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. The passport card has the applicants photo and data printed on them. Passport books are likely what you think of when you imagine a passport a bookletstyle identification and travel document. Whats the difference between a passport book and a. Passport books are relatively small documents, generally 5 inches tall by 3. A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, but it cannot be used for international travel by air. However, people find a passport card more convenient and accessible when carrying. 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. Passport cards are a form of us passport that are the size of a credit card or drivers license. 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. Like a passport book, it proves your identity and us citizenship. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel.
Is a us passport card good or valid id while in europe. Passport cards are delivered separately from passport books. Passport card can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico. I have a us passport book, and i would like to apply for a us passport card to have in addition to my passport book. The question of whether to carry ones passport or keep it at the hotel and carry a photocopy comes up frequently on this forum. The us passport card is a credit card sized identification document. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsof. Otherwise, it carries the rights and privileges of the u. The card cant be used for international air travel. 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 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. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the u. The passport card does serve a purpose as a secondary form of photo identification and proof of u.
Most nations issue this type of passport with a durable outer cover that protects a number of interior paper pages. United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for their travels abroad. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. A us passport card can only be used for land and sea travel to canada, mexico or the caribbean. You can use this creditcardsized document to reenter the united states from mexico, canada, bermuda and the caribbean when traveling by land or sea. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel to barbados. Here is a table showing the principal differences between a passport book and a passport card.
A passport card is also available for certain travel situations. At the size of a drivers license, it is very portable. Although, keep in mind, while both can be used as forms of id. Us passport book and passport card online application. The passport card is a walletsized identification card that proves us citizenship. A passport card is the same size as a drivers license, and is. Passport book is widely used for international travel while passport card is used for united states citizens who live in border territories in the us. Besides passports, limited use passport cards and are issued by the same organization subject to the same requirements. Apply for a passport card travel us department of state. However, before you apply for a new passport card, consider carefully whether or not you might be better off getting a us passport book. A passport book is required for all international travel by air. The card cannot be used for international air travel. The passport card can be used only to reenter the u.
In certain circumstances, citizens may wish to obtain a passport card rather than a passport book, for reasons of cost and convenience. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. It is smaller and more convenient to carry than a passport book, and it is less expensive to obtain. Passport book is a globally recognized travel document while passport card is not a globally recognized document. Differences between a passport book and passport card. Here are the countries and territories where a us passport card is valid. 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.
Additionally, for states that do not yet comply with the real id act of 200. Passport book booklet style id travel document standard passport book has 28 pages. Wondering whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. If you have a passport card and you are eligible to use form ds82. Passport card can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or. The passport card is basically an individual credit cardsized id card. The passport card is intended as a more portable, less expensive alternative to the standard passport book, primarily for u. I will be needing to get a passport book within the next couple of years so i can travel to barbados. Of the internal pages, 17 are blank pages marked visas. 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 books and cards are alternatives to a stateissued id.
I have a passport card, but also need a passport book for overseas. I currently have a passport card that was issued in june 2009. The passport card, meanwhile, is both less expensive and less flexible. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsofentry from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda. A passport card carries many of the same benefits as a passport book, it just resembles a credit card and has certain restrictions. Ds11 only has options under have you ever had either a passport cardbook for no, loststolen, or submitted with application. 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. A passport book is larger and is most often in television shows or movies.
Difference between passport book and passport card. Learn more about how a passport card differs from a passport book. A passport card looks like a drivers license or credit card in size. Passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel. The united states passport card is an official identity and limited travel document issued by the. If i apply using form ds82, submitting my current passport book as proof of citizenship, does it get returned to me still valid, or does it get cancelled. They are valid for ten years for adults, and five years for children age 15 and younger. A passport card is a card the size of a drivers license that is issued by the us state department. Passport card difference between passport book and passport card u. The passport card facilitates entry and expedites document processing at u. The passport book is much larger and it contains a series of pages for arrival and departure stamps, along with visas and so on. You can get a us passport card, whether or not you currently hold a passport book.
A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. H ave you ever wished your passport could fit inside your wallet. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. 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. How to apply for a new passport card rush my passport. The passport book is your typical passport, a bound, paged booklet that is issued by the us department of state verifying your identity and nationality, usually for the purpose of traveling internationally all international air travel for us passport holders, regardless of origin or destination airport, must be accompanied by a valid us passport book. Although, keep in mind, while both can be used as forms of id when traveling, the passport card has some restrictions. You can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book. Passport cards and passport books are no exception. The us passport card is a credit cardsized identification document. They have been available to us citizens since 2008, and are meant to be a convenient way to prove your identity and citizenship.
It is intended to be used in place of the standard u. Most us passports have a dark blue cover, and contain 28 pages. 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. Any us citizen wishing to travel internationally via air must have a passport book. The us passport book vs passport card salon prive mag. Everything you need to know about a us passport card. 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. It can also be used for domestic air travel in the usa. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u.
1255 1438 571 76 188 929 704 704 893 399 1246 384 1156 143 1453 68 750 63 614 369 66 1160 14 390 320 61 201 21 1464 54