Passport Card/Passport Book

[cookiee 0]

In our old passports it says "Not valid until signed". I would think it's about the same as with bank cards etc.

hehe i never sign my bank cards.. they re always valid.. don't worry about those things..

better you sign for him.. he is too young, i agree with MsAnn

[Stella08 0]

One more question. My husband and I are disagreeing who should sign our ten-year-old son's passport book. I say it has to be a parent since we had to sign the application and he's not 16 yet. My husband says he's old enough to write his name. Input?

This is sort of addressed in the official travel.state.gov faq: http://travel.state.gov/passport/fri/faq/faq_1741.html

I say "sort of" because a specific age is not given:

22. My child is too young to sign his/her own passport. How do I sign my child's passport?

In the space provided for the signature, the mother or father must print the child's name and sign their own name. Then, in parenthesis by the parent's name, write the word (mother) or (father) to show who signed for the child.

IMO, a 10 year old child is too young to sign their own name in an official capacity (my 2 cents, only!!).

Yep, I think the same way. On the other hand, our bank demanded that our kids (then 8 and 6) endorsed checks which had been written in their name. So I'm never sure what the regulations are. I wish they had strict age guidelines on the passport website.

[MsAnn 0]

I don't suppose there is enough room for the child's printed name, signature, and your signature as well? If you really can't decide, I'd try calling who issued your passport and just asking.

[Stella08 0]

Application date (expedited) for my son and me: 24 April 2009

Received passport books: 02 May 2009

Received the submitted documents (naturalization certificate/birth certificate/old passport): 06 May 2009

[jasminelily 1]

Application date (expedited) for my son and me: 24 April 2009

Received passport books: 02 May 2009

Received the submitted documents (naturalization certificate/birth certificate/old passport): 06 May 2009

Cool! Thanks for the update! Did the certificates come back in good condition? Like not folded or scambled.

[Stella08 0]

Application date (expedited) for my son and me: 24 April 2009

Received passport books: 02 May 2009

Received the submitted documents (naturalization certificate/birth certificate/old passport): 06 May 2009

Cool! Thanks for the update! Did the certificates come back in good condition? Like not folded or scambled.

Yes, they're in great condition. They came in one of those big yellow envelopes (one envelope for my son and one for me) and the sender was "U.S. Government Official Mail" and I'm glad the mailman put them in our mailbox without folding them. My son's old passport is wholepunched now. And I guess for him they only needed one picture instead of two, since one came back...

[jasminelily 1]

Application date (expedited) for my son and me: 24 April 2009

Received passport books: 02 May 2009

Received the submitted documents (naturalization certificate/birth certificate/old passport): 06 May 2009

Cool! Thanks for the update! Did the certificates come back in good condition? Like not folded or scambled.

Yes, they're in great condition. They came in one of those big yellow envelopes (one envelope for my son and one for me) and the sender was "U.S. Government Official Mail" and I'm glad the mailman put them in our mailbox without folding them. My son's old passport is wholepunched now. And I guess for him they only needed one picture instead of two, since one came back...

Wow! Great! Then I wonder if I would put my PO box address or my office address as the mailing address because my apartment mail box is way too small and the mail man loves to fold our mails.

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Hmmm...I know that US citizenship is going to be later on this year/next year for me, but for travel purposes, this is what I think would be the best situation for me and my family . Bear in mind that we do most (if not all) of my travelling back to Canada by land, as that is my former home country, we know family and friends there, and we live pretty close to the US/Canada border.

So with that in mind, this is the identification that me and my family will travel to Canada with:

Ant:

Current Travel Documents (before US citizenship):

-Canadian Passport Book ($100, 5 yrs valid , 2 weeks wait)

-Canadian Naturalization Certificate Card ($100, forever valid, 4 yrs wait)

-US 10yr Green Card ($545+, 10 yrs valid, 9 months wait...still waiting...so it's still 2yr expired card and approval letter for now)

-US New York State Drivers License ($45, 4 yrs valid, 1-2 weeks wait)

Future Travel Documents (after US citizenship):

-Canadian Passport Book ($100, 5 yrs, 2 weeks wait)

-Canadian Naturalization Certificate Card ($100, forever valid, 4 yrs wait)

-US Naturalization Certificate (not the original, just a photocopy if I'm ever asked for such) ($670+, forever valid, 3 yrs wait)

-US Passport Card (less expensive and more convenient this way than the book) ($20+, 10 yrs valid, 4-6 weeks wait)

OR

US New York State Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) ($30, 8 yrs valid, 2 weeks wait)

D:

Current and Future Travel Documents (USC already):

-US Birth Certificate ($30, forever valid, 2-3 weeks wait after birth)

-New York State Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) ($80 ($60 license renewal fee + $30 EDL fee), 8 yrs valid, 2 weeks wait)

Baby:

Future Travel Documents (future USC):

-US Birth Certificate ($30, forever valid, 2-3 weeks wait after birth)

-US Passport Card ($20+, 10 yrs, 4-6 weeks wait)

OR

US New York State Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) (yes, they issue those for children under 16 too...but it seems very odd for a Baby to have a driver's license...so will probably have them have a Passport Card instead) ($40-45, 4-8 yrs valid, 2 weeks wait)

Lol...as you can see, it's more expensive and time consuming document-wise for me to travel than it is for husband and baby. Oh well, at least I can say that I will have "dual citizenship", which should make travelling more interesting....

Hope this list of travel documents helps you as well in making your travel documents decisions.

Good luck too, on the rest of your immigration journeys too.

Ant (Still waiting for 10yr Card, Still waiting for Citizenship, Still waiting for Baby...)

Edited May 7, 2009 by AntandD

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

I totally agree with this statement by Moonhunt:

But in reality, I'm not comfortable when I have nothing in my wallet for immigration status.

Yes, checking against social security number or driver license should show your US citizenship.

But I rather carry the proof by myself instead of depending on some computer, which may be screwed up.

Dealing with USCIS for more than 10 years left pretty much little belief in government system, I guess.

Besides a $670+ US Naturalization Certificate that I cannot carry around the original with me, later on I will have nothing else to prove my US immigration status with. And if I lose that, or if that gets damaged....forget about getting a replacement...as it is too costly, inconvenient, and time-comsuing to do such...

Oh and forget about those government computers working properly too......

Sigh, so in lieu of a US birth certificate, I have no other choice but to get a US Passport Card (which is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book).

Oh why can't someone come up with a convenient wallet-sized US Naturalization Certificate instead? Sigh....

Funny, how it works the reverse this way for me:

Wallet-sized Naturalization Certificate Card (though very outdated)...But No Wallet-Sized Passport Card = Canada

No wallet-sized Naturalization Certificate card.....But Wallet-Sized Passport Card = USA

Lol....so either way, I'm stuck with a book and a card in some way or other....Methinks I need a bigger wallet....(or maybe I'll just stuff everything in the baby's diaper bag...lol....)

Ant (Still waiting....)

Edited May 7, 2009 by AntandD

[AusCal 3]

So with that in mind, this is the identification that me and my family will travel to Canada with:

Ant:

Current Travel Documents (before US citizenship):

-Canadian Passport Book ($100, 5 yrs valid , 2 weeks wait)

-Canadian Naturalization Certificate Card ($100, forever valid, 4 yrs wait)

-US 10yr Green Card ($545+, 10 yrs valid, 9 months wait...still waiting...so it's still 2yr expired card and approval letter for now)

-US New York State Drivers License ($45, 4 yrs valid, 1-2 weeks wait)

Future Travel Documents (after US citizenship):

-Canadian Passport Book ($100, 5 yrs, 2 weeks wait)

-Canadian Naturalization Certificate Card ($100, forever valid, 4 yrs wait)

-US Naturalization Certificate (not the original, just a photocopy if I'm ever asked for such) ($670+, forever valid, 3 yrs wait)

-US Passport Card (less expensive and more convenient this way than the book) ($20+, 10 yrs valid, 4-6 weeks wait)

OR

US New York State Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) ($30, 8 yrs valid, 2 weeks wait)

Ant - you are making this more complicated than it needs to be. You do not need to carry your naturalisation certificates for either Canada or the USA. So, aafter you are naturalised, all you will need is your Canadian Passport Book, and either US Passport Card OR

US New York State Enhanced Driver's License. - two pieces of documentation - that's all.

[antda 13]

Hi AusCal,

Lol...I guess..."better safe than sorry"....as I thought that carrying more identification is better than carrying less...

As for the naturalization certificates for both countries...I agree, you do have a point there, as passports are "the next step beyond" these certificates, so therefore I wouldn't need to carry such when travelling...

Besides my Canadian naturalization card is "outdated" (lol...and they might think it's my "daughter's" card instead of mine), and I don't want to risk carrying my "expensive and time-consuming process" US naturalization certificate anyways.

Ok..so I'm down to the following 3 identifications for me when travelling to Canada after US naturaliation:

Ant

Future Travel Documents (after US citizenship):

-Canadian Passport Book ($100, 5 yrs, 2 weeks wait)

-US Passport Card (less expensive and more convenient this way than the book) ($20+, 10 yrs valid, 4-6 weeks wait)

OR

US New York State Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) ($30, 8 yrs valid, 2 weeks wait)

Whew...that makes my wallet/diaper bag a little bit lighter now.... Thanks...

Let's hope that with these few documents that I can make between the USA and Canada, without too many problems at both ends of the border!

Ant (Still waiting...)

Ant - you are making this more complicated than it needs to be. You do not need to carry your naturalisation certificates for either Canada or the USA. So, aafter you are naturalised, all you will need is your Canadian Passport Book, and either US Passport Card OR

US New York State Enhanced Driver's License. - two pieces of documentation - that's all.

[Stella08 0]

Application date (expedited) for my son and me: 24 April 2009

Received passport books: 02 May 2009

Received the submitted documents (naturalization certificate/birth certificate/old passport): 06 May 2009

Received our passport cards (same size as greencard + little sleeve to keep them in): 07 May 2009

ALL DONE!

[Stella08 0]

During our oath ceremony our IO advised us not to carry our naturalization certificate around and not to display it in our house, but to keep it in a safe place. Not only is it expensive and time consuming to replace. There are people who are willing to break into your home or hit you over the head if they know you have this certificate in your possession. Supposedly a naturalization goes for about $25.000 at some places in the U.S. And in some countries overseas a naturalization certifcate can fetch $50.000 to $75.000. I'm sure, some people would kill for that kind of money.

If you're travelling, just carry your passport books or cards with you (whatever the requirements are). If you're a dual citizen, you should always enter the country of your citizenship with the documents issued by this country (e.g. Canadian passport for Canada and U.S. passport (card) for the U.S.)

Last but not least. You're allowed to make black-and-white copies of your certificates (just not colored duplicates). You should have one or two copies, just in case you lose your certificate for some reason. But you shouldn't copy a whole batch and hand them out to your relatives to celebrate the occasion of your naturalization.

[jamieswith 0]

Application date (expedited) for my son and me: 24 April 2009

Received passport books: 02 May 2009

Received the submitted documents (naturalization certificate/birth certificate/old passport): 06 May 2009

Applied for passport: Friday May 1st 2009 (expedited)

Passport Received (along with Nat. Cert): Thursday May 7th

I think I'm going to faint!

[Stella08 0]

Application date (expedited) for my son and me: 24 April 2009

Received passport books: 02 May 2009

Received the submitted documents (naturalization certificate/birth certificate/old passport): 06 May 2009

Applied for passport: Friday May 1st 2009 (expedited)

Passport Received (along with Nat. Cert): Thursday May 7th

I think I'm going to faint!

Wow, that's fast!!!

Did your passport and naturalization certificate arrive in the same envelope?