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If your usual international travel plans primarily involve crossing US borders to nearby neighboring countries, the passport card might be just the ticket for you. First, you should carefully consider your travel timeframe, the requirements when applying for the card, and how long it takes to receive it under normal conditions. If you are traveling earlier than it appears you can get your card, it might be necessary to apply for an express passport card.

This new travel document was designed for United States residents of the northern and southern border states who frequently cross the border to work, shop, or visit family. It is meant to be a more convenient and less expensive alternative to a regular passport. First made available in 2008, it is an option for any US citizen.

A key point you need to keep in mind if you are considering applying for the card is that it can only be used in certain situations. With the passport card, you can only exit the United States border to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean islands. Further, these border crossing must be via land or sea. If you intend to fly to any of these countries, you will need a traditional passport book. In addition, if your travel will be taking you to any country other than those listed, this document is not right for you.

Though the passport card is for limited travel under specific situations, it has as stringent application requirements as a regular passport. If you wish, you can submit one application for both the card and a traditional passport on the same form. If this is your first application to the Passport Agency for any type of document, you must physically apply. You can do this by going to a Passport Agency office, if there is one near you, or you can go to an Acceptance Facility, which is usually located at your local post office or a governmental agency office.

If you are a first time applicant, the DS-11 form must be completed and presented to the agent. There are several other pieces of the application process. You must prove that you are a United States citizen, provide a government issued photo id to prove your identity, and submit two photographs that meet passport specifications. You must also pay the fee for the passport card, as well as a separate fee to the Acceptance Facility for providing their services.

Documents that are considered acceptable as proof of citizenship include a certified copy of your birth certificate, for those born in the United States, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, for citizens born outside the country. You can also use a Certification of Citizenship document obtained after becoming a US citizen. To prove your identity you can use a valid driver’s license, a current military identification, or a current government identification issued by a city, state, or federal agency. You must also provide a photocopy of whichever document you intend to provide as proof of your identity.

If you already have a passport and desire a passport card as well, the application process is a bit simpler. You can complete the process through the mail, and are not required to appear in person at an Acceptance Facility. In this situation you will complete form DS-82, which is for renewal of a passport, or for obtaining a passport card. If your passport is due for renewal, you can apply for them together. As part of this application process, you must submit your current passport, two new photos that meet the specifications, and the fee for the passport card. If you are renewing your regular passport be sure to include the fee for that as well. The Passport Agency will give you a bit of a discount if you apply for both forms of passport at the same time.

If you have a need to receive your card faster than normal processing times will allow, you have the option to pay an additional fee of $60 with your application to receive an overnight passport card. This fee applies whether you are applying in person or by mail. This will generally cut the wait time by half compared to normal processing. You will also be expected to pay whatever priority USA passport delivery fees are required in order to ship the documents.

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 6th, 2010 at 4:53 pm and is filed under Cruise Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.