The walletsized passport card is designed to be more convenient and less cumbersome than regular passports. Whats the difference between a us passport book and card. If you apply for a passport card it will be issued valid for 10 years regardless of the expiration date of your passport book. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. Jun 20, 2019 passport book is valid for international travel by air, sea, or land. However, the passport book is valid for all forms of travel. However, people find a passport card more convenient and accessible when carrying. 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. 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. Any us citizen wishing to travel internationally via air must have a passport book. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. The passport card is basically an individual credit cardsized id.
If you need to travel internationally, you must have a passport book. Be aware of the fact that a passport card is only valid for land and sea travel to canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda. An adult applying for a us passport renewal or firsttime passport can receive a card valid for ten years. The passport card is a cheaper alternative to the passport book. Your passport number is at the top right corner of the page your photo is on. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card.
The passport book has lots of pages for visas and arrivaldeparture stamps. The passport card is a very handy tool to have in your vital document wallet. What is the difference between a passport book and. I dont see any benefit of carrying both on a particular trip since theres no situation where a passport card is valid but a passport book is not, the entire purpose of the passport card is so that you dont have to carry around your passport book.
I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel to. One of the most important differences between the two is that passport book has been in use for longer time than the passport card. The most obvious difference between passport books and passport cards is the design, of course. Difference between a passport book and passport 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. Passport cardbasically 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. The us passport book vs passport card salon prive mag. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane. Since we all know how to acquire passport booklets, lets learn how to get hold of a passport card.
Passport book is valid for air, land and sea travel. 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 good news is a passport card is generally valid for the same time and has the same application process as a 26 or 52page passport book. Only one execution fee is charged for an individual applying for both a card and book at the same time. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states. The passport card is smaller when compared to the size of passport book. Whats the difference between a passport book and a. A passport card, while cheaper, only works when entering the united states at landborder crossings and via ports of entry from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda. Oct 23, 2017 passport card versus passport book a passport card will be cheaper than a regular passport for you to obtain. A passport card fits in your wallet, making it a more convenient form of id to carry on certain trips.
Of the internal pages, 17 are blank pages marked visas. One is a passport book, the traditional passport with the pages that get stamped. A passport book is valid for any international travel by air, sea or land. Of the internal pages, 17 are blank pages marked visas that are meant for travel visas and country entry and exit stamps. A passport card is cheaper to get but is only valid for travel to canada, mexico and the caribbean islands. This is because a passport book is the booklet containing information about the person to whom it has been issued, which is in addition to a number of blank pages that can be used for travel visas as well as the stamps when said individuals enters and exits a country. Yes, you can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book.
Oct 07, 2017 whether you get the passport book card both are valid for 10 years. Oct 16, 2017 the passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. Nov 23, 2018 proof of social security number ss card, a w2, or a pay stub with full ssn. Here is a table showing the principal differences between a passport book and a passport card. Here are the countries and territories where a us passport card is valid. 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 convenient and less expensive than a passport book.
In addition to a regular passport, the passport book, u. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for adults, and five years for travelers under age 16. Proof of social security number ss card, a w2, or a pay stub with full ssn. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. Weigh the cost of a passport versus a passport card.
The passport card has the same validity as the passport book. Passport card is wallet sized document while passport book size is 5. You can apply by mail using form ds82 if you have a passport book or card that. 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.
Most importantly, a us passport card cant be used for international air travel. Department of state, performs the same function of identifying the holder as a u. State department issues two versions of a passport. A passport is an official document that allows you to leave your country and go abroad. If you have a valid passport book, you do not have to get a passport card as well. The passport book is a thin cardboard cover with your picture and information inside it. So, given the differences between a passport book vs passport card, which one is right for you.
The us passport card is a small passport card, about the size of a credit card, that contains your photo. The difference between passport and passport card us. Us passport versus passport card we have the passport cards and never have any problems, as mater of fact the cards have chips in them so they know who you are when you pull up to the gate. It will be a benefit when using it to travel this is a privately owned website and not a government agency. Most us passports have a dark blue cover, and contain 28 pages. Types of us passport books get your passport book today. The official terms are passport book and passport card they are both passports. One of the advantages to having a us passport card is the miniscule size making it easy to store in a wallet or purse.
The processing time of the passport book will be within 4 to 6 weeks. See the chart below to decide which is best for you. What is the difference between a passport book and passport card. In this case, you would apply for a passport renewal by mail. 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. Aug 18, 2016 one is a passport book, the traditional passport with the pages that get stamped. Difference between passport book and passport card. Issued also by the us department of state, the passport card is a official identification document, but a limitedtravel document. 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. Apply for a passport at a certified location, such as the post office or passport office. Differences between a passport book and passport card. The passport book allows for all travel whether by air, land, or sea. Enhanced drivers license many people may not know but depending on the state that you live in a third option is available to you.
Apply for a passport card united states department of state. It is appropriate for all travel purposes except for travel for us government purposes, including tourist travel, business travel, flight crew travel, and travel. Passport book for reentry into the united states from any country. Both the passport book and passport card serve as proof of your u. The fee to obtain a passport card and passport book also changes. Processing time of passport book and passport card passport book. 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 only need a passport book if you travel by air. A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. The passport card was designed with the northern and southern u.
The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air. Also called tourist passports, regular passports, and ordinary passports, the passport book with the blue cover is the one issued to the vast majority of us citizens. Us passport card a passport card is the size of a drivers license and can be used only for travel by land or sea to canada. Just have all your papers for your animals and there is no problem, usually they dont even ask us for papers, but maybe they already have records. Passport book lets you travel by air internationally, but the card doesnt. However, if youre considering a passport book vs passport card, just get both. The passport card can be used only to reenter the u. 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. Aug 10, 2012 a passport book is bigger than a passport card. 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. People, who are living us border communities, can make use of the passport card. The passport publication has lots of pages for arrivaldeparture stamps and visas, while the passport card is a id card.
Generally speaking, when someone is thinking about a passport, chances are good that they are thinking about a passport book. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport. Passport card versus passport book should i get a passport. It has several pages for visas and travel documents. This is because a passport book is the booklet containing information about the person to whom it has been issued, which is in addition to a number of blank pages that can be used for travel visas as well as the stamps when said individuals. We hope this helped you to consider your options about a passport vs.
In conclusion, the passport book versus passport card is important to know. You will also need the passport book in order to receive a travel visa from countries that require an issue them. You can just slip it in your wallet, right behind your drivers license. The passport card, meanwhile, is both less expensive and less flexible. The difference between a passport book or card getaway usa. These come in the form of a traditional passport book, along with a passport card. Passport card versus passport book a passport card will be cheaper than a regular passport for you to obtain. 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. Both passport books and cards are valid for 10 years, so if it fits your travel plans, the passport card can be a cheaper alternative. Nov 20, 2017 a passport card allows significantly fewer opportunities for the holder to travel, but often its enough for some. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u. Along with allowing for international travel, passports can be used to prove your identity and citizenship, especially when you need multiple forms of identification. Passport card is also valid for international travel but by land or sea only.
It was designed for people who travel frequently between the u. They let you travel to canada, mexico, bermuda, and the caribbean by land and sea. If issued for the full validity, they are both proof of your u. 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. The us passport card is a credit cardsized identification document. Whether you get the passport bookcard both are valid for 10 years. We want you to know about a few differences between the book. The traditional us passport book is what you would expect from a passport while the us passport card is the size of a credit card or regular sized drivers license. What is the difference between a passport and a passport card. 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. 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.
It is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors under 16. Passport card vs passport book carnival cruise lines. 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. A name change document, like a marriage certificate, may also be required. For flight travel abroad you will need a new passport book by mid 2009. United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for their. 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. As passport books allows more activities as compare to passport card so they tend to cost more as well. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. 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. Its in the form of a booklet and states your name, birthday. The other is the passport card, which is just like a drivers license.
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 canada, mexico, the. No passport or passport card is required to travel to overseas u. Difference between passport book and passport card compare. The passport card passport card sample, image courtesy travel. First of all, a passport card can be used for travel by sea to barbados. A passport card is valid for travel to and from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda at land border crossings and sea portsofentry. Us passport cards are technically passports, but they are much more limited in their usability. 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 only for land and sea travel, which means there is no way travelers can use the passport card to board a plane. Residency document rental or lease agreement, mortgage or utility bill, etc. When you apply for a passport card, youll spend less money than you would when.