Almost everyone who travels is familiar with the deep blue cover of the United States passport book. Many think that these passports are the only way to legally leave or enter the country.
However, that’s not the case. For some types of travel, a small, light, and inexpensive passport card holds the same weight as a larger, more expensive passport book. Passport cards are also useful domestically.
Nevertheless, even frequent travelers may have no idea what a passport card is or why they should consider getting one. Although I have been to over 90 countries and renewed my passport more times than I can remember, I didn’t realize how useful a passport card can be or that it would quickly earn a permanent spot in my wallet for everyday use. I regret not getting one sooner.
Here’s why everyone should consider getting a passport card, and how to apply.
In this article
What Is a Passport Card?
A passport card is a travel document issued by the United States Department of State that’s about the size of a driver’s license. Like your license, a passport card includes a photograph and other identifying information, such as the cardholder’s name, date of birth, place of birth, and sex at birth.
However, unlike a standard driver’s license, a passport card serves as proof of identity and citizenship. Moreover, all passport cards are REAL ID compliant, whereas not all state-issued identification cards qualify as a REAL ID.
Although some choose to hold only a passport book or a passport card, Americans can hold both at the same time.
Where Can Passport Cards Be Used?
Passport cards are “designed primarily for travelers who frequently cross land borders or take cruises to nearby destinations,” explains Carlson Bowen, a passport and visa specialist at ItsEasy Passport and Visa.
However, passport cards are more versatile than most people realize. Because passport cards are REAL ID compliant, travelers can use them at TSA checkpoints for domestic air travel.
Passport cards can also be used for some international travel. Those “leaving or entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and certain Caribbean countries by land or sea” can use a passport card in lieu of a passport book, Bowen says.
Passport cards can also be used for closed-loop cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port, even if the ship makes stops in other countries.
Who Should Get a Passport Card?
Passport cards are especially useful for Americans who regularly drive into Canada or Mexico or take closed-loop cruises, though almost everyone can benefit from holding one.
Although passport cards were initially created as travel documents, they serve as identification for entering federal buildings, bars, or anywhere else identification is required. Their REAL ID-compliant standard design does not vary by state.
Passport cards are useful abroad, too, though they cannot be used for international flights (more on that in a minute). You could carry one as identification and leave your passport securely locked in the hotel safe instead.
Additionally, if you apply for a passport card before or after obtaining a passport book, you can use your card for qualifying travel or as an ID while your passport book is being renewed. That means you never have to be without a REAL ID or travel document.
What Are the Limitations of a Passport Card?
Although passport cards are useful for a variety of purposes, they have limitations.
“A passport card is not a replacement if you travel internationally by air,” Bowen emphasizes.
Indeed, passport cards are never accepted for international air travel, even to neighboring countries such as Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean. Likewise, travel to any country that requires a visa or stamp will require a passport book.
Moreover, traveling abroad with only a passport card comes with risks. For example, if you enter Mexico or Bermuda by land or cruise with a passport card and then unexpectedly need to fly home due to a family emergency, you will be out of luck. It won’t be accepted at the airport.
Similarly, if you board a closed-loop cruise with a passport card and have a medical emergency on a Caribbean island, you won’t be able to fly home for care.
As a result, for most Americans, the best approach is to get both a passport book and a passport card, advises Bowen.
How to Get a Passport Card
For all applicants, a passport card costs $30 for adults and $15 for minors under 16. Expedited service is available for an additional $60. If you apply for a passport book at the same time, additional fees will apply.
If you are applying for a passport or passport card for the first time, you must use Form DS-11 and schedule an in-person appointment with a Passport Acceptance Agent at a post office or other facility. You can use the same application to apply for a passport book, passport card, or both. Americans who previously held a passport must also use Form DS-11 and appear in person to apply for a passport card if their passport expired more than 5 years ago.
If you already have a valid U.S. passport, you can apply for a passport card by mail. You must submit Form DS-82 and send your passport book with your application. Your passport book will be returned with your new passport card. If your passport book expired less than 5 years ago, you can use Form DS-82 to renew it by mail and apply for a passport card at the same time.
Adult passport cards are valid for 10 years, and passport cards for children under 16 are valid for 5 years. Notably, if you apply for a passport book and passport card at the same time, both documents will have the same, or very similar, expiration dates.
However, if you apply at different times, the documents will have different expiration dates, letting you stagger renewals so you are never without a travel document.
The Shortcut
A passport card is on the TSA's list of accepted IDs for domestic flights, so if your driver's license isn't REAL ID-compliant, the card gets you through the checkpoint.
A passport card can be used for domestic flights and travel by land or sea (so long as it’s closed-loop) to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and many Caribbean nations.
International travelers who fly to their destination or need visa stamps still need a traditional passport book.
