Passports Vs Passport Cards
In 2009, the US Department of State began allowing passengers to apply for a passport card, a smaller, wallet-sized version of a US passport. The passport card is about the same size as a driver's license or a credit card, so it is easy to carry. It is also cheaper than a regular passport: a new passport card costs $45 for an adult and $35 for a child, while a new passport costs $75 for an adult and $60 for a child.
However, just because a passport card costs less and is more conveniently sized than the traditional passport book, that doesn't necessarily make it the best choice. Passport cards were designed for a specific type of traveler- someone who frequently drives across either the Mexican or Canadian border. Passport cards were introduced to make it easier for people who frequently cross into Mexico or Canada to comply with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which went into effect in June of 2009 and requires US citizens to present a passport to get back into the US from these countries.
One important limitation of passport cards is that they are not valid for international air travel. They can only be used for land or sea travel, and only to countries included in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative: Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. This is a big deal-imagine driving into Mexico or going on a Caribbean cruise, only to have an emergency and need to fly back home!
Before you apply for a passport card, consider whether or not it is the right choice for you. For most people, a regular passport book is still the best choice. A passport book is valid for travel around the world, not just to countries in the Western Hemisphere. And, it's valid for air travel, too.
Like the passport book, the passport card is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under the age of 16. You can get a discount by applying for both a new passport and a new passport book at the same time.
