Any time you board an international flight, you will need a valid us passport book. Passport card cannot be used for international air travel. A passport card is cheaper to get but is only valid for trav. The passport card is only valid for entry into the united states at land border crossings or sea ports of entry. You have to go in person to present your application. Differences between a passport book and passport card. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsofentry from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel.
May 17, 2011 i would get the passport book or nothing the birth certificate and the passport card seem equal in value to me you cant fly home with either, and that would be the point of getting the passport book if there is an emergency and you are in a foreign country, you cannot get on an airplane without a passport book, period, so it seems like a. See below the differences between a passport book vs. The biggest difference between a passport book and passport card is that passport cards are only valid to enter canada, mexico, bermuda, and caribbean countries and territories see the full list. Passport book for reentry into the united states from any country. A passport card is the same size as a drivers license, and is official proof of your identity and us citizenship. Us passport books and us passport cards the differences.
Us passport book and passport card online application. If you apply for a passport card it will be issued valid for 10 years regardless of the expiration date of your passport book. Whats the difference between a passport book and a. Passport book booklet style id travel document standard passport book has 28 pages. Learn more about how a passport card differs from a passport book. This service is not available for passport card applicants. Difference between passport book and passport card can be a new subject to you if you are not a citizen of the united states of america. The state departments website offers complete details and an online application form. Oct 16, 2017 the passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card. A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, but it cannot be used for international travel by air. There are, however, some key differences that need to be considered. Deciding which is best for you boils down to where youre traveling, how frequently you travel, and your budget. 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.
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. Infact for traveling abroad, one needs a passport for sure. Difference between passport book and passport card. Jun 23, 2009 the walletsize passport card is convenient and less expensive than the passport book. The passport card shares the same validity period as the passport book. But later it does talk about needed it to gain citizenship. As such, the passport card is adjudicated to the exact standards as the passport book. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport. A passport book is required for all international travel by air. Ds11 only has options under have you ever had either a passport card book for no, loststolen, or submitted with application.
The us passport card is less expensive to get then passport book, and is much smaller. Passport book vs passport card for kids the dis disney. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel. Both forms are available for download on the state departments passport website. If your travel plans take you to a country bordering the u. Passport is a document providing national identity and identification of an individual. Applications for a passport or passport card may be submitted at any of 9,300 passport application acceptance facilities, which typically include u. What is the differences between a passport book vs card with additional information and requirement for getting both a card and book. Applicants must provide documents which attest to their u. The passport card is a fully valid passport that attests to the u. Should americans have both a passport book and a passport. We may be compensated if you make a purchase via a link on this site. 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. The passport card does serve a purpose as a secondary form of photo identification and proof of u.
Additional usage of the us passport card under the real id act of 2005, a law passed to combat terrorism, the passport cards are also accepted as bona fide, federallyapproved identification for domestic air travel and entrance to federal properties that require such identification for access. Depending on how you plan to visit canada, you may be able to use a passport book, passport card, or even a nexus card. Passport book and passport card are two terms that are often used these days by many citizens of the united states who are applying for a passport for the first time. The us passport card is a credit card sized identification document. This new travel document can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or sea portsofentry. This is perhaps unsurprising, seeing as how a passport card lacks the blank pages of the passport book because it is nothing more than the size of a standard id card. Jan 06, 2009 if you apply for a passport card it will be issued valid for 10 years regardless of the expiration date of your passport book. There are several options when it comes to forms of identification for travel. Of the internal pages, 17 are blank pages marked visas. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states.
However, people find a passport card more convenient and accessible when carrying. Nov 20, 2017 a passport card allows significantly fewer opportunities for the holder to travel, but often its enough for some. Be aware of the fact that a passport card is only valid for land and sea travel to canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda. The passport card is a walletsized identification card that proves us citizenship. Make sure you understand the current us passport requirement to canada. For canada crossings, nexus card no longer beats a us passport. Your personal details must be an exact match of the details that appear in your passport book. Passport cards are also only valid in mexico, bermuda, canada and the caribbean. 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. The nexus card used to be the bestkept secret of frequent travelers to canada.
Although, keep in mind, while both can be used as forms of id when traveling, the passport card has some restrictions. Feb 12, 2019 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. Us passport book vs us passport card us visa connection. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for adults, and five years for travelers under age 16. I bet they will tell me to get the book but i think i will ask anyhow.
Aug 22, 2016 passport card is a walletsize travel document that can be used for land or sea travel to canada, mexico, bermuda, and the caribbean whereas a passport book can be used for international travel to all destinations by air, land, or sea. 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. Passport card vs passport book americas central america. This is a privately owned website and not a government agency. The passport book vs card question is one you may have if you are a firsttime international traveler. The passport card is a walletsize card that can only be used for land and sea travel between the united states and canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda. The us passport card does not contain any travel history and therefore officers should request a us passport book unless they are otherwise satisfied that the applicant continues to satisfy the residence requirement. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. 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. Adults who already have a fully valid passport book may apply for the card as a passport renewal. 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 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.
In addition to a regular passport, the passport book, u. However, each of these items comes with certain restrictions regarding when you can use them. Passport cards are a form of us passport that are the size of a credit card or drivers license. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel to. Oct 07, 2017 wondering whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. Enhanced drivers license many people may not know but depending on the.
They have been available to us citizens since 2008, and are meant to be a convenient way to prove your identity and citizenship. Passport card basically a limiteduse passport enhanced drivers licenseacts both as a driver license and a travel document, but also with limits well walk you through the basic differences of each of these documents, and help you determine which one is right for you. I would get the passport book or nothing the birth certificate and the passport card seem equal in value to me you cant fly home with either, and that would be the point of getting the passport book if there is an emergency and you are in a foreign country, you cannot get on an airplane without a passport book, period, so it seems like a. The difference between passport and passport card us. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. Sometimes it makes life more convenient to have both a passport book and a card, and carry them both on your international travel. Most us passports have a dark blue cover, and contain 28 pages. I recently got my very first united states passport, and i got a passport card at the same time. The passport card is available to all irish citizens who hold a valid irish passport book. 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. 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. The passport card is about the size of any credit card, and fits easily into your wallet for frequent travel. 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. Find uses and advantages of a passport book and a passport card and figure out which one is best for you, or if you should have both documents.
What is the differences between passport book vs passport card. To begin with, passport cards can not be used for air travel. You must have the original copies of all required documents. Here is a table showing the principal differences between a passport book and a passport card. The form for renewing a passport or passport card is ds82. 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. Both of these documents give you the ability to travel outside of the country. A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. 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.
Passport card for a reduced fee if you only plan to travel by land or sea to and from canada, mexico, bermuda, or the caribbean nations. You only need a passport book if you travel by air. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. If you make infrequent trips between the us and canada andor mexico by land and are not a frequent cruise passenger to the caribbean and you live in a state that provides a real id compliant drivers license yet you travel internationally by plane, it would make sense to get a passport book and not pay the extra money for a passport card. Passport books are likely what you think of when you imagine a passport a bookletstyle identification and travel document. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. Passport card vs passport book canada immigration forum.
Validity of a passport book is 10 years for adults, 5 years for minors under age 16 the size of a passport book is approximately 5 x 3. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane. In this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel. The us passport book vs passport card salon prive mag. For flight travel abroad you will need a new passport book by mid 2009. The application process is the same for either the passport book or card, even if you want both at the same time.
Should americans have both a passport book and a passport card. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u. 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. Regardless, the passport card that is issued in the united states still has select uses under select circumstances. However, if you get a passport card, it cannot be used for travel by air. To protect yourself against emergency situations, go with a passport book, which covers all international travel by air, sea or land. Passport books can be accepted in any country unless theyve barred us citizens from entry, like north korea, and are valid for visa applications, while a passport card can only be used to enter countries by land or sea. First of all, a passport card can be used for travel by sea to barbados. The main difference between a passport card and a passport book other than the physical size and format is that the card can not be used for any international travel by air. The primary justification i had for doing so was tha. Many people do not know but power of passports vary from one country to another.
United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for their travels abroad. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. 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. A passport card is less expensive than a traditional passport book. H ave you ever wished your passport could fit inside your wallet. If you need to get a passport in three weeks or less. In general, everyone must have a passport book or a regular passport to travel from one country to another. Whats the difference between a us passport book and card. 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. All international air travel for us passport holders, regardless of origin or destination airport, must be accompanied by a valid us passport book. Only available for passport book applicants in the united states not canada. You can get a us passport card, whether or not you currently hold a passport book.
However, the passport book is valid for all forms of travel. What is the differences between passport book vs passport. Passport card difference between passport book and passport card u. At the size of a drivers license, it is very portable.
The passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. Can be used for international travel via land, sea, or air. Aug 10, 2012 passport cards and passport books are no exception. In this case, you would apply for a passport renewal by mail. It can be used for travel to 31 countries in the european union eu and european economic area eea plus switzerland. They have been available to us citizens since 2008, and are meant to be a. You cannot use a passport card when traveling by air internationally. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. Difference between passport book and passport card compare. What is the difference between a passport and a passport card. Whether you get the passport book card both are valid for 10 years. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one.
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