I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel. 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. Passport cards are valid for land and sea travel to and from canada, mexico and the countries of the caribbean. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. Aside from the size, a passport book and a passport card difference is that the latter cannot be used when traveling abroad via air, the passport book is required. Applying for a passport card by mail will take up to 8 weeks. You only need a passport book if you travel by air. Enhanced drivers license many people may not know but depending on the. Not only do they look different, they serve slightly different purposes.
What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. They are valid for five years from the date of issue, just like a minor passport book. The passport book and the passport card have the same validity which is 10 years for children 15 years old or younger, the validity is only 5 years. Presumably its not good for international air travel as there is no way to stamp it, like the passport book. However, before you apply for a new passport card, consider carefully whether or not you might be better off getting a us passport book. Be it a card or a book, a passport is still a passport. Passport card is also valid for international travel but by land or sea only. Younger children will need to renew their passport after. What is a passport card, and what should you know when youre considering a passport book vs. Yes, you can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book.
However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. It is good to know that this card would not be a substitute for a passport, again in the strict interpretation of the law. Difference between a passport book and passport card. Passport book is valid for international travel by air, sea, or land. But if you have the money to spare or anticipate traveling more frequently and internationally, a passport book is always the best choice. What is the passport card good for and what is its limitations.
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. 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. The bahamian government only requires proof of citizenship e. 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. Whether you get the passport bookcard both are valid for 10 years. As it turned out, he was the one in for the unpleasant surprise. Passport cards cannot be used for international air travel, even within the 19 mostly caribbean countries that accept the cards at land or sea ports. The passport card is good only for land and sea travel from border crossings and sea portsofentry into the united states from mexico, canada bermuda and the caribbean.
Differences between a passport book and passport card. The cost difference is understandable, however, as passport books also can be used for air travel. 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. For most people, though, a passport book is the best bet. If so, youve probably noticed the option for a passport card. The passport cards usefulness as an international travel identification document is so limited, its not adequate for most of its intended use. The requirement is to carry a passport book, if you do not want to carry your passport book for fear of theft then it is better to carry a photo copy of the photo page of your passport book not a passport card. The passport card is cheaper to obtain than the passport book. 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. All you have to do is mark the passport application to show you are requesting both the passport book and passport card.
How to apply for a new passport card rush my passport. State department issues two versions of a passport. However, for all of the other rs forum readers who do as i do, and hold valid u. The price is right, too way cheaper than a regular passport. If you have a passport book and you are eligible to use form ds82, you may apply for a passport card as a renewal by mail even if it is your first passport card. This passport holder meets all the needs ive been looking for. The us passport card is a credit cardsized identification document. The biggest difference between a passport book and passport card is that passport cards are only valid to enter canada, mexico, bermuda, and. A us passport card can only be used for land and sea travel to canada, mexico or the caribbean.
After he confirmed that his spouse could cruise with just a passport card, he booked their tropical vacation. Excellent form of official identification for children or nondrivers. In this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel. 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 is only for land and sea travel, which means there is no way travelers can use the passport card to board a plane. Difference between passport book and passport card. As passport books allows more activities as compare to passport card so they tend to cost more as well. This is the base fee and does not include any fees to expedite. As with a passport book, a nonexpired passport card can serve as your proof of identity and citizenship. 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. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.
If you are traveling to canada or mexico or bermuda or the caribbean or within the united states, it can come in handy, especially if you dont want to carry around your actual passport. 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. Can you use the passport card for travel to the bahamas. 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. Just beware that not all caribbean locations will accept this as a valid id per wikipedia. If issued for the full validity, they are both proof of your u. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. 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. This case is an unfortunate example of what can go wrong if you decide to cruise with just a. 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. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. Deciding which is best for you boils down to where youre traveling, how. However, the passport book is valid for all forms of travel.
Passport card is wallet sized document while passport book size is 5. You can use form ds82 to renew your passport book at the same time you apply for your first passport. If you are 16 or older, your passport book is good for 10 years. The difference between passport and passport card us. 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. 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 canada. Is a us passport card good or valid id while in europe. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for their. We do not use 12 day delivery services for passport cards.
Americans may enter the unites states from the bahamas by sea using a passport, passport card, or other western. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u. It can also be used for domestic air travel in the usa. If you have a passport card, you can also use it to drive across the canadian border and to. If i already have a passport book, can i use the ds82 to get a passport card. The passport card is only good for land and sea travel to canada, mexico and approximately 17 islands in the caribbean.
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. 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 andor mexicothe card gets you through quicker in those situations. That is not to say these two pieces of identification are equal. If youre traveling soon, you can expedite your passport. Of the internal pages, 17 are blank pages marked visas. In this case, you would apply for a passport renewal by mail. 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. If you travel often to these places and do not often travel by air outside of these countries, a us passport card can be a good alternative to a passport book.
You can also use it as your id for domestic air travel. Whats a passport card, and can it replace a real id. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. When you apply for a passport card, youll spend less money than you would when. The united states passport card is an official identity and limited travel document issued by the. A passport card fits in your wallet, making it a more convenient form of id to carry on certain trips. A passport card is a smaller version of a passport book and fits inside a wallet. This usually does not even satisfy the requirement but does buy you some time in order to produce your real passport book. Most us passports have a dark blue cover, and contain 28 pages. The passport card was created when it became necessary to use a passport for travel to and from us border communities. There are several options when it comes to forms of identification for travel. The passport book is the traditional multipage document that border agents stamp as you travel through. Youll use the same form that you would use to apply for a passport bookeither a ds11 or ds82. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the u.
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