Hey, it’s Ernest from Trip Astute.
In this video, we’re exploring passport cards and whether you need one the next
time you apply or renew your passport.
(light chiming music)
Last week, I shared my crazy experience of replacing a lost passport less than two days
before an international trip.
In that video, I mentioned something called passport cards, so I thought I’d do a video
on what it is and how it works.
When you apply for or renew a passport, it’s one of the options, so I know some folks have
asked me whether I think it’s worth the cost.
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As I mentioned earlier, getting a passport card is one of your options when applying
for or renewing a US passport.
It costs $65 for new applicants 16 and over, $50 for new applicants under 16, and $30 for renewals.
This is significantly cheaper than a regular passport, which usually costs around $145
for new applications and $110 for renewals.
Like the passport book, it lasts for 10 years.
Keep in mind that you can get both a passport book and a passport card.
Basically, it’s not an either or situation.
Most people would get one in addition to a regular passport book.
The passport card is basically an ID version of a normal passport book, but it does have
it’s own unique card number that is different than a regular passport.
It also has an RFID chip inside, but it doesn’t contain as much information as a standard
passport book.
It supposedly just returns the passport card number which is only meaningful to government
systems.
What makes the passport card different is that it can only be used for specific land
and sea border crossings.
For example, you can use it to enter the following North American and Carribean countries if
you’re entering via land or sea.
However, if you’re flying to any of these locations, you still have to use a traditional
passport book.
This also applies to reentering the US.
You can use a passport card when entering the US by land or sea from these countries.
Again, air travel back to the US from these countries requires a traditional passport
book.
Also, there are a few countries in the region that do not accept passport cards.
Here’s the list of countries that do not participate in the program.
So you might be asking, “who should get a passport card, and is it worth getting?”
For most people, I honestly don’t think it’s worth the cost.
Even though a normal passport book is more than twice the cost, it works almost everywhere,
making it a lot more versatile.
In fact, when I last replaced my passport, I did not opt to get a new passport card since
I didn’t feel like I was getting much value from it.
I think the passport card works for folks who might live near a border and want a less
expensive and more convenient way to get in and out of the country.
Since the card is the size of a normal ID, it’s a lot easier to carry in your pocket
or wallet.
Though again, if you have any desire to travel by air outside of the US, you’re going to
need a passport book.
If you’re someone who only likes to travel on cruises from the US, then the passport
card could also be an option for you.
If you’re planning to travel by ship to the Caribbean, I would check with the cruise
company to see what’s needed.
They should be able to advise whether a passport card is enough.
For most cases, it should be ok, but if you think you’ll be making any other stops,
especially at one of the countries not included on the list from earlier, then you’ll want
to plan accordingly.
Another reason that someone might want a passport card is that it is a federal ID that proves
your nationality.
While I don’t want to get into our current politics, a passport card could help you to
prove your nationality immediately if you’re in a place or situation where that may be
an issue.
Also, the passport card is REAL ID compliant, so if you don’t have already have a driver’s
license or any other form of ID that meets the requirement, this can do the trick.
Lastly, I know some people carry their passport card in their wallet while leaving their regular
passport book in a secure location like a hotel safe.
While I like the idea of keeping your regular passport book secure and protected, I still
think it’s safer to carry a photo copy of your regular passport in your wallet.
I might be overly cautious with this one, but I worry that a foreign official might
not accept or recognize my passport card, especially since it uses a different passport
number.
I like to carry one photocopy of my passport in my wallet, as well as a digital copy that
I store in the cloud via my password manager.
You can also email yourself a picture of your passport as well.
Having multiple copies helps in case you want to keep your main passport secure in your
hotel, or even in the event that you need to get a replacement while traveling.
For more information on that process, see our video on what to do if you lose your passport.
So, in summary, I think the passport card is not worth it for most Americans, unless
you happen to live close to a border and make regular trips in and out.
For the majority of travelers, I honestly think that a regular passport book is the
way to go.
It just gives you more options and flexibility, which are two things I want whenever I’m
on a trip.
Do you have a passport card?
If so, do you use it?
Let us know in the comment section below.
I’m curious whether you all have found your passport cards to be useful.
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Until next time, travel safe and travel smart.