If your travel plans take you to a country bordering the u. Unfortunately, you cannot upgrade your passport card to a passport book. Differences between a passport book and passport card. 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. I currently have a passport card and never hard use for it but not to sure if i should apply for a passport book. There is no reason to ever get a passport card, unless you only travel to canada, mexico or caribbean. If youre not eligible to renew your passport, please go to our apply in. 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 a passport book and passport card. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison.
A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, but it cannot be used for international travel by air. If you have a valid passport book, you do not have to get a passport card as well. I am trying to figure out if i need a passport book. Travelbuzz applying for passport card wo giving up passport book. Any us citizen wishing to travel internationally via air must have a passport book. Passport book for reentry into the united states from any country. Aug 18, 2016 one is a passport book, the traditional passport with the pages that get stamped. If you are traveling by air or to most countries, you will need a traditional passport book, with pages for your various visas.
The card cant be used for international air travel. Passport card difference between passport book and passport card u. If you have a passport card and you are eligible to use form ds82. I want a card so i can frequently travel to mexico while my passport book is on hold for getting a visa to travel to china. 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. I use my passport for primary id have lost my backup, for which i dont qualify for anymore anyway. Should americans have both a passport book and a passport card. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel. The us passport card in july of 2008, due to requests from residents along us borders for a more portable and easier application process than a regular passport, the united states department of state began issuing passport cards, a wallet sized identity card usable for international travel by land and sea, valid only for travel to.
Passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel. 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. Ds11 only has options under have you ever had either a passport card book for no, loststolen, or submitted with application. Oct 16, 2017 the passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. How to get a passport card if i already have a 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. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane.
The irish passport card is a travel document that irish citizens can use for certain travel instead of the standard passport book. Yes, you can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book. I recently got my very first united states passport, and i got a passport card at the same time. I bought a passport card a few months ago to go on a cruise. Can i upgrade from a passport card to a passport book. The passport card is designed to be a less expensive and more portable alternative to the passport book. Travel articles do you need a passport or a passport card. Should i get a passport card to go along with my passport. Sep 30, 2015 while you are making the plans, now is a great time to make sure everyone has a passport and the expiration date. I have a passport book for about five years now, but i wanted to obtain a passport card. Department of state of the views or products contained therein.
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. 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. You can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel to. The difference between passport and passport card us. 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. The only reason youd most likely need a passport is if you got missed he ship for whatever reason. Many passport application acceptance facilities, which include libraries, clerks of court, and post offices, are not accepting u.
When you apply for a new passport, should you get a passport book or passport card. How will my completed passport book andor passport card be sent to. Passport cards can only be purchased as an addon feature when applying for a passport book. The us passport card is a small passport card, about the size of a credit card, that contains your photo and identifying information.
However, if you get a passport card, it cannot be used for travel by air. Oct 07, 2017 wondering whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. You can carry your passport card with you at all times and leave the passport book safe in the hotel room locker. A passport card fits in your wallet, making it a more convenient form of id to carry on certain trips. In this case, you would apply for a passport renewal by mail. If you already have a passport book, you might be able to apply for your very first passport card by mail. Passport card cannot be used for international air travel. 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. 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 book booklet style id travel document standard passport book has 28 pages. Does a passport card work to go to canada by train. The goal is to enjoy as much visafree travel as possible, especially to those countries you wish to visit regularly.
We are now planning on taking a flight out of the country and i need a passport book. Passport card vs passport book canada immigration forum. The passport card is also a valid form of id so it is useful to have it on you at all times when traveling abroad. Jun 23, 2009 the walletsize passport card is convenient and less expensive than the passport book. If your cruise departs from florida but stops in jamaica before returning to florida, youll need your passport card. An adult passport card looks similar to a drivers license, and is valid for ten years. Difference between passport book and passport card compare. 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. One is a passport book, the traditional passport with the pages that get stamped. Passport card vs passport book isnt the passport card restricted in some countries. It is a credit cardsized, laminated document that is less expensive than the passport book, and discounted further if the traveler also holds a valid passport book, but it is not necessary to have a passport book to get the passport card. 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. Applying for passport card wo giving up passport book.
It is intended to be used in place of the standard u. If you are traveling by air or to most countries, you will need a. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. Passport book andor card, will be placed int o our consular lost and stolen passport system. If im remembering correctly, you can use your passport card when travelling by land or sea. However, since passport cards arent valid for flying, again i dont see how theyre helpful in that region. One instance could be, if you want to travel to jamaica, youll need a passport book. The passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us.
I applied to renew my passport this past summer, and i had the option of applying for a just a passport book, or b both a passport book and also a passport card, which can be used in certain intercountry travel situations cant remember what situations either. Sherry housley and her daughter whitney had planned to to take a motherdaughter vacation by the ocean in cozumel, mexico. If any of the following apply to you, you may want to obtain a passport card. But later it does talk about needed it to gain citizenship. Your personal details must be an exact match of the. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for adults, and five years for travelers under age 16. Passport cards are particularly useful for some people. In order to apply for your first passport card, youll need the same documentation you need to apply for a passport book. Passport card department of foreign affairs and trade. 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. If you are flying by plane, a cape, a giant eagle, or anything for that matter, you have to get the passport book. Us passport books and us passport cards the differences. In such situations, a passport card comes in handy because it is the size of a credit card and fits nicely in a wallet.
What is the difference between a passport book and passport card. A most important consideration when seeking another citizenship is how easily you can travel using that countrys passport. I applied to renew my passport this past summer, and i had the option of applying for a just a passport book, or b both a passport book and also a passport card, which can be used in certain intercountry travel situations cant remember what situations either, but doesnt really matter as it is irrelevant to my question. 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. Passport books and cards are alternatives to a stateissued id. I have a passport card, but also need a passport book for overseas. What is the difference between a passport book and passport. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book.
If youre renewing your passport book and passport card, you must submit both documents. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. Passport book vs passport card for kids the dis disney. Effective march 24, 2020, the issuance of passport books and cards has been suspended until further notice. I called the passport agency at 8774872778 to confirm thistwice. Passport card vs passport book americas central america.
The passport card is available to all irish citizens who hold a valid irish passport book. A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the u. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your. While you are making the plans, now is a great time to make sure everyone has a passport and the expiration date. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. Both documents are valid for 10 years for adults 16 and older, and 5 years for those under the age of 16. 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. Passport book booklet style id travel document standard passport book. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. The information you provide on the ds64, statement regarding a lost or stolen u. I know there used to be info on this somewhere, but i cant find it.
In order to apply for a passport book by mail, your current passport must meet the following requirements. Ds11 only has options under have you ever had either a passport cardbook for no, loststolen, or submitted with application. The other is the passport card, which is just like a drivers license. 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. If you can submit a passport book, but you lost your passport card, you cannot renew the passport card using form ds82. You will need to report the loss of your passport card by calling 8774872778 or by filling out the lost passport report form ds64 and mailing it to the address on the form. However, depending on where youre travelling, you might be ok with just the card. The passport card is a wallet side document that will be used to expedite document processing from the u. If you have also lost your passport book, please see our lost passport or stolen passport pages for details on how to replace your passport. Wondering whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card.
As of march 25, 2020, post offices which are still accepting applications are requiring customers to make an online appointment to apply in. Jul 26, 2019 unfortunately, you cannot upgrade your passport card to a passport book. The walletsize passport card is convenient and less expensive than the passport book. However, people find a passport card more convenient and accessible when carrying. You only need a passport book if you travel by air. Passport cards are delivered separately from passport books. Passport books are valid for travel by united states. Passport card vs passport book sep 16 cruise forum. I bet they will tell me to get the book but i think i will ask anyhow. The complete guide to offshore residency, dual citizenship and second passports robert e. A passport card can only be used to travel by land or sea. 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.
Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport. Entering the united states at land border crossings and sea portsofentry from. The passport book covers international travel by land, air and sea. 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. Passport card can be used to enter the united states from. 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. You dont need to present a passport or the card when entering and exiting the ship. 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. It is a credit card sized, laminated document that is less expensive than the passport book, and discounted further if the traveler also holds a valid passport book, but it is not necessary to have a passport book to get the passport card.
Only available for passport book applicants in the united states not canada. This service is not available for passport card applicants. The traditional passport book is still required for most travel purposes. The passport card has benefits, but does not offer the same list of privileges as a traditional passport.
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