only has options under have you ever had either a passport card book for no, loststolen, or submitted with application. If they are issued for full validity, they both can be. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for adults, and five years for travelers under age 16. You may be able to apply for a passport card without submitting your passport book. The passport card is a cheaper alternative to the passport book. A passport book functions in all ways a passport card is used and there is no need to obtain a passport card if you already have a passport book.
The passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. Passport card difference between passport book and passport card u. Our website will assist you in filling in your application and we also offer a live chat free service, should you have any queries or need any online help. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsofentry from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda. The passport card facilitates entry and expedites document processing at u. Your passport book can be used in any situation where a passport card could be used, but you may find that it is convenient for you to also have a passport card. You can use form ds82 to renew your passport book at the same time you apply for your first passport card. A us passport card can only be used for land and sea travel to canada, mexico or the caribbean. Mar 18, 2020 the passport card, meanwhile, is both less expensive and less flexible. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv.
Regardless, the passport card that is issued in the united states still has select uses under select circumstances. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states. Passport book is widely used for international travel while passport card is used for united states citizens who. If you are traveling by air or to most countries, you will need a traditional passport book, with pages for your various visas. The card cannot be used for international air travel. The us passport card allows you to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at sea ports of entry, land border crossings and is more convenient and cheaper than a passport book. How to get a passport card us passport office locations.
Passport book is a globally recognized travel document while passport card is not a globally recognized document. Oct 07, 2017 wondering whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. Both forms are available for download on the state departments passport website. The passport book is a thin cardboard cover with your picture and information inside it. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane. 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. When you apply for a passport card, youll spend less money than you would when. How to apply for a new passport card rush my passport. The card cant be used for international air travel. The passport book is valid for all international travel.
A passport card is valid for travel to and from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda at land border crossings and sea portsofentry. However, before you apply for a new passport card, consider carefully whether or not you might be better off getting a us passport book. Although, keep in mind, while both can be used as forms of id when traveling, the. Otherwise if you never had a us passport book and you are not able to use form ds82 you then must apply in person with form ds11. Well help you determine whether you want or need to pay extra for the passport card. A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, but it cannot be used for international travel by air. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card. 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.
It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the u. The passport card may not be used for international travel by air. Whats the difference between a us passport book and card. The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at u. Reasons to get a passport book or card a passport card and book are both considered us passports. Differences between a passport book and passport card. T here are a variety of united states passport books that are issued to travelers for specific reasons. The passport card has the applicants photo and data printed on them. A us passport card is used as a federal id and is only good for travel to canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or sea portsofentry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. Passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel. Adults who already have a fully valid passport book may apply for the card as a passport renewal. The passport card is intended as a more portable, less expensive alternative to the standard passport book, primarily for u. It is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors under 16. Passport card the standard passport book covers all the bases.
It can also be used for domestic air travel in the usa. 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. Issued also by the us department of state, the passport card is a official identification document, but a limitedtravel document. All data is fully secure and not passed to any third party. Americans may enter the unites states from the bahamas by sea using a passport, passport card, or other western hemisphere travel initiative whti compliant document if they are on an officiallydesignated closedloop cruise. Aug 10, 2012 a passport book is bigger than a passport card. A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. Whats the difference between a passport book and a. Any us citizen wishing to travel internationally via air must have a passport book. They have been available to us citizens since 2008, and are meant to be a convenient way to prove your identity and citizenship. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. Passport books and cards are alternatives to a stateissued id. Only available for passport book applicants in the united states not canada.
I lost my passport card, and i would like to apply for a new one to make use of the expedited rfid lanes at the mexican border. You can apply for a us passport card by mail if you already have a us passport book and eligible to use form ds82. A passport book is larger and is most often in television shows or movies. Whether you get the passport book card both are valid for 10 years. Youll need to establish your identity and citizenship at the border, and nothing works better for this than a u. The ds11 form contains this text applicable to us citizens who were born in the us. A passport book is required for all international travel by air. The card may not be used to travel internationally by air. The difference between a passport book or card getaway usa. Us passport books and us passport cards the differences. A passport is commonly used to prove us citizenship, but it isnt the only method. A passport book is valid for any international travel by air, sea or land.
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