Do you need a passport book and card to travel

If you are looking to book a cruise you may be wondering if you need a passport to cruise. 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. If you plan on flying, boating or driving to mexico, you can apply for a small passport or a pass card. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel to barbados. The passport card is only accepted at land and sea border crossings between the u.

A passport book is required for all international travel by air. A us passport card can only be used for land and sea travel to canada, mexico or the caribbean. June 3, 2014 by travel maestro leave a comment johns u. Do i need a passport book, passport card, or passport book. For the majority of travelers, the regular passport book is the way to go. 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. 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. Note that youll also need a tourist card if youre planning a trip to mexico. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card. 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. Do you need a passport to travel within the united states.

I f youve wondered what the difference is between a passport book and a passport card, youve come to the right place. For air travel to canada for us citizens, you need your passport, if you are to travel by sea or land, you can use your passport book, or passport card, nexus card, or your enhanced drivers. Whether you need a passport book or card for your travels, come on down to the nearest travel visa pro to discuss your options. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. If theres the slightest possibility that youre going to travel by air in the next 10 years, it would. Passport books are likely what you think of when you imagine a passport. Does a passport card work to go to canada by train. Ed perkins a nationally recognized reporter, writer, and consumer advocate, ed perkins focuses on. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for adults, and five years for travelers under age 16.

How to apply for a new passport card rush my passport. Passport cards are wallet sized while the passport book is larger and thicker. 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. However, depending on your method of entry into mexico, you may not need a passport book. However, it doesnt always make sense to have only the passport card, especially if you plan to travel by plane overseas. Department of state of the views or products contained therein. In conclusion, the passport book versus passport card is important to know.

You do not need a valid passport book in order to apply for a passport id card, and you can apply for either the card only, or you can apply for a passport book and a passport card at the same time. In a short period of time, passport services received over 350,000 applications for the passport card. For most americans, the passport card is not worth the cost, unless you happen to live close to a border and make regular trips in and out. You cannot use the passport card for international air travel, nor can you use it for travel to other international destinations. If you already hold a passport book, your card will be issued with a different number. Most us passports have a dark blue cover, and contain 28 pages. If you still got any questions about whether you need a passport book or card, please contact travel visa pro.

The bahamian government only requires proof of citizenship e. The card is for people who frequently drive across the border but dont intend to fly. A passport card only applies to land or sea travel to certain locations internationally, which is noted on the back of the card. Do you need a passport card or passport book to travel by. In this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel. You cant use a passport card for flying, but you can use one to enter the united states by sea and land from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda. You cannot use a passport card when traveling by air internationally. This has, unsurprisingly, caused a lot of confusion for individuals who are getting ready to travel. If youre a citizen of the united states, and youre thinking about traveling to mexico, but you dont yet have a passport, you might consider getting a passport card instead of a regular passport book. The card may not be used to travel by air outside the united states. The passport card has benefits, but does not offer the same list of privileges as a traditional passport.

The state departments website offers complete details and an online application form. The passport card is a very handy tool to have in your vital document wallet. Department of state passport services recently began issuing the passport card as an alternative to the traditional passport book. But, the passport card can only be used for international travel by land and sea.

Youll need a passport book thats valid for the entire length of your stay, and youll need it to return to the u. 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. You must have the original copies of all required documents. Do you need a passport to go to mexico explorando baja.

You can get both, but you can just choose one, depending on what kind of travel you are planning to do. 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. You should know that the passport card is only valid for travel by land and sea within mexico, canada, bermuda, and the caribbean, and you can not use it for air travel or for travel to other. Think of a passport book as the lowest common denominator for travel to any european country for adults andor minor children. Do you need a passport or a drivers license to fly at the airport. If you are in doubt, buying a passport is always a good idea. It can also be used for domestic air travel in the usa. Can you use the passport card for travel to the bahamas. Depending on where you are traveling outside of the u. Jamaica doesnt require a tourist visa if youre staying up to 90 days. From passport cards to global entry, which trusted. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane.

I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel. Do you know the difference between a passport and a passport card. A passport book is the best travel document for cruising the waves, but a passport card is a cheaper, more convenient alternative for certain types of international travel, including cruises. The passport book is a real passport, and allows you to fly internationally. There are no passport control stations at state lines. Any international destination will require a passport to leave the us and to enter another nation, and then to enter the us again.

In 2008, the united states government introduced a passport card, which can be used to travel to some countries. 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. International plane travel always requires a passport, so youd need a passport to fly home in an emergency. These can range in cost depending on how soon you need it, but overall, it will be less expensive than a passport book and much easier to carry in your. More specifically, it can be used when entering the u. If you miss your ship or have an emergency and need to fly home, the card will do you no good. If youre thinking of going on a cruise, the passport card might be nice when you need a from of identification to get on and off the ship. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the u. It is smaller and more convenient to carry than a passport book, and it is less expensive to obtain. In other words, you will almost always need a passport book or passport card to enter the united states of america. Passport books are likely what you think of when you imagine a passport a bookletstyle identification and travel document. The irish passport card is a travel document that irish citizens can use for certain travel instead of the standard passport book.

If your travel plans take you to a country bordering the u. You can use this creditcardsized document to reenter the united states from mexico, canada, bermuda and the caribbean when traveling by land or sea. The passport book is the traditional multipage document that border agents stamp as you travel through. The passport card is also commonly used for travelers that wish to take a cruise but do not plan on ever traveling by plane. While some cruises may not require a passport if your disney cruise starts and ends at the same us port, the us department of state recommends always traveling with a passport. Knowing whether you need a passport book or a passport card is relatively simple and can be explained in just a few simple steps. Differences between a passport book and passport card. Though you may be asked for a passport as proof of identity if youre not a u. It gives you more options and flexibility, which are two things i.

If you want to renew either a valid book or a card, you must submit the specific document you want to renew. You will need a passport book if you plan to travel by airplane. If theres the slightest possibility that youre going to travel by air in the next 10 years, it would be better if you simply obtain the passport book. How to know if you need a passport book or passport card. I currently have a passport card that was issued in june 2009. To enter the united states at land border crossings or sea portsofentry from canada, mexico, the. Pretty soon, your current drivers license may not be enough to get you through security at the airport. If you plan to travel by air or wish to visit a country other than canada, mexico, bermuda or one of the other caribbean island nations, you should apply for a passport book instead.

Its less expensive than a passport book, and more portable. In this post, we explore which cruises dont require passports and look at the guidance provided by the cruise lines. Travel articles do you need a passport or a passport card. The best consumerfriendly travel regulations youve never heard of passports and passport cards. You can use the passport card when traveling in the european union, the european economic area which includes iceland, liechtenstein and norway and switzerland.