If your usual international travel plans primarily involve crossing US borders to nearby neighboring countries, the passport card might be just the ticket for you. First, you should carefully consider your travel timeframe, the requirements when applying for the card, and how long it takes to receive it under normal conditions. If you are traveling earlier than it appears you can get your card, it might be necessary to apply for an quick passport card.
This new travel document was designed for United States residents of the northern and southern border states who frequently cross the border to work, shop, or visit family. It is meant to be a more convenient and less expensive alternative to a regular passport. First made available in 2008, it is an option for any US citizen.
The passport card was designed for a specific type of travel and can be used for that purpose only. The guidelines allow it to be used for return to the United States via land or sea border crossings, but only from certain countries. Those countries include Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean islands, and Bermuda. It will not be accepted for travel by air to or from any of these countries, nor can it be used to travel to any countries not on this list.
Though the passport card is for limited travel under specific situations, it has as stringent application requirements as a regular passport. If you wish, you can submit one application for both the card and a traditional passport on the same form. If this is your first application to the Passport Agency for any type of document, you must physically apply. You can do this by going to a Passport Agency office, if there is one near you, or you can go to an Acceptance Facility, which is usually located at your local post office or a governmental agency office.
For a new applicant, you must complete form DS-11 and submit it to the agent at the Acceptance Facility. In addition, you must provide proof of your citizenship, proof of your identity, two passport photos that meet the application requirements, and the fee for the passport card. You will also have to pay the Acceptance Facility a fee to cover their work, as an intermediary agent of the Passport Agency. This fee is separate from the fee you pay to the issuing agency.
It is important that you understand what documents of proof are considered acceptable. For proof of citizenship you can supply an official copy of your birth certificate issued state of your birth. If you are a citizen born outside the country you must present a Consular Report of Birth Abroad document. If you have become a US citizen through a naturalization process, you can submit your Certification of Citizenship. A form of identification with a photo, issued by a governmental agency, is also required. This could be a valid license to drive, a military identification card, or a current city, state, or federally issued identification card. Whichever form of identification you choose to present, make a photocopy of it in advance to leave with your application.
For current passport holders there is a streamlined application process to get a passport card. While it is not necessary to have a card in this circumstance, it might be desirable for those who frequently travel by land or sea to the designated countries and prefer not to carry their traditional passport. In this situation, the application can be completed via the mail without having to appear at an Acceptance Facility. The application form in this case is the DS-82, which is for current passport holders. If the current passport is due, or almost due, for renewal, that can be accomplished at the same time as the passport card application. In this case, the supporting documentation includes the current passport and new photos. When submitting by mail, do not forget to include payment for the fees for the card, and passport renewal fee, if appropriate.
Normal processing times for receiving a card are approximately four to six weeks from receipt of the application. If it’s necessary to have the card faster than this, there is an option to request an express passport card. There is an additional $60 fee, above and beyond the other fees for this service. Choosing to expedite will generally cut the processing time by half. In addition, there will be the cost of priority US passport delivery services used to ship the card to the recipient.