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. Passport cards are gradually becoming more and more popular, but as las vegas fox 5 news reports, there is still a lot of confusion about what type of travel they can actually be used for, and. Difference between passport book and passport card u. The us passport card is a small passport card, about the size of a credit card, that contains your photo and identifying information. 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. The passport book allows the holder to travel worldwide with proper visa and documentation, while the passport card only allows the holder to travel to and fro neighboring countries such as canada, mexico, bahamas and the caribbean. Differences between a passport book and card travel restrictions for passport book and card. Standard passport books have 17 blank pages, but you can actually start with more. You may also have your passport photo taken for all passports new and renewals. What are the differences between a passport book vs.
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. 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 passport card is the size of a drivers license and is used for convenience as it is smaller and cheaper than the passport book. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel. If you dont want to spend the money for the full passport i would save what you would have spend on the card and use it toward a full passport book in the future. Difference between passport book and passport card. Differences between a passport book and passport card. Us passport books and us passport cards the differences. Travel articles do you need a passport or a passport card. However, the passport book is valid for all forms of travel.
The fee to obtain a passport card and passport book also changes. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. 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 which countries can be accessed with us. The passport card is the size of your drivers license or state id, fitting in your wallet. The difference between the two is that the new passport is about 116 inch thicker. Yes, you can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book.
Whats the difference between a passport book and a. Can be used for international travel via land, sea, or air. 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. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane. Northeast regional library at 2228 cottman avenue is now an officiallydesignated passport application acceptance facility. 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. The united states passport card is an official identity and limited travel document issued by the. In this article, well go over the differences between the u. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card. What is the difference between a passport card number and. In october 2015, ireland became one of the first countries in the world to launch a passport card. Differences between passport book and passport card.
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. In this case, you would apply for a passport renewal by mail. A passport card provides valid identification for national travel, but only provides valid identification for certain types of international travel. And, actually, the passport card will slow down your checkin time at the port a little bit, as they currently cannot be scanned into the computer like the passport books are. However, when they went to apply for new passports, the clerk steered them toward ordering one of the walletsized new passport cards. New passport and renewal passport applicants can request the 52 page passport book for no additional cost. A passport card is only good for travel by land and sea, not by plane. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u. An adult passport card looks similar to a drivers license, and is valid for ten years. The difference between the numbers is two digits and the letter c. A passport card allows significantly fewer opportunities for the holder to travel, but often its enough for some.
The us passport book vs passport card salon prive mag. We want you to know about a few differences between the book and card so you can. 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. The biggest difference between a passport book and passport card is that passport cards are only valid to enter canada, mexico, bermuda, and. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel.
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. What is the differences between passport book vs passport. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states. If thats your very first passport and unless you just started a career that requires frequent travel abroad, youre very unlikely to either get or need the 52page variant. Along with this, you need to submit your passport card, one passport photo.
An electronic passport, or epassport, is the same as a traditional passport with the addition of a small integrated circuit or chip embedded in one of the covers or pages. If you plan on traveling by air or anywhere outside of canada, mexico, bermuda. Along with the usual and regular passport, they are also provided with a facility to use passport card only if they plan to visit certain countries by using land or sea facility. It is only billed as an alternative for nonair travel to canada, mexico. Passport card has the same period of validity as the u.
New passport cards confuse travelers rush my passport. What is the difference between a passport card or book. A passport card is valid for travel to and from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda at land border crossings and sea portsofentry. Here is a table showing the principal differences between a passport book and a passport card. 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. See below the differences between a passport book vs. Passport card information must be entered manually by the cm at checkin.
Passport is a must for any person that is looking to internationally travel via any means. Usually, us passports will have a dark blue cover and have 28 pages, 17 pages of which are. Net passport gives net members extended ondemand access to a rich library of public television programming, including current and archival programs from pbs today there are more than 1,600 episodes of content available to donors through net passport, and the library will continue to grow over time. For other countries it is not the same thing as your passport number. The passport card can only be used for landsea travel from the united states to bermuda, canada, mexico, and the adjacent islands of the caribbean. It is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors under 16. The passport card is not valid for any air travel, including to canada. A passport card can only be used to travel by land or sea. If you have one, it will state so in your passports identification page the page with your picture on it. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air. Passport books are the common thing that comes to mind whenever a passport is mentioned it is a travel document and identification in a booklet. Excellent form of official identification for children or nondrivers.
The chip adds digital security features, including biometrics, that show the passport is authentic and the information in the chip has not been altered. My understanding is that the choice between 24 and 52 pages is at the discretion of the passport office. Large 54 page usa passport international travel news. Effective march 24, 2020, the issuance of passport books and cards has been suspended until further notice. A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. Passport books are larger than cards and come with many pages for customs stamps. 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. Whats the difference between a us passport book and card. Difference between a passport book and passport card. The passport card is about the size of any credit card, and fits easily into your wallet for frequent travel.
The cardformat passport is for international travel by u. Passport books are more expensive than cards, both to apply for and to. The traditional passport book is still required for most travel purposes. Frequent travelers should consider requesting the 52 page passport book when applying for a passport. Launching the irish passport card department of foreign. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. A book allows you to travel anywhere else assuming you have all the other documents, visas etc. What is the difference between a passport and a passport. I have started to fill in the form with my current uk passport number, country of citizenship, issuing country etc as well as my passport details related to the question valid passport book, you do not have to get a passport card as well.
Cant see a reason youd need both other than another form of id that fits in your wallet. The passport card is valid for the same 10 year period 5 years for under 16 years old and is convenient. It is noted that a passport card is generally bought at a low cost and can only be used for countries such as canada, mexico, and caribbean islands. The difference between passport and passport card us. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. Just not much difference at all and i seriously doubt youd even notice. Passport book vs passport card passport blog simple. Apparently, neither the clerk nor the housleys was aware of one of the crucial differences between a passport book and a 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 canada, mexico, the. Since the passport card is apparently worthless, it is better to leave that than your actual passport. The us passport card is less expensive to get then passport book, and is much smaller. 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. Passport cards only allow you to make land and sea crossing to canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda.
Getting a card only allows you to visit canada and mexico. Heres a look at the key differences and various other pieces of info which will prove very useful. Another benefit of the passport card, is that it is a cheaper alternative to the book. If you are legally staying in spain and have a spanish residencia card as i. For uk and us passports the book number is the same as the passport number. My wife and i are planning a trip to mexico in the fall of 2014, and i am trying to figure this out. Passport book is a globally recognized travel document while passport card is not a globally recognized document. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. You can use the card for land and sea border crossings at canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda only. The difference between a passport book and passport card. The passport book has plenty of pages for visas and arrivaldeparture stamps, while the passport card is a onepiece creditcardsized id card. Costs the same, but has more than double the visa pages of the 28 page passport 28 pages, but only 18 visa pages.
The passport card is the same size of a credit card or driver license. What is the difference between a machine readable passport. Also, if you get a passport card separately from your passport, it has a different number and expiration date also costs a bit more. Passport books and cards are alternatives to a stateissued id. Passport processing and photo services free library. A real passport book can get you anywhere in the world, while the passport card is limited. What is the difference between a passport book and. If you are traveling by air or to most countries, you will need a traditional passport book, with pages for your various visas. The passport card is smaller when compared to the size of passport book. We have three kids and there is a pretty big price difference between the types of passports.