A passport book is valid for any international travel by air, sea or land. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to indicate that you would like to apply for both products. While the passport card is more convenient due to its size, it is far more restricted in use than the passport book. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. Validity of a passport book is 10 years for adults, 5 years for minors under age 16 the size of a passport book is approximately 5 x 3. The us passport card allows you to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at sea ports of entry, land border crossings and is more convenient and cheaper than a passport book. The difference between a passport book or card getaway usa. A passport card is valid for travel to and from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda at land border crossings and sea portsofentry. Whether you get the passport book card both are valid for 10 years. Passport card is also valid for international travel but by land or sea only.
The us passport card is a credit card sized identification document. The traditional passport book is still required for most travel purposes. The number of the passport card can be found on both the front and the back of the card. Both of these documents give you the ability to travel outside of the country. Since people abroad may not be familiar with every u. I have the passport card, are the numbers the same.
The last part states most recent passport book or pass port card. However, the passport book is valid for all forms of travel. May, 2019 in this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel. If you apply for a passport card it will be issued valid for 10 years regardless of the expiration date of your passport book. It fits in most wallets, and is more resistant to damage as it does not have any pages. If you find yourself frequently traveling to canada or mexico but not so much the rest of the world, a passport card is one way to help pinch some pennies. The passport book has lots of pages for visas and arrivaldeparture stamps. The passport book is valid for all international travel.
From passport cards to global entry, which trusted. We may be compensated if you make a purchase via a link on this site. This is the busy time of year for us passport applicants wanting to prepare for summer traveling whether close to home destinations such as mexico or canada, or far away destinations such as. Our guide will show you the uses and advantages of each document, and will help you figure out which one is best for you, or if you should have both. The passport book will cover you wherever you decide to go. Aug 18, 2016 one is a passport book, the traditional passport with the pages that get stamped. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. What is the difference between a passport book and. What is the different between passport number and passport. Each passport book and card has a completely unique number. You have the freedom to choose which one you wish to have to depend on the country you are planning to travel to. If you are traveling by air or to most countries, you will need a traditional passport book, with pages for your various visas. If your cruise departs from florida but stops in jamaica before returning to florida, youll need your passport card. You can apply for both a passport book and passport card at the same time using either form ds11 apply in person or form ds82 renew by mail must be eligible.
This is a privately owned website and not a government agency. Your personal details must be an exact match of the details that appear in your passport book. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsof. Here is a table showing the principal differences between a passport book and a passport card. What is the difference between a passport card number and. Passport book is valid for international travel by air, sea, or land.
For other countries it is not the same thing as your passport number. Finding the passport book number on each unique passport isnt too difficult. A passport card is cheaper to get but is only valid for travel to canada, mexico and the caribbean islands. Passport book booklet style id travel document standard passport book has 28 pages. See below the differences between a passport book vs. In part, this is because the passport card is the size of a standard id card, meaning that it can be carried with the same convenience as any other. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. Learn more about how a passport card differs from a passport book. However, it has a great number of limitations, so clients requesting a passport card should give serious consideration to applying for a passport book as well. Passport number is on the first page where your picture is, book number is either at the back or engraved on each page. Both the passport book and passport card serve as proof of your u. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison.
The irish passport card is a travel document that irish citizens can use for certain travel instead of the standard passport book. The us state department uses different number formats for books and cards. This number will tell the story of the passport, including the years in which it was valid and where in the country it was issued. In a passport book, this can be found at the top of the personal information page. Difference between passport book and passport card. You must have the original copies of all required documents. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. If you have one, it will state so in your passport s identification page the page with your picture. A passport book is valid for all types of travel land. Furthermore, it is unlikely that information about your passport book is encoded in the 2d barcode or the rfid chip on the card. Dec 17, 2017 the passport book and the passport card are both valid passport that will attest to your identity as well as citizenship. The passport card is only valid for land and sea travel to canada, mexico, and the caribbean. Any us citizen wishing to travel internationally via air must have a passport book.
Passport cards and passport books are no exception. See the chart below to decide which is best for you. Passport card for a reduced fee if you only plan to travel by land or sea to and from canada, mexico, bermuda, or the caribbean nations. If issued for the full validity, they are both proof of your u. Oct 07, 2017 wondering whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison diffen. Aside from the size, a passport book and a passport card difference is that the latter cannot be used when traveling abroad via air, the passport book is required. From passport cards to global entry, which trustedtraveler. The biggest difference between a passport book and passport card is that passport cards are only valid to enter canada, mexico, bermuda, and.
Passport book for reentry into the united states from any country. A passport book is required for all international travel by air. Nov 20, 2017 a passport card allows significantly fewer opportunities for the holder to travel, but often its enough for some. The us passport book number is certainly a 9 digit quantity on the biographical web page comprising your photograph and information onto it.
The passport card will match the expiry date of your passport book, if you have less than 5 years validity remaining. Instead, each passport book number is unique to that specific book. The passport card is the size of a drivers license and is used for convenience as it is smaller and cheaper than the passport book. You can use this credit card sized document to reenter the united states from mexico, canada, bermuda and the caribbean when traveling by land or sea. However, people find a passport card more convenient and accessible when carrying. Can be used for international travel via land, sea, or air. The passport book has plenty of pages for visas and arrivaldeparture stamps, while the passport card is a onepiece creditcardsized id card. The last part states most recent passport book or passport card.
Attaining one or the other will depend on how often you travel and the type of travel you plan to do. The difference between the numbers is two digits and the letter c. We want you to know about a few differences between the book. The state department never reuses them after a number has been used once, it is never used again. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel. The good news is a passport card is generally valid for the same time and has the same application process as a 26 or 52page passport book. Passport card the standard passport book covers all the bases. The other is the passport card, which is just like a drivers license. Us passport books and us passport cards the differences. Differences between passport book and passport card tweet key difference. The passport card is a walletsize card that can only be used for land and sea travel between the united states and canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda. That means you cannot use the passport card for air travel.
Passport card vacation season is right around the corner, and as such, you will most likely be renewing or obtaining your us passport. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane. Firsttime passport card applicants who do not have a passport book traditional passport must go in person to a passport application facility, such as a post office or courthouse, and submit a completed passport application form, proof of us citizenship, one passport. One instance could be, if you want to travel to jamaica, youll need a passport book. The us passport card in july of 2008, due to requests from residents along us borders for a more portable and easier application process than a regular passport, the united states department of state began issuing passport cards, a wallet sized identity card usable for international travel by land and sea, valid only for travel to. Find uses and advantages of a passport book and a passport card and figure out.
Every time a passport a issued, a new number is associated with it. I f youve wondered what the difference is between a passport book and a passport card, youve come to the right place. Differences between a passport book and passport card. Second, a good argument can be made that the passport card is more useful than the passport book for the limited circumstances in which it can be used. What is the differences between passport book vs passport card. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card. When a passport card might be just what you need for travel there are few travelers in this world who arent interested in trying to save money while on vacation.
Both documents are valid for 10 years for adults 16 and older, and 5 years for those under the age of 16. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states. Passport book numbers are 9 numerals long, and passport cards start with the letter c followed by 8 numerals. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one.
The numbers dont work like a social security number, though, which is also a unique number. Passport books can be accepted in any country unless theyve barred us citizens from entry, like north korea, and are valid for visa applications, while a passport card can only be used to enter countries by land or sea. I was pretty sure it is, but im reading other posts that i found doing a search and seeing that it seems to vary from country to country so i wanted to make sure and no assume too much. Aug 10, 2012 passport cards and passport books are no exception. What is the difference between a passport book and passport card. Passport card frequently asked questions with answers. You cannot use a passport card when traveling by air internationally. The passport card is a cheaper alternative to the passport book. What is the differences between passport book vs passport. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book.
A passport card looks similar to an id and is about the size of a credit card. In addition to a regular passport, the passport book, u. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea. For uk and us passports the book number is the same as the passport number. How to find passport book number on your us passport. It is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors under 16. Passport book is widely used for international travel while passport card is used for united states citizens who live in border territories in the us. However, the card was created to facilitate the frequent travel of. A passport card, which is similar to a passport book but limited to. In part, this is because the passport card is the size of a standard id card, meaning that it can be carried with the same convenience.
The passport book and the passport card are both valid passport that will attest to your identity as well as citizenship. The passport card shares the same validity period as the passport book. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. The passport book and the passport card have the same validity which is 10 years for children 15 years old or younger, the validity is only 5 years. Unless you use the mobile passport app, youll have to. Also, if you get a passport card separately from your passport, it has a different number and expiration date also costs a bit more. Passport book vs passport card i f youve wondered what the difference is between a passport book and a passport card, youve come to the right place. Do i have to apply for a passport book and a passport card at the same. However, each of these items comes with certain restrictions regarding when you can use them. It can be used for travel to 31 countries in the european union eu and european economic area eea plus switzerland. A passport book functions in all ways a passport card is used and there is no need to obtain a passport card if you already have a passport book.
Whats the difference between a us passport book and card. Whats the difference between a passport book and a. Differences between passport book and passport card. There are several options when it comes to forms of identification for travel. The passport card is available to all irish citizens who hold a valid irish passport book. The passport book allows the holder to travel worldwide with proper visa and documentation, while the passport card only allows the holder to travel to and fro neighboring countries such as canada, mexico, bahamas and the caribbean. Is there a way to search by social security number if i do have a passport. It is smaller and more convenient to carry than a passport book, and it is less expensive to obtain. Those nine digits distinguish this individual passport from all others. Jun 20, 2019 passport book is a globally recognized travel document while passport card is not a globally recognized document. Start today by applying for or renewing your passport. Since the passport card is apparently worthless, it is better to leave that than your actual passport. Enhanced drivers license many people may not know but depending on the state that you live in a third option is available to you. You can use the passport card when traveling in the european union, the european economic area which includes iceland, liechtenstein and norway and switzerland.
Can anyone verify for me with the filipino passport, is the passport book number the same as the passport number. The united states passport card is an official identity and limited travel document issued by the united states federal government in the size of a credit card. Passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel. The us passport card is a small passport card, about the size of a credit card, that contains your photo and identifying information. Form ds 82 step 10 most recent passport book or passport card. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u.
The passport book vs card question is one you may have if you are a firsttime international traveler. Us passport book and passport card online application. In this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. Feb 12, 2019 the passport card is the size of a drivers license and is used for convenience as it is smaller and cheaper than the passport book. The passport book allows for all travel, by air, land, and sea and youll need the passport book in order to receive a travel visa. Your us passport book number can be found on the top right of the continue reading. What is the difference between a passport card number and a. No, your book and card will have two completely different numbers. What is the differences between a passport book vs card with additional information and requirement for getting both a card and book. The passport book and the passport card are two different unique documents with unique number.