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The US Passport Card

Passport Card Services, Requirements and Instructions

There are now two types of passport documents issued by the Department of State. On February 1, 2008, The State Department began issuing a passport card for use at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry. The card can not be used for international travel by air. International air travel requires the traveler to have a valid traditional passport, now known as the “passport book.”

What is a Passport Card?
The passport card is a wallet-size card (see below) that can only be used to enter the U.S. at land and sea borders. The card provides a less expensive, smaller, and more convenient alternative to the passport book for those who travel frequently to these destinations by land or by sea. It was created primarily for citizens who live in border states that frequently cross the borders.

The passport card carries all the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport book except that it cannot be used for international air travel; however, it can be used for identification at TSA security clearances at airports for domestic travel. The passport card has the same validity period as the passport book: 10 years for an adult, five for children 15 and younger.

	Front of Passport Card
	Back of Passport Card
	Passport Book

How do I apply for a Passport Card?

U.S. citizens began applying to the Department of State for the new U.S. Passport Card on February 1, 2008. The Department expects that cards will be available and mailed to applicants beginning in the “Spring” 2008. We cannot tell you exactly when in the spring they will begin to be received by applicants.

Applicants for a passport card or passport book can apply at any one of the State Department's 9,300 Passport Application Acceptance Facilities across the country. Applicants can locate a facility nearest to them by checking the State Department's website. Applicants can apply for the passport card and passport book at the same time using the same application.

Holders of a valid passport book issued within the last 15 years can apply for a passport card by completing a DS 82 and mailing it in as instructed on the form. Applicants for a passport card will have to surrender their passport book when sending in the completed DS 82 and other required documents listed on the DS 82; however, as soon as applicants have been verified as valid passport holders (the technical term for the verification process is “adjudication”) and thereby entitled to receive a passport card, applicant’s passport book will be returned, usually within three to six weeks. Applicants will receive their new passport card in the mail once the State Department starts issuing them, which should be sometime in April.

What are the fees for the Passport Card?

Adults who already have a valid passport book issued within the last fifteen years may apply for the card by mail using Form DS-82 and pay only $20. First-time applicants will pay $45 for adult cards and $35 for children under the age of 16, which includes an execution fee of $25. Applicants applying for both the passport book and card simultaneously pay only one execution fee.

What documents do I need to apply for a Passport Card?

The passport card is a fully valid passport that attests to the U.S. citizenship and identity of the bearer. Therefore, applicants must provide documents which attest to their U.S. citizenship and identity such as birth and naturalization certificates.

First time adult and minor applicants under the age of 16 will need to submit a completed Form DS-11 Application for a U.S. Passport, 2 photos, evidence of citizenship, the application fee for the passport card and the execution fee. All applicants, irrespective of age, must apply in person at a Passport Application Acceptance Facility. Children age 15 under, must appear with both parents and legal guardians.

Adult applicants with fully-valid passports issued within 15 years since the date of issuance can apply for the passport card by mail by submitting Form DS-82 Application for a U.S. Passport By Mail, 2 photos, their fully valid passport issued within the last fifteen years, and the passport card application fee.

Why is a Passport Card necessary?

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), requiring all travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the U.S. The goal of the initiative is to strengthen U.S. border security while facilitating entry for U.S. citizens, legal residents of the U.S., and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized documentation that enables the Department of Homeland Security to quickly and reliably identify a traveler for admission to the U.S.

The Department of State is issuing this passport card in response to the needs of border resident communities for a less expensive and more portable alternative to the traditional passport book for U.S. citizens who travel frequently by land or by sea to foreign countries.

More about WHTI and When will the Passport Card take effect?

Effective January 23, 2007, a new rule was issued under the WHTI that requires that ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, using air travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda as well as the rest of the world to present a valid passport book to enter or leave the United States.

Effective January 31, 2008, the United States ended the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border for land and sea travel. U.S. and Canadian citizens now need to present either a WHTI-compliant document, or a government- issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. The DHS is establishing alternative documentation to be issued by states, but these have not been put into place and will be announced at a future date that is not yet known.

[Note: These passport requirements do NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory.]

The Passport Card is integral to the WHTI's final requirements of the land and sea phase to be rolled out at a date to be determined. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have either a U.S. passport; a U.S. passport card; a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI; a valid Merchant Mariner Document (MMD) when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or a valid U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders.

Please check the A Briggs travel blog regularly for updates regarding the Passport Card and when it will come into effect.

Does the Passport Card contain identifying information about me?

No, the passport card contains only a number unique to you. When you use the passport card to cross borders, it can be read from a distance the same way easy pass cards are read electronically at toll plazas by persons who have paid for rapid clearance through tolls without stopping. This facilitates the frequent traveling U.S. citizens living in border communities while still meeting the Department of Homeland Security’s operational needs at land borders. The passport card contains a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip.

With this technology, Customs and Border Protection inspectors use the number in the card to go into its secure database to check your personal information. No personal information is written or stored in the RFID chip itself. Your personal data, photographs, and other biographical information are stored in secure government database.

Should I be concerned about privacy with a Passport Card?

No. Personal information will not be stored on the electronic chip itself. The chip will have only a unique number linking the card to a stored record already contained in secure government databases.

The Department uses laser engraving and state-of-the-art security features to mitigate against the possibility of counterfeiting and forgery. In addition, to mitigate any possibility that the card could be tracked, it will be issued with a protective sleeve that will prevent the card from being read when not in use.