A passport card fits in your wallet, making it a more convenient form of id to carry on certain trips. The passport card will match the expiry date of your passport book, if you have less than 5 years validity remaining. It was designed for the people who live near the border and cross it frequently, with a lower cost and a handy size that fits in a wallet like a drivers license. Find a passport application acceptance facility card. The good news is a passport card is valid for the same time and has the same application process as a standard passport book. While the passport card is more convenient due to its size, it is far more restricted in use than the passport book. Us passport book and passport card online application. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport. Passport cards, and which type of passport do you need for your.
In part, this is because the passport card is the size of a standard id card, meaning that it can be carried with the same convenience as any other. A passport card also could be useful for alaska cruises, as long as all border crossings into canada are done by land or sea. But given the cards restrictions, does it even make sense for a u. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel. When a passport card might be just what you need for travel. Passport books and cards are alternatives to a stateissued id. 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. Passport card department of foreign affairs and trade. The new passport card is valid for the same length of time as regular passport10 years for adults and teens aged 16 or older, and 5 years for kids aged 15 and under. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. Apr 05, 2011 the passport card is good only for land and sea border crossings, and as such is good enough for going to and from canada. A passport book is required for all international travel by air. Passport card the standard passport book covers all the bases. Us passport faqs frequently asked questions about us passports.
Differences between a passport book and passport card. The good news is that children are allowed to travel internationally with their own passport book, even without a parent. Frequent international travel plans is an acceptable reason to request a second passport book from the state department. For this reason, you need to renew your childs passport sooner than yours. 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. If your us passport was issued when you were 15 years old or younger, your passport is valid for 5 years. If your us passport was issued when you were 16 years old or older, your passport is valid for 10 years. 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. If youre applying for a passport card for the first time, youll want to find a passport. If so, youve probably noticed the option for a passport card.
Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. Feb 12, 2019 passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel. Visa, mastercard, diners club international and american express cards are accepted. Getting your us passport as easily and quickly as possible.
But before you go, here are 5 things you need to know about cubas passport requirements, cuban travel visas and how to travel to cuba legally as an american. Like passport books, adult passport cards remain valid for 10 years from the date of issue. I have a passport card, but also need a passport book for overseas. There are few travelers in this world who arent interested in trying to save money while on vacation. Keeping a duplicate passport book allows travelers to submit one book for visa processing while maintaining travel plans for other international travel with the second passport. For adults, the card is good for 10 years, just like a passport book. Any united states citizen over the age of 16 can apply for an adult passport card. The passport book is valid for all international travel. A passport card is cheaper than a passport book, but cant be used for.
Apr 23, 2018 luckily, there are a few options available to you. Once youve submitted all of the above, it generally takes the same amount of time as a first time passport four to six weeks from the. Mar 07, 2018 how long does it take to get a passport renewed. Both passport books and cards are valid for 10 years, so if it fits your travel plans, the passport card can be a cheaper alternative. If youre traveling soon, you can expedite your passport. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air. Passport cards are easier to carry than a passport book and they have some hidden benefits.
If you are a previous passport book holder and you are eligible to submit form ds82, you may apply for a passport card as a renewal by mail even if it is your first passport card. You can use this credit card sized document to reenter the united states from mexico, canada, bermuda and the caribbean when traveling by land or sea. 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. Learn more about how a passport card differs from a passport book. The date your passport card was issued is printed on. See passport fees for more information on the cost of a u.
They are valid for five years from the date of issue, just like a minor passport book. 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. Do you need a passport card and book to go from the us to. 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. The passport card has the same validity as the passport book. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. Nov 28, 2017 how long does it take to get a passport card.
Lets take a look at the simplest and quickest ways to get your hands on a valid passport book or card, and how much you can expect to spend. An adult applying for a us passport renewal or firsttime passport can receive a card valid for ten years, while a child under the age of 16 would have one valid for five years. I need to visit a passport acceptance facility before i can submit my application to visacentral. If any of the following apply to you, you may want to obtain a passport card. Below is a handy list of pros and cons to help you decide.
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. Minor children if a passport is obtained for a person younger than 15, it is only valid for five years. If you travel a lot, its best to ask for the passport book with more visa pages, so that you dont have to pay to get a new passport before the expiration date. Passports without limitations that are issued to u. 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. Aug 10, 2012 a passport card can provide a more convenient, cheaper alternative to carrying your passport book. A passport book is acceptable for all international travel, but a passport card is good only when entering the united states at land border crossings and sea portsofentry from canada, mexico. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. The bad news is the application process is just as painful as anything else dealing with bureaucracy. Oct 05, 2018 if so, youve probably noticed the option for a passport card. Whats a passport card, and can it replace a real id. Second, a good argument can be made that the passport card is more useful than the passport book for the limited circumstances in which it can be used.
Passport cards and passport books are no exception. It is smaller and more convenient to carry than a passport book, and it is less expensive to obtain. H ave you ever wished your passport could fit inside your wallet. Apr 06, 2016 all you have to do is mark the passport application to show you are requesting both the passport book and passport card. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. To date, more than 17 million passport cards have been issued, according to the state department, representing about 10 percent of all passport holders. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. If you can submit a passport book, but you lost your passport card, you cannot. A passport card is the same size as a drivers license, and is official proof of your identity and us citizenship. You can get a us passport card, whether or not you currently hold a passport book. How long is a passport good for all depends on the passport as u. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsof. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea. 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.
If youre renewing your passport book and passport card, you must submit both documents. If youre over 16, your passport card is valid for 10 years. At the end of the month, jetblue will make history with the first noncharter direct commercial flights from the us to cuba in almost 50 years. However, remember that whether its expired or not, the passport card cannot be used for air travel.
The use for a card is generally for land and sea travels, so you wouldnt be able to board an international flight using a passport card, tharp tells me. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. The us passport card is a credit card sized identification document. Read on to learn how you can apply for your passport card and lighten your load for your next journey.