Us passport book vs us passport card

The difference between a passport book or card getaway usa. A passport book is valid for any international travel by air, sea or land. What is the difference between a passport and a passport card. In general, everyone must have a passport book or a regular passport to travel from one country to another. Passport card department of foreign affairs and trade. A passport book may not be a massive document by any means, but having something as small as the card to fit in your wallet is definitely less of a hassle. To be considered as an adult you must be 16 or older, and to. Us passport book vs us passport card us visa connection. Infact for traveling abroad, one needs a passport for sure. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane.

If you apply for a passport card it will be issued valid for 10 years regardless of the expiration date of your passport book. You cannot use a passport card when traveling by air internationally. 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. For canada crossings, nexus card no longer beats a us passport. 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. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u. Regardless, the passport card that is issued in the united states still has select uses under select circumstances. I f youve wondered what the difference is between a passport book and a passport card, youve come to the right place. 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 most obvious difference between passport books and passport cards is the design, of course. Any us citizen wishing to travel internationally via air must have a passport book. T here are a variety of united states passport books that are issued to travelers for specific reasons. Passport cards are also only valid in mexico, bermuda, canada and the caribbean.

Can be used for international travel via land, sea, or air. 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 card, which is made of plastic and is about the. However, if youre considering a passport book vs passport card, just get both. Our guide to us passport books will teach you about the different types of passport books so you will understand which one you need and why. Although, keep in mind, while both can be used as forms of id when traveling, the passport card has some restrictions. The us passport card is less expensive to get then passport book, and is much smaller. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. Learn more about how a passport card differs from a passport book. Passport is a document providing national identity and identification of an individual. It is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors under 16. A passport card serves the same purpose as a passport book. Passport book booklet style id travel document standard passport book has 28 pages. What is the differences between passport book vs passport. This service is not available for passport card applicants.

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. The passport card is available to all irish citizens who hold a valid irish passport book. In this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel.

Difference between passport book and passport card. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. There are, however, some key differences that need to be considered. 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. 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. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsofentry from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda.

Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport. Only available for passport book applicants in the united states not canada. 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. Passport card difference between passport book and passport card u. There are several options when it comes to forms of identification for travel. Your personal details must be an exact match of the details that appear in your passport book. 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. It can be used for travel to 31 countries in the european union eu and european economic area eea plus switzerland. 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. A passport card is cheaper to get but is only valid for travel to canada, mexico and the caribbean islands. The nexus card used to be the bestkept secret of frequent travelers to canada. There are similarities as well as differences between the two options, which will be further discussed here. Depending on how you plan to visit canada, you may be able to use a passport book, passport card, or even a nexus card. 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.

The passport card contains a vicinityread radio frequency identification rfid chip. What is the differences between passport book vs passport card. For those of you who are about to get a us passport renewed or getting one for the first time, there is something called a passport card its biometric and usually only good between rail, boat and car in canadamexicobermuda etc but it is proof that you do own a us passport. Both of these documents give you the ability to travel outside of the country.

The first version is the conventional passport book and the second one is in the form of passport card. If you still got any questions about us passport book and card, you can always contact travel visa pro. You can just slip it in your wallet, right behind your drivers license. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsof. A passport card is valid for travel to and from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda at land border crossings and sea portsofentry.

See below the differences between a passport book vs. If you need to travel internationally, you must have a passport book. The other is the passport card, which is just like a drivers license. The official terms are passport book and passport card they are both passports. Whats the difference between a us passport book and 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. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea. However, people find a passport card more convenient and accessible when carrying.

Us passport books and us passport cards the differences. 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. Passport card the standard passport book covers all the bases. 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. They have been available to us citizens since 2008, and are meant to be a convenient way to prove your identity and citizenship. 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. As such, the passport card is adjudicated to the exact standards as the passport book. Types of us passport books get your passport book today. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states. So, given the differences between a passport book vs passport card, which one is right for you. The walletsized passport card is designed to be more convenient and less cumbersome than regular passports.

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. However, each of these items comes with certain restrictions regarding when you can use them. S department of state offers two versions of a passport. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. The passport card is about the size of any credit card, and fits easily into your wallet for frequent travel. Us passport book and passport card online application. The us passport card is a credit card sized identification document. 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. There are very important differences between the passport card and the 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. The adult and minor passport card fees are about the same. Difference between passport book and passport card compare. Just beware that not all caribbean locations will accept this as a valid id per wikipedia. Nov 20, 2017 a passport card allows significantly fewer opportunities for the holder to travel, but often its enough for some.

A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. The difference between passport and passport card us. Whats the difference between a passport book and a. The passport card has one fee for us citizens when you apply for the first time, and another fee when you already have a passport. Aug 10, 2012 passport cards and passport books are no exception. You must have the original copies of all required documents. Applicants must provide documents which attest to their u. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card.

The difference between the numbers is two digits and the letter c. Jun 20, 2019 passport book is a globally recognized travel document while passport card is not a globally recognized document. A us passport card is a limited international identification. United states citizens can get either a passport book or a passport card for their travels abroad. 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. A passport book is required for all international travel by air. One is a passport book, the traditional passport with the pages that get stamped. 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. 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. Oct 16, 2017 the passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us.

Differences between a passport book and passport card. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. 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. To begin with, passport cards can not be used for air travel. Passport book is a globally recognized travel document while passport card is not a globally recognized document.

It attests to your united states citizenship and your identity. Make sure you understand the current us passport requirement to canada. The passport book vs card question is one you may have if you are a firsttime international traveler. The us passport book vs passport card salon prive mag. The passport card is a fully valid passport that attests to the u. Today, united states citizens need a passport to travel to neighboring countries such as mexico and canada. 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. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. Our guide will show you the uses and advantages of each document, and will help you figure out which one is best for you, or if you should have both. Here is a table showing the principal differences between a passport book and a passport card. A passport card is also available for certain travel situations. 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. What is the difference between a passport book and. May, 2019 in this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel.

Passport card can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. 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. Many people do not know but power of passports vary from one country to another.