Since June 1, 2009, all United States citizens traveling out of the country must show a passport to come back home. If you often travel to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, or Bermuda by land or sea, the United States passport card may be an excellent option for you. If you plan to travel outside the U. S. by air, you will need the passport book.
This card form of a passport is a convenient size to fit into a wallet. It is not as expensive as the passport book yet it is valid for the same time period. If you already have a valid passport book, you can get the card for . Processing time for the pass port card card and book are about the same; however, it may take longer to get the card as it is only shipped by US mail and overnight delivery is not available.
If you have ever had any kind of passport in the past you can use the renewal form to apply for the card. Even persons that may not have had a card in the past, but have had a book will use the renewal form to apply for the card. If you have never had a passport in the past, you must use the initial passport application and visit a processing center in person. The correct form for first time applicants is the DS-11 and it is available at the State Department web site.
The card uses an RFID chip that is embedded in the card. No personal information has been stored on your new passport card, but it will pull up information from the government’s secure database. The technology allows customs agents to access photos and biological information that has been stored in that database as you are approaching the station. There are built in security feature in the card to prevent counterfeiting or forgery. It is important that you keep your card in the sleeve that is sent to you in as this prevents it from being tracked or read by persons who are not authorized.
The card is most useful for persons that live in border communities. It will allow them to cross the border for shopping or visiting and return home easily. Since it is not acceptable for air travel, people who do not live near the border may be better served with the normal passport.
These rules will also affect commercial cruise passengers. Formerly travelers were able to use other means of identification, but now they must have their passports. Persons holding tickets who do not have proper documentation will be denied passage on the ship and forfeit the price of their tickets.
If you are planning a trip outside of the United States, whether by land, sea or air, you will need to make application for your passport early in the planning process. The cost is 5 for a normal application. It will take three to four weeks to get your passport back. Most people will want to plan at least six weeks to ensure the passports are back on time.
The passport card and the book are valid for ten years if you are over sixteen years of age. Younger persons are issued passports that are valid for five years. Apply now and avoid the rush.
