Alternative to purchasing a passport - U.S. Passport Card

Do you do a lot of transcontinental traveling that often requires a U.S. Passport? Well there is an alternative to purchasing a U.S. Passport "Book" - it's the U.S. Passport Card.

These wallet-size cards went into production on July 14, 2008 and are popular because they are less expensive than the passport book; $45 for a first-time adult applicants and $35 for all minors under the age of 16 but adults who already have a valid passport "book" may apply for the card as a passport renewal by mail and the cost is only $20.

The drawbacks are that the U.S. Passport Card cannot be used for international air travel. It can only be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry.

Approximately 1,000,000 U.S. Passport Cards applications have been processed and can be applied for via snail mail and the turn around time is approximately 4-6 weeks from the time the application.

Learn more about U.S. Passport Card

* Difference Between Passport Book and Passport Card (pdf file)
* U.S. Passport Card Frequently Asked Questions
* U.S. Passport Card Layout
* Where to Apply for a Passport or Passport Card Nationwide