Here is a table showing the principal differences between a. Should you locate the passport after reporting it lost or stolen, submit it for cancellation to the consular lost and stolen passport unit clasp. Passport books are relatively small documents, generally 5 inches tall by 3. 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. The passport card is more convenient and less expensive. A passport card is also available for certain travel situations. Only applies to mailing addresses within the united states. All travelers are required to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the united states.
The passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. April 15, 2020 update because of public health measures to prevent the spread of covid19, effective march 20, we have limited u. Adult passports are valid for 10 years and may be renewed by mail. The type of passport you need to visit canada depends on where you call home. Youll be able to use your passport card to apply for a passport book using form ds82 and the same procedure that is used for passport renewals. Apply for a passport card bureau of consular affairs us.
Passport america, the original 50% off discount camping club, now offers nearly 1600 quality discount campgrounds to choose from. You should know there are restrictions on a passport card. If so, you will need to renew it before you leave the united states. United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for their travels abroad. You should expect significant delays if you applied for or renewed your passport and requested routine service. A passport card serves the same purpose as a passport book.
I have a valid passport card, but now i want to get a passport book. You can mail your renewal application directly to the state department yourself. Otherwise, it carries the rights and privileges of the u. Passport requirements for travel to jamaica getaway usa. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states. Therefore, it can be used for all forms of travel air, land, and sea to and from any destination outside of. 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. Passport cards are only valid for canada, mexico, and the caribbean. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsofentry from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda.
In certain circumstances, citizens may wish to obtain a passport card rather than a passport book, for reasons of cost and convenience. Passport card difference between passport book and passport card u. The united states passport card is an official identity and. You may modify this appointment until to change your appointment location, cancel this appointment and create a new one to change the date, time, number of applicants, or contact information, edit your appointment information and. 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. Only one execution fee is charged for an individual applying for both a card and book at the same time. National will be printed instead of usa on the front of the 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. They have been available to us citizens since 2008, and are meant to be a convenient way to prove your identity and citizenship. Note that it cannot be used for international air travel. A completed, but unsigned, ds11 application evidence of citizenship original and photocopy must be. A passport card is less expensive than a traditional passport book. You must present your passport to the customs and border protection officer upon arrival in the united states. Does a passport card work to go to canada by train.
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. Your old passport book andor card will be returned to you, but generally it will come in a separate mailing from your new passport. The us passport card is a credit cardsized identification document. Learn more on our covid19 update page and our frequently asked questions page. The card can be used for entering the united states at land border crossings and sea portsofentry from. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air. The passport card contains a vicinityread radio frequency identification rfid chip.
The passport card cannot be used for international air travel. Check the appropriate boxes on the top of the application form ds82. All applicants submitting this form must apply in person at an acceptance facility, regional passport agency or, if currently outside the united states, at a u. Important information for travel to cuba united airlines. We recommend you make a copy of your passport and put it in a separate place as a safeguard in case it is lost or stolen. Department of state, is compliant to the standards for identity documents set by the real id act and can be used as proof. The passport card is a travel document that can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports of entry. Differences between a passport book and passport card. Department of state of the views or products contained therein. If your passport is stolen during your stay in jamaica, report the theft to local police before contacting the united states embassy in capital city kingston. 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. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. The passport card facilitates entry and expedites document processing at u. Travelers who are citizens of the united states count canada as a.
A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. If you are traveling outside the united states via air travel, you will still need a traditional passport book as a passport card is not valid for air travel. Us passport book and passport card online application. Passport books and cards are alternatives to a stateissued id. State department issues two versions of a passport. An emergency passport is issuable by the embassy or consulate. 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 card cannot be used for international air travel. 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. When to carry both sometimes it makes life more convenient to have both a passport book and a card, and carry them both on your international travel. Passport card frequently asked questions with answers. Does anyone know if the usa passport card can be used for entry in to the dominican republic or does a visitor need the book.
Passport holder, passport book cover, maxjoy leather passport wallet for menwomem, rfid blocking travel passport wallet card organizer passport case, black 4. Passport card the standard passport book covers all the bases. Entering the united states at land border crossings and sea portsofentry from. Supervisor kate murray town clerk book and card town of hempstead acceptance facility 1 washington street, hempstead, ny 11550 516 8123100 an average application will require. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one.
Passport book and passport card a passport book is required for all international travel by air. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. They can be used for land or sea travel to canada, mexico, bermuda. A passport book is required for all international travel by air. Youll submit your passport card as part of the package, instead of submitting a passport. All visitors are required to have health insurance that is accepted in cuba. To renew your passport, you must apply by mail or in person at a passport agency, if you are traveling within 14 days. Carry your passportdo not pack it in your checked luggage. Not only do they look different, they serve slightly different purposes. If so, youve probably noticed the option for a passport card. Although, keep in mind, while both can be used as forms of id when traveling, the passport card has some restrictions. I am in the process of getting passports for my kids and wondering if i should just get the card since it is cheaper. United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for their.
Passport cards are a form of us passport that are the size of a credit card or drivers license. Paid per application for 12 day delivery of an issued passport book from the department of state to the customer. An application for a united states passport made abroad is forwarded by a u. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. Passport card is a travel document that can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or sea portsofentry. Passport fees 2020 for routine and expedited services. To enter the united states at land border crossings or sea portsofentry from canada, mexico. While both passport book and card are valid to cross into canada by train, united states citizens over the age of 16 also have several alternative options. 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.
A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, but it cannot be used for international travel by air. 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. The resulting passport is sent to the embassy or consulate for issuance to the applicant. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. Due to public health measures to prevent the spread of covid19, we suspended offering expedited service on march 19, 2020. Form ds11 is used to apply for a new passport or to replace a lost, stolen or damaged one. Most nations issue this type of passport with a durable outer cover that protects a number of interior paper pages. 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.