If you have one, it will state so in your passport s identification page the page with your picture. Passport book numbers are 9 numerals long, and passport cards start with the letter c followed by 8 numerals. Passport card is also valid for international travel but by land or sea only. Since people abroad may not be familiar with every u.
From passport cards to global entry, which trustedtraveler. Both the passport book and passport card serve as proof of your u. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. For uk and us passports the book number is the same as the passport number.
The other is the passport card, which is just like a drivers license. Passport book for reentry into the united states from any country. Here is a table showing the principal differences between a passport book and a passport card. The passport book will cover you wherever you decide to go. Differences between a passport book and passport card. Form ds 82 step 10 most recent passport book or passport card.
However, the card was created to facilitate the frequent travel of. 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 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. Aug 10, 2012 passport cards and passport books are no exception. The passport card is only valid for land and sea travel to canada, mexico, and the caribbean. Your personal details must be an exact match of the details that appear in your passport book. The traditional passport book is still required for most travel purposes. In addition to a regular passport, the passport book, u. The passport book vs card question is one you may have if you are a firsttime international traveler.
Do i have to apply for a passport book and a passport card at the same. 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. While the passport card is more convenient due to its size, it is far more restricted in use than the passport book. What is the difference between a passport card number and. Oct 07, 2017 wondering whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. Differences between passport book and passport card tweet key difference. 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. However, the passport book is valid for all forms of travel. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport card. No, your book and card will have two completely different numbers. Passport card frequently asked questions with answers. The us passport card is a small passport card, about the size of a credit card, that contains your photo and identifying information. Passport cards and passport books are no exception. If issued for the full validity, they are both proof of your u.
The last part states most recent passport book or passport card. Both of these documents give you the ability to travel outside of the country. We may be compensated if you make a purchase via a link on this site. 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. Difference between passport book and passport card. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card. What is the differences between passport book vs passport card. 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. 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. May, 2019 in this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel.
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. 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. Passport book booklet style id travel document standard passport book has 28 pages. See below the differences between a passport book vs. 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. Visa, mastercard, diners club international and american express cards are accepted.
Be aware of the fact that a passport card is only valid for land and sea travel to canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda. Whats the difference between a passport book and a passport. The passport card will match the expiry date of your passport book, if you have less than 5 years validity remaining. All american citizens are required to present a valid passport to exit and reenter the united states. We want you to know about a few differences between the book. 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. The passport book is valid for all international travel. Passport card vacation season is right around the corner, and as such, you will most likely be renewing or obtaining your us passport. The passport book has plenty of pages for visas and arrivaldeparture stamps, while the passport card is a onepiece creditcardsized id card.
Passport card department of foreign affairs and trade. However, people find a passport card more convenient and accessible when carrying. Attaining one or the other will depend on how often you travel and the type of travel you plan to do. The passport card shares the same validity period as the passport book.
Jun 16, 2016 passport book numbers are 9 numerals long, and passport cards start with the letter c followed by 8 numerals. Finding the passport book number on each unique passport isnt too difficult. The difference between a passport book or card getaway usa. I f youve wondered what the difference is between a passport book and a passport card, youve come to the right place. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. 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. There are very important differences between the passport card and the passport book. What is the difference between a passport book and. Passport card the standard passport book covers all the bases. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. Us passport books and us passport cards the differences. You can now apply for a passport book and a passport card.
You can use the passport card when traveling in the european union, the european economic area which includes iceland, liechtenstein and norway and switzerland. If you are traveling by air or to most countries, you will need a traditional passport book, with pages for your various visas. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea. 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. 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 number of the passport card can be found on both the front and the back of the card. What is the difference between a passport book and passport card.
Enhanced drivers license many people may not know but depending on the state that you live in a third option is available to you. If your cruise departs from florida but stops in jamaica before returning to florida, youll need your passport card. A passport book is valid for any international travel by air, sea or land. I have the passport card, are the numbers the same. Each passport book and card has a completely unique number. That means you cannot use the passport card for air travel. The us passport book number is certainly a 9 digit quantity on the biographical web page comprising your photograph and information onto it. There are several options when it comes to forms of identification for travel. Passport number is on the first page where your picture is, book number is either at the back or engraved on each page. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. Whats the difference between a passport book and a. It is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors under 16.
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. 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 us passport card is a credit card sized identification document. 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. Us passport book and passport card online application. The biggest difference between a passport book and passport card is that passport cards are only valid to enter canada, mexico, bermuda, and. One instance could be, if you want to travel to jamaica, youll need a passport book. Learn more about how a passport card differs from a passport book.
Start today by applying for or renewing your passport. Passport book is valid for international travel by air, sea, or land. From passport cards to global entry, which trusted. 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. Whether you get the passport book card both are valid for 10 years. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. 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. Differences between passport book and passport card. You cannot use a passport card when traveling by air internationally. What is the differences between passport book vs passport. The difference between the numbers is two digits and the letter c. The passport book has lots of pages for visas and arrivaldeparture stamps. Any us citizen wishing to travel internationally via air must have a passport book. Those nine digits distinguish this individual passport from all others.
Can be used for international travel via land, sea, or air. A passport book is valid for all types of travel land. For other countries it is not the same thing as your passport number. Find uses and advantages of a passport book and a passport card and figure out. 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. The passport book and the passport card are two different unique documents with unique number. The state department never reuses them after a number has been used once, it is never used again. Both documents are valid for 10 years for adults 16 and older, and 5 years for those under the age of 16.
Furthermore, it is unlikely that information about your passport book is encoded in the 2d barcode or the rfid chip on the card. A passport card can be used to enter the us states at land border crossing or seaportsof. The last part states most recent passport book or pass port card. Aug 18, 2016 one is a passport book, the traditional passport with the pages that get stamped. 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. 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. Nov 20, 2017 a passport card allows significantly fewer opportunities for the holder to travel, but often its enough for some. Passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel. 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. A passport card, which is similar to a passport book but limited to. The us state department uses different number formats for books and cards. State department issues two versions of a passport. Every time a passport a issued, a new number is associated with it. What is the difference between a passport card number and a.
Whats the difference between a us passport book and card. A passport card is cheaper to get but is only valid for travel to canada, mexico and the caribbean islands. In a passport book, this can be found at the top of the personal information page. The passport card is available to all irish citizens who hold a valid irish passport book. Is there a way to search by social security number if i do have a passport. Also, if you get a passport card separately from your passport, it has a different number and expiration date also costs a bit more. 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. A passport card is valid for travel to and from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda at land border crossings and sea portsofentry. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane. However, each of these items comes with certain restrictions regarding when you can use them.
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. 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. 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. 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. The passport card is only for land and sea travel, which means there is no way travelers can use the passport card to board a plane. 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. Dec 17, 2017 the passport book and the passport card are both valid passport that will attest to your identity as well as citizenship. How to find passport book number on your us passport. Instead, each passport book number is unique to that specific book. The difference between passport and passport card us.
Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison diffen. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. 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. Can anyone verify for me with the filipino passport, is the passport book number the same as the passport number. 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. A passport book and a passport card serve the same purpose of attesting to your u.
You must have the original copies of all required documents. It can be used for travel to 31 countries in the european union eu and european economic area eea plus switzerland. The irish passport card is a travel document that irish citizens can use for certain travel instead of the standard passport book. Jun 20, 2019 passport book is a globally recognized travel document while passport card is not a globally recognized document. A passport book is required for all international travel by air.
The passport book and the passport card are both valid passport that will attest to your identity as well as citizenship. Since the passport card is apparently worthless, it is better to leave that than your actual passport. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. Unless you use the mobile passport app, youll have to. This is a privately owned website and not a government agency. What is the differences between a passport book vs card with additional information and requirement for getting both a card and book. The numbers dont work like a social security number, though, which is also a unique number. What is the different between passport number and passport. See the chart below to decide which is best for you. The passport card is a cheaper alternative to the passport book. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. Your us passport book number can be found on the top right of the continue reading. 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.