Passport Card Vs. Book: What's The Real Difference And Which Do You Need?

If you're applying for documents to travel outside of the United States of America, you may have noticed that you have two options: You can apply for either a passport book or a passport card. While you're likely familiar with a passport book, which has all your information, plus several pages for stamps when you enter a new country, you may not know much about a passport card. While both can be used as domestic I.D., and both prove your citizenship, they are intended for different types of travel. A passport book works for air, land, and sea travel to foreign countries, while a passport card can only be valid for land and sea travel. Moreover, a passport card will only allow you to travel between the United States and Canada, select Caribbean countries, Bermuda, and Mexico. 

While it may seem like the passport book is the obvious choice with all of its travel options, there are a few benefits to having a passport card instead. If you have friends or family in Canada or Mexico, for example, and you pass the border often, a card is great. If you tend to take frequent cruises to any of these places, a card is a good idea as well. In addition, a passport card is much less expensive. While a passport book costs $165 for adults and $135 for kids under 16, a card comes to $65 for adults and $50 for kids under 16. Renewal for a book is $130, but is only $30 for a card. (By the way, the best time to renew your passport is nine months before the expiration date.)

Passport cards first appeared in 2008, and they're valid for 10 years for adults and up to five years for kids, just like a passport book. The application process for both documents is very similar, but a different form is used for each. Even if you're applying in person, you can fill out the forms online. If you think a passport book and a passport card would be worthwhile for you, we have good news: You can have both and apply at the same time. An important note regarding either choice: You should never get rid of old and expired passports, no matter which type of document you choose, as they contain critical personal information that shouldn't get into the wrong hands.

One thing that makes a passport card more convenient is that its measurements are 3.3 by 2.1 inches, just like a credit card, so it can fit easily in your wallet. You won't need a passport cover or holder to keep it safe as you would with a passport book. A passport card will also help you get through land crossings at the Canada and Mexico borders much faster in designated Ready Lanes. Yet another benefit of the passport card is that it functions as a Real ID, which you'll need to board any domestic flight or a secure government facility by May 7, 2025. In case you were wondering about the Caribbean countries where you can use a passport card, it's valid for all destinations except Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Cuba, and the French West Indies. Ultimately, the choice between a passport card or book (or both) comes down to you and your personal travel needs.