The passport card facilitates entry and expedites document processing at u. Now that you are required to have a passport to go to canada, mexico and the caribbean. Passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. Differences between a passport book and passport card. Visa, mastercard, diners club international and american express cards are accepted. It contains several pages like the passport details page which provides the holders name,date of birth, passport expiry date etc as well as other blank pages for visa and immigration stamping a passport card is a portable pocket sized card similar to a credit card that fits in your wallet. The passport card will match the expiry date of your passport book, if you have less than 5 years validity remaining. Do i need a passport book, passport card, or 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. Priority passport card us passport card service with. The passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. The passport book is valid for all international travel.
A passport book is required for all international travel by air. Whats the difference between a passport book and a. The united states passport card is an official identity and. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. There are few travelers in this world who arent interested in trying to save money while on vacation. The us passport card is a credit card sized identification document. Passport card department of foreign affairs and trade. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel to. 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. It is a credit card sized, laminated document that is less expensive than the passport book, and discounted further if the traveler also holds a valid passport book, but it is not necessary to have a passport book to get the passport card. Passport cards are particularly useful for some people. Mar 01, 2010 do i need a passport book, passport card, or passport book and card. It makes for such a great alternative as it sits right in your wallet and is actually costs less than a regular passport book.
Many passport application acceptance facilities, which include libraries, clerks of court, and post offices, are not accepting u. The card may not be used to travel internationally by air. 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 you find yourself frequently traveling to canada or mexico but not so much the rest of the world, a passport card is one way to help pinch some pennies. Passport card difference between passport book and passport card u. Read on to learn how you can apply for your passport card and lighten your load for your next journey. If you already have a valid us passport book, then it is not required to also have a passport card to travel internationally. If you have the book, you dont need the card unless youd like to have it as a walletsized id or you plan to travel frequently by car to canada and or mexicothe card gets you through quicker in those situations. In this case, you would apply for a passport renewal by mail. Department of state has the authority to grant, issue, or verify united states passports. 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.
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. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. Depending on where you are traveling outside of the u. The passport card can be used only to reenter the u.
As of march 25, 2020, post offices which are still accepting applications are requiring customers to make an online appointment to apply in. 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. 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. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the u. First of all, a passport card can be used for travel by sea to barbados. Oct 16, 2017 the passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. You can use form ds82 to renew your passport book at the same time that your apply for your passport card.
However, people find a passport card more convenient and accessible when carrying. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. The card provides a smaller, more convenient, and less expensive alternative to the passport book for those who travel frequently to these destinations by land or sea. Apr 21, 2016 youll use the same form that you would use to apply for a passport bookeither a ds11 or 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. H ave you ever wished your passport could fit inside your wallet. I recently got my very first united states passport, and i got a passport card at the same time. The passport card has benefits, but does not offer the same list of privileges as a traditional passport. If youre applying for a passport card for the first time, youll want to find a passport. Otherwise, it carries the rights and privileges of the u. An adult passport card looks similar to a drivers license, and is valid for ten years. You can get a us passport card, whether or not you currently hold a passport book. For those of you who are about to get a us passport renewed or getting one for the first time, there is something called a passport card its biometric and usually only good between rail, boat and car in canadamexicobermuda etc but it is proof that you do own a us passport. Feb 12, 2019 passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel.
Passport cards are a form of us passport that are the size of a credit card or driver s license. Mar 16, 20 the passport card is only good for land and sea travel to canada, mexico and approximately 17 islands in the caribbean. Here is a table showing the principal differences between a passport book and a passport card. Passport books and cards are alternatives to a stateissued id. When a passport card might be just what you need for travel. The card cant be used for international air travel. Jan 04, 2020 should americans have both a passport book and a passport card. Priority passport card for people with upcoming travel plans, a passport book might be used as an alternative to to the usual passport book. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. Department of state of the views or products contained therein.
It is intended to be used in place of the standard u. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport. Does a passport card work to go to canada by train. My passport was issued to me when i was 17 years old and now 10 years later i believe i am eligible to renew it. Apr 06, 2016 its easy to get a passport card for your child when you apply for their minor passport book. A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. A passport card fits in your wallet, making it a more convenient form of id to carry on certain trips. 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. Travel articles do you need a passport or a passport card. The passport card is only valid for land and sea travel to canada, mexico, and the caribbean. Full text of warren commission report internet archive.
All you have to do is mark the passport application to show you are requesting both the passport book and passport card. Any us citizen wishing to travel internationally via air must have a passport book. You only need a passport book if you travel by air. 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.
You can apply for a us passport card by mail if you already have a us passport book and eligible to use form ds82. I am going to the bahamas in june, and need a passport, when i went to apply online, they gave me all three options, with the same criteria for each option, and no explantion of the difference between them. However, if you get a passport card, it cannot be used for travel by air. They have been available to us citizens since 2008, and are meant to be a convenient way to prove your identity and citizenship. On the form, you indicate that youre applying for a passport card by checking the appropriate. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. Apply for a passport card travel us department of state.
If any of the following apply to you, you may want to obtain a passport card. Aug 10, 2012 a passport card can provide a more convenient, cheaper alternative to carrying your passport book. Find a passport application acceptance facility card. A passport card is the same size as a drivers license, and is official proof of your identity and us citizenship. 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. Yes, you can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book. The passport card is designed to be a less expensive and more portable alternative to the passport book. Only one execution fee is charged for an individual applying for both a card and book at the same time. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. Both the passport book and passport card serve as proof of your u. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for adults, and five years for travelers under age 16.
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. Introduced in 2008, the passport card is a relatively inexpensive personal identification card that can be used in place of a passport book or drivers license at land and sea entry points to. Should americans have both a passport book and a passport card. State department has introduced a simpler style passport card which serves the same purpose as the original passport bookonly it fits in your wallet like a drivers license. To protect yourself against emergency situations, go with a passport book, which covers all international travel by air, sea or land. A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. Carry both the card and the passport book in case of an emergency and you need to fly home. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel. Reports to the board of trade on alien immigration see other formats. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea.
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