Deciding which is best for you boils down to where youre traveling, how frequently you travel. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. 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. How to get a passport card when renewing your passport. You have to go in person to present your application. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. A passport book is valid for all types of travel land, sea or air to any destination. I dont need to be busy looking for the passport, flight ticket and cash at. Applying for a passport card by mail will take up to 8 weeks. If you lose your passport book you still have your passport card and vice versa. There is no reason to ever get a passport card, unless you only travel to canada, mexico or caribbean.
I will be needing to get a passport book within the next couple of years so i can travel to barbados. The passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. Passport cards are particularly useful for some people. Us passport card faq passport and visa expeditor get. You can also use your passport card, just as you use your passport book, as a form of identification. This option means getting both a passport book and passport card with just one application. Carry both the passport card and the passport book in case of an emergency and you need to fly home. 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. There is a place on the application to check whether you want to apply for a passport card, passport book or both. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. You can only get a passport card with a passport book as part of a bundle which is an option you can select when renewing your childs passport online. Reasons to get a passport book or card a passport card and book are both considered us passports. Yes, 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. You can renew your passport and change the name at the same time.
You can get a passport card and passport book at the same time online as part of a bundle. You can use form ds82 to renew your passport book at the same time you apply for your first passport card. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for. Note, passport cards can only be used for travel by land and sea. You dont need to present a passport or the card when entering and exiting the ship. Card is good from the us to canada, mexico, and the caribbean by land or sea, but not air travel.
I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel to barbados. One is a passport book, the traditional passport with the pages that get stamped. However, each of these items comes with certain restrictions regarding when you can use them. Both of these documents give you the ability to travel outside of the country. Youll need to submit both documents when you do your next renewal. Get a passport card with your passport renewal g3passports. 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. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. If you have any intention of traveling internationally, say to europe, youll need a passport book.
The primary justification i had for doing so was tha. Conveniently, both the passport book and the passport card have the same renewal period. Enhanced drivers license many people may not know but depending on the. Although, keep in mind, while both can be used as forms of id. If you have a passport card, you can also use it to drive across the canadian border and to. Difference between passport book and passport card. You can apply for both the book and card with the same application but it is. 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. I recently got my very first united states passport, and i got a passport card at the same time. The only reason youd most likely need a passport is if you got missed he ship for whatever reason. What is the price for a passport book and a passport card.
The application process is the same for either the passport book or card, even if you want both at the same time. Passport card department of foreign affairs and trade. Select both and you will pay additional fees for the passport book and passport card. Yes, passport cards can be renewed just like passport books. United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for their travels abroad. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to indicate.
If you get a passport book and card at the same time, they will expire at the same time. If they are issued for full validity, they both can be. That being said, i recently got one simply because it is convenient to use in situations where the passport book is not needed namely, everywhere besides nonneighboring national borders. Whether you get the passport bookcard both are valid for 10 years. If so, youve probably noticed the option for a passport card. You can apply for both the book and card with the same application but it is not. 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. Adults will need to have their passport renewed every 10 years. Many frequent travelers require a us passport book, since the book allows you to travel to more places and allows you to secure a. You can use the irish passport card for travel within the european union. You can also use it in the caribbean at seaports but that confuses me. 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.
You must renew your passport book at the same time that your apply for your passport card so your passport book and card have the same number. The difference between passport and passport card us. Both are good for 10 years 16yo and up, 5 years if under. 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. Differences between a passport book and 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. Although not required on closed loop sailings, which call at foreign ports but sail roundtrip from the u. The passport cards usefulness as an international travel identification document is so limited, its not adequate for most of its intended use.
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. 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 you already have a passport book or passport card, you can renew by mail using form. 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 other is the passport card, which is just like a drivers license. Passport cards passport info guide how to get a passport. You can have both the us passport book and a passport card. What is the difference between a passport book and. The passport card is a wallet side document that will be used to expedite document processing from the u.
The fee to obtain a passport card and passport book also changes. Your old passport card will be marked cancelled by having one corner clipped off. If you already only have the passport book, you can get the passport card as well when you apply for your next passport renewal. 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. If you have a us passport book, there really is no need to get the passport card. 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. 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. A passport card is also available for certain travel situations. Whats the difference between a passport book and a 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. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel.
However, if youd like to get a passport card still, you can apply by completing the ds82 passport renewal form. A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, but it cannot be used for international travel by air. The passport book is the traditional multipage document that border agents stamp as you travel through. The passport book vs card question is one you may have if you are a firsttime international traveler. If you plan to travel by air, then you will need a. I currently have a passport card that was issued in june 2009. 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. Should i get a passport card to go along with my passport. While a passport book is valid for all types of travel land, sea or air to any destination. It is intended to be used in place of the standard u. The passport card has the same validity as the passport book. I previously had a regular passport holder, which was just a sleeve for my passport. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. The passport card is smaller when compared to the size of passport book.
Both passport books and cards are valid for 10 years. Should americans have both a passport book and a passport. Both the passport book and passport card serve as proof of your u. If you already have a passport book, you do not need a passport card to travel internationally. Although, keep in mind, while both can be used as forms of id when traveling, the passport card has some restrictions. If you have a valid passport book, you do not have to get a passport card as well. Firsttime passport card applicants who do not have a passport book traditional passport must go in person to a passport application facility, such as a post office or courthouse, and submit a completed passport application form, proof of us citizenship, one passport photo and the required fee.
Go to the acceptance facility and bring with you the following make your list, check it twice. Passport cards for under 18s will be valid for the same period as the passport book. Should americans have both a passport book and a passport card. You can also apply for the passport book and the passport card at the same time when youre utilizing the ds11 new passport application for new passport. However, the passport book is valid for all forms of travel. If you plan to travel by air, then you will need a passport book. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. Can i apply for a passport card and passport book using the same.
Can i renew my passport book to get a passport card and a. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for adults, and five years for travelers under age 16. Can i renew my usa passport book and passport card separately. You can get a passport card with your passport book if you like. The card cant be used for international air travel. Consider using a passport card for your next border crossing by land or by sea. If your travel plans take you to a country bordering the u. Minor children will need to have their passports renewed every 5 years until they reach 16 years of age. You can even write a letter to the us dept of state reminding them to return your valid passport book.
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