Passport Card/Passport Book

[Stella08 0]

Now I have another question. My son's passport expires in August. We are planning on travelling this summer, I'm just not exactly sure about the dates yet. Now I'm wondering if I should apply for a new passport for him now or wait until after summer. Do you know if I have to send in his current passport when I apply for a new passport for him? That would mean he wouldn't have any passport while we wait for the new one and this would mean I would have to apply for an expedited passport to get it as soon as possible. Or can we keep his current passport and send in his birth certificate instead? That way he wouldn't be without a passport while the application gets processed and he would be free to travel.

[AusCal 3]

Now I have another question. My son's passport expires in August. We are planning on travelling this summer, I'm just not exactly sure about the dates yet. Now I'm wondering if I should apply for a new passport for him now or wait until after summer. Do you know if I have to send in his current passport when I apply for a new passport for him? That would mean he wouldn't have any passport while we wait for the new one and this would mean I would have to apply for an expedited passport to get it as soon as possible. Or can we keep his current passport and send in his birth certificate instead? That way he wouldn't be without a passport while the application gets processed and he would be free to travel.

When you apply, you will need to submit his current passport with the application. This means he will be without a passport until the new one arrives. The old passport is 'cancelled" and also returned. I'm not sure what timeframe you mean by "summer", but, be aware some countries will require the passport to be valid for 6 months after entry to allow you into the country.

[moonhunt 1]

Now I have another question. My son's passport expires in August. We are planning on travelling this summer, I'm just not exactly sure about the dates yet. Now I'm wondering if I should apply for a new passport for him now or wait until after summer. Do you know if I have to send in his current passport when I apply for a new passport for him? That would mean he wouldn't have any passport while we wait for the new one and this would mean I would have to apply for an expedited passport to get it as soon as possible. Or can we keep his current passport and send in his birth certificate instead? That way he wouldn't be without a passport while the application gets processed and he would be free to travel.

Most country requires at least 6 month validity remaining from expiry date when you enter to their country.

So you better submit the application for new passport.

[tnguy21809 0]

Lots of partial information here on this subject.

The passport card is "valid only for international land and sea travel between United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda" (Taken directly from the card.)

If you renew or apply for a passport book, the card is an additional $20 if gotten at the same time. If you only get one of the two now, and then decide to later add the other, then you will pay the full price again. The discount is only when done together on a first time or at renewal.

The card was designed with transportation in mind. ie: trucking. The passport book is always the best option. Even if you drive truck and plan to never go anywhere but Canada and back, say something happened and you crashed your truck or got really sick and couldn't drive, you would not be able to fly home but would have to find land transportation back home. The plane may be the fastest and best route so the book is by far the best bet.

As far as for ID, A driver license or state issued ID is all that is required from any officer in the states. They don't want to see that your from the US they want to see where you live, street, city, state. Any ICE or border check stations I go through (driving truck i go through many) they have never asked for anything more than if i was a US citizen and from what state I live in. If it ever became an issue past that point then the passport book would do the same as the card.

Any US citizen who plans to travel to Canada after June 1st MUST have a passport. US law not Canada. But Canada says, " If the US won't let you return to your own country without a passport then we are not going to let you into our country to get stuck here because you don't have proper clearance to return home"!

To sum it up in two words: Passport Book.

[lucyrich 19]

If you renew or apply for a passport book, the card is an additional $20 if gotten at the same time. If you only get one of the two now, and then decide to later add the other, then you will pay the full price again. The discount is only when done together on a first time or at renewal.

That's incorrect, as has already been pointed out in this thread. If you get only the book, you can later add the card for an additional $20.00 any time during the following 15 years. See the department of state's FAQ on their website here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3921.html

How much will the passport card cost?

For first time applicants, the passport card will cost $45 for adults and $35 for minors under age 16. Adults with fully-valid passports issued within the last fifteen years who are eligible to submit Form DS-82 by mail, will pay only $20 for a passport card.

The $20.00 fee is also found on the current fee schedule here. http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/fees/fees_837.html

[Italian_in_NYC 259]

Seriously, I really don't see the need for a passport card for anybody who doesn't often travel to Canada or Mexico by land.

It's not the $20, it's just the hassle of having a chance to lose an ID that contains pretty much all your personal information (and everything which could follow that).

US citizen are not required to carry anything but a driver's license or a State ID.

Personally, I never carry my green card either unless I travel internationally. I just carry a copy of that in my wallet. I know I'm supposed to carry it but first of all, it would have been pretty much destroyed by now and second, I could have lost it.

[AusCal 3]

Seriously, I really don't see the need for a passport card for anybody who doesn't often travel to Canada or Mexico by land.

theoretically, yes, I agree. However, I think it can vary by individual circumstance. A friend of mine recently got naturalised - he lives relatively close to the Mexican border, he visually "looks mexican", and his command of English is OK, but, sometimes he has difficulty expressing himself. When he applied for his passport book, he also applied for a passport card - he said he felt more comfortable having a document to keep with him at all times to prove his citizenship. Is he legally required to? - no, but, by doing so he may be avoiding himself a hassle in the future. On the other hand I am a blond, blue-eyed Australian female - I feel no need to have proof of citizenship with me.

[Stella08 0]

I applied for my passport + passport card and my son's passport + passport card exactly one week ago. We picked expedited service. Today we received an email stating that the passports have been mailed. I hope we will receive them tomorrow or on Monday. I'll keep you updated when we get our documents (naturalization certificate for me and birth certificate plus previous passport for my son) back and when we receive our passport cards.

[Stella08 0]

P.S. I was able to check the status of our applications online. It took a few days before our applications were in the system, but then they were always up-to-date. The status even changed from yesterday ("your application has been received and is being processed") to today ("your passport has been mailed to you"). And we received email updates. Great service!

[Stella08 0]

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

Received passport books: 02 May 2009

Edited May 2, 2009 by Stella08

[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?

[cookiee 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?

leave it blank.. just my 2 cents

[eltemp 2]

When I ( USC by birth) renewed my passport I got the card as well. My reason is that if I were to go to Canada or Mexico (or Carribbean by boat) in the future the card is easier to carry than that book. Plus I figured that it was great back up if I ever lost the book and had to go through the replacement process.

I agree with what most people said here... I just got my citizenship and applied for both... for $20 is nothing compared to the value of it... I paid $120 including processing fee for passport book and card... totally worth it...

[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?

leave it blank.. just my 2 cents

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

[MsAnn 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!!).

Edited May 2, 2009 by MsAnn