So if youre eyeing an alaska cruise that departs from vancouver, british columbia, but you only have a passport card and dont want to get a passport book, youll need to drive or take to the train to vancouver. Your us passport book must be valid for the full duration of your cruise. Passport book and passport card are two terms that are often used these days by many citizens of the united states who are applying for a passport for the first time. Many passport application acceptance facilities, which include libraries, clerks of court, and post offices, are not accepting u. Be it a card or a book, a passport is still a passport. Differences between a passport book and passport card. 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. Since they are comparatively inexpensive, a passport card for a cruise is ideal.
Passport book vs passport card cruise critic community. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. Learn more about how a passport card differs from a passport book. The passport card is only valid for land and sea travel to canada, mexico, and the caribbean. That means you cannot use the passport card for air travel. You will need a passport book if you plan to travel by airplane. The passport card is good to get into canada or mexico the passport book is used to get into all countries. It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the u. The passports for cruises faq page provides american citizens with answers to the most frequently asked questions about passport requirements related to cruising. My question is should we still get the passport book just in case or should the passport card be just fine. You can use your passport card for travel by land or sea to and from canada, mexico, bermuda and the caribbean.
Passport card is also valid for international travel but by land or sea only. As it turned out, he was the one in for the unpleasant surprise. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. Feb 12, 2019 passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel. Of the internal pages, 17 are blank pages marked visas. The passport card is commonly requested by travelers that are planning to go on a cruise. If you are flying into seattle and driving to vancouver, the card is fine. And, actually, the passport card will slow down your checkin time at the port a little bit, as they currently cannot be scanned into the computer like the passport books are. The passport card is a walletsize travel document that can only be used to reenter the united states at land bordercrossings or portsofentry by sea from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda.
If you are flying to canada for the alaskan cruise and flying home, you have to have a passport book. May 17, 2011 i want to get my 3 kids passports for our cruise in october. You cannot use the passport card for international air travel, nor can you use it for travel to other international destinations. Jun 20, 2019 passport book is valid for international travel by air, sea, or land. There are few travelers in this world who arent interested in trying to save money while on vacation. Can only be used in land and sea travels, not by air. In the event that you are traveling to canada to start your journey, you totally should. Mar 18, 2020 the passport card, meanwhile, is both less expensive and less flexible. Passport card or book for my kids to go to the bahamas via.
As of march 25, 2020, post offices which are still accepting applications are requiring customers to make an online appointment to apply in. But, the passport card can only be used for international travel by land and sea. The passport card is only accepted at land and sea border crossings between the u. Passport cards do not work for flying into canada, mexico, bermuda, or the caribbean. Oct 07, 2017 if for some reason while your on a cruise and you need to disembark unexpectedly and need to fly home from a foreign port only having a u. In any case, if your journey schedule makes them leave from vancouver or going to some other canadian port, you should have a valid passport book or card. A nonexpired passport book can be used as valid proof of identity and citizenship.
A passport book can also be used as your id for domestic air travel. However, before you apply for a new passport card, consider carefully whether or not you might be better off getting a us passport book. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea. Do i need a passport to go to on a caribbean cruise. A passport book commonly called a passport, is used for travel anywhere in the world by air, land sea. The us passport book vs passport card salon prive mag. It can contain direct identifiers that can be used alone to identify a person, or it can be combined with other quasiidentifiers, such. Your us passport must be valid at the time of entry. A passport card allows significantly fewer opportunities for the holder to travel, but often its enough for some. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. Passport card information must be entered manually by the cm at checkin. Personally identifiable information pii is a type of data that can be used to identify an individual. Passport cards are particularly handy for people who live close to the border and cross frequently or people who rarely travel but have decided to go on a cruise in mexico or the caribbean.
This case is an unfortunate example of what can go wrong if you decide to cruise with just a passport card. A valid passport is required and in some cases, a tourist visa is also required. Passport card or book for my kids to go to the bahamas via cruise. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel. Difference between passport book and passport card compare. We fly from maryland to florida where we board our ship and sail to the bahamas. There are, however, some key differences that need to be considered. Passport card the purpose of the passport card is for travelers that are going to canada, mexico, or the caribbean by land or by sea. The us passport card is a credit card sized identification document.
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. Passport card vs passport book sep 16 cruise forum. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. Can a passport card be used to enter roatan honduras when. Technically, the passport cards are only good for the u. Passport book vs passport card norwegian cruise line. How to apply for a new passport card rush my passport. Technically you dont need either for that cruise, just a bc and phot id. You did not indicate where your cruise is going to so i would check the locations in which the passport card is good for as from what i read they are only good for 34 places. The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at u.
You should know that the passport card is only valid for travel by land and sea within mexico, canada, bermuda, and the caribbean, and you can. If you have a passport book and you are eligible to use form ds82, you may apply for a passport card as a renewal by mail even if it is your first passport card. However, when youre on a cruise they often let you disembark at the cruise ports without checking passports because they know the cruise ship will have checked your passport before they let you on board. You cannot use the passport book for international flights. We have been even using our passports for domestic travel the last few yrs. Using a us passport card on a cruise flyertalk forums.
There are several options when it comes to forms of identification for travel. If you are flying to jamaica, you must have a passport book with one blank page marked visas. 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. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air. Aug 10, 2012 passport cards and passport books are no exception. Our cruise leaves long beach, ca and heading for ensenada mexico then back to long beach. Difference between a passport book and passport card. If for some reason while your on a cruise and you need to disembark unexpectedly and need to fly home from a foreign port only having a u. Passport cards and passport books are no exception.
Traditional passports are valid for international travel by air, sea, and land. The passport card should be fine, but if recommend contacting the cruise company youre going through and asking them. Passport card can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or sea portsofentry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The difference between passport books and passport cards. Most us passports have a dark blue cover, and contain 28 pages.
What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. As passport books allows more activities as compare to passport card so they tend to cost more as well. When a passport card might be just what you need for travel. If you are entering jamaica by sea, you may use a passport card or a passport book, but passport books are preferred because entry officials may not be familiar with the us passport card.
The passport book has plenty of pages for visas and arrivaldeparture stamps, while the passport card is a onepiece creditcardsized id card. In this video we explore should you use a passport book or a passport card when you travel. 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 card is only valid for land crossings in and out of mexico and canada.
Although princess cruises strongly recommends passengers travel with a passport, its terms and conditions clarify that it is possible to cruise with just a passport card with considerations. Us passport card how well do you protect your personally. A real passport book can get you anywhere in the world, while the passport card is limited. Passport books are likely what you think of when you imagine a passport a bookletstyle identification and travel document. However, people find a passport card more convenient and accessible when carrying. My adult niece is taking a cruise with us to mexico from calif. Any us citizen wishing to travel internationally via air must have a passport book. 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. It is my understanding that it is better to have them in case of emergency. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. We have booked our cruise for our honeymoon and i was reading about the passport cards and passport books. To begin with, passport cards can not be used for air travel. I leave my passport book locked up in canada when i drive between the 2 countries and have never had a problem at the border.
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 card is also commonly used for travelers that wish to take a cruise but do not plan on ever traveling by plane. Whats the difference between a us passport book and card. Also you can not use the passport card to fly into the us. Passport cards are wallet sized while the passport book is larger and thicker. The passport book is valid for all international travel. Jul 27, 2019 after he confirmed that his spouse could cruise with just a passport card, he booked their tropical vacation. Passport requirements for visiting popular countries. Passport cards are also only valid in mexico, bermuda, canada and the caribbean. A passport card is cheaper to get but is only valid for travel to canada, mexico and the caribbean islands. Gold country is a us state, so you neednt bother with an international id to enter.
The chance of her needing to fly from mexico is low, in her opinion, so she cut costs by just applying for the. However, if they believe that they are going to be making a trip anywhere else anytime in the foreseeable future, they should go for the passport book unless they. Can we use the card or does it need to be the passport book. Mexico, or one of the other countries under the circumstances listed for the passport card, they should just go for that. Jan 11, 2019 the passport card is only accepted at land and sea border crossings between the u.
I am taking a cruise to mexico and i intend to travel with my passport card because im traveling by sea. So passport card land travel or only on a cruise leaving and arriving in the same us port, passport book overseas, or air travel. A passport card can be used on cruises that loop through the caribbean, for example. While the passport card is permissible for a cruise, you may want to reconsider getting the card over the book. If you can submit a passport book, but you lost your passport card, you cannot. Passport card is wallet sized document while passport book size is 5.
If youre a citizen of the united states, and youre thinking about traveling to mexico, but you dont yet have a passport, you might consider getting a passport card instead of a regular passport book. If youre thinking of going on a cruise, the passport card might be nice when you need a from of identification to get on and off the ship. Discover if a passport is required to go on a cruise, when to obtain one, where to get it and how quickly you can acquire your travel document. You cannot use a passport card on cruises from international homeports.
Now we arent planning to fly international anytime soon because of the pricing of tickets. The card may not be used to travel by air outside the united states. Passport cards are valid only for reentering the u. Problems may arise if you are forced to fly or disembark at an international location where you legally need a passport book to return through. The card provides a smaller, more convenient, and less expensive alternative to the passport book for those who travel frequently to these destinations by land or sea.
We are traveling with a 4 and 2yearold on a disney cruise. If youre renewing your passport book and passport card, you must submit both documents. It can also be used for domestic air travel in the usa. A passport card is cheaper than a passport book, but cant be used for air travel and is only valid in canada, mexico, bermuda, and the caribbean. But if something happened while you were on the cruise and you had to fly back or something, that you needed the passport book. Difference between passport book and passport card. Passport card vs passport book carnival cruise lines. Cruises using a us passport card on a cruise anyone know for sure if a passport card may be used for a cruise. 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 which countries can be accessed with us passport cards. The passport card can be used only to reenter the u.
Find uses and advantages of a passport book and a passport card and figure out which one is best for you, or if you should have both documents. Perhaps the biggest difference between a passport card and a traditional passport is that. Crossed into mexico using my texas drivers license. Difference between passport book and passport card can be a new subject to you if you are not a citizen of the united states of america. The passport card is typically effective for canada and mexico, aka the countries americans have the easiest time getting to as theyre connected to the us. Passport book vs passport card for kids the dis disney. The passport book is valid for all kind of international travel to include flights. If you plan to travel by air or wish to visit a country other than canada, mexico, bermuda or one of the other caribbean island nations, you should apply. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. In addition to a regular passport, the passport book, u.
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