Does a passport card work to go to canada by train. But you will need a passport book if traveling by air, or passport card if. Department of state since 2008, and can be used to enter and exit 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. You can use your passport card for travel by land or sea to and from canada, mexico, bermuda and the caribbean.
The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. Canada border services agency staffers will accept a valid passport book for entry into canada by bus. The caribbean island nations that accept the us passport card. Passport card can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the. It is also accepted for entry by land or sea into canada. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. Passport cards and passport books are no exception. What you need to know about passport cards fastport passport. People who frequently cross the mexican or canadian border by car or train. They can be used for land or sea travel to canada, mexico, bermuda, and the caribbean, but. Your passport card can also be used to enter most caribbean nations by sea.
The passport card can be used only to reenter the u. Unlike other countries, canada does not require your passport to have a minimum period of validity. You may pay canadian cash only if applying in person at the embassy or a u. For a list of the different fees for passport services, please visit the state departments website. Whats the difference between a passport book and a. The passport card has benefits, but does not offer the same list of privileges as a traditional passport. If you are flying by plane, a cape, a giant eagle, or anything for that matter, you have to get the passport book. The main advantages of the passport card are its cost and practicality. Tsa accepts the passport card as id for domestic flights. Passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel.
The passport card is best for those who travel to canada or mexico frequently by car or train. Please check the frequently asked questions on the canadian passports website. The only distinction i can think of that might make you want to have both an edl and a passport card is the information on the face of the cards. The department of states ds82 form is incorrect in stating that u. Entering the united states at land border crossings and sea portsofentry from. H ave you ever wished your passport could fit inside your wallet. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. What is the difference between a passport book and. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. 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. Cheaper passport cards can only be used for land and sea travel between the u. A passport card is a smaller version of a passport book and fits inside a wallet.
All new canadian passports are 36page books that have a data chip in them. The passport card is good only for land and sea border crossings, and as such is good enough for going to and from canada. It is smaller and more convenient to carry than a passport book, and it is less expensive to obtain. Learn more about how a passport card differs from a passport book. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air.
Passport requirements by bus to canada getaway usa. Canadian law requires that all persons entering canada carry both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. I called the passport agency at 8774872778 to confirm thistwice. You can renew your passport by mail if your adult passport expired less than 5 years ago and you currently reside in the united states or canada. A passport card also could be useful for alaska cruises, as long as all border crossings into canada are done by land or sea. Youll use the same form that you would use to apply for a passport book either a ds11 or ds82. You cannot use the passport card for international air travel, nor can you use it for travel to other international destinations. Do you need a passport card and book to go from the us to. Remember that the name on your identification must match the name on your airline ticket and boarding pass. Your passport book can be used in any situation where a passport card could be used, but you may find that it is convenient for you to also have a passport card. 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. In some cases, it is possible to present evidence of u.
Canadian travel documents no longer have a preprinted digital signature on page 2. Children too young to get a drivers license or other stateissued identification card. We break down how to get a passport, how to renew a passport, and how you can travel without a passport in the us. There is no reason to ever get a passport card, unless you only travel to canada, mexico or caribbean.
Will a passport card work as identification to get you on. Practical travel safety and security issues told cant drive into canada with passport card on work visa we recently moved to canada as us citizens on work permits. Now, if you traveling to canada by plane, the rules are different. The passport card is a fully valid passport that attests to the u. How to get a passport and how to renew a passport in the. What documents will i need in order to apply for a passport card. The passport book and passport card are both proof of your citizenship and identity while traveling outside of the us. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions, even for children. Does canada have plans for a canadian passport card. Passport cards are valid for land and sea travel to and from canada, mexico and the countries of the caribbean. If you live outside canada or the united states, visit the canadian passports website. Find uses and advantages of a passport book and a passport card and figure out which one is. Children who are too young for a drivers license or other state id, or other nondrivers who want a wallet sized id document, can also use the.
I will be in this situation in two year and therefore have clicked want answer, but in the meantime here is something ive found in the instructions to the ds82 passport renewal form pdf submit your most recently issued emp. For the 2011 alaska cruises everyone had to have a passport since the cruise began outside of the united states the only way i see around that is if someone flew into seattle and crossed into canada by land or ferry then possibly was able to use a passport card instead. The signature block on page 3 of your childs travel document doesnt need to be signed if your child is under 16. How a passport can help you fly domestically state. That means you can use a passport card if you are going to mexico or canada by car, bus, train, ferry, yacht, or even on foot. Birth certificate with photo id used to be enough, and is enough to get into canada, but not recommended or enough for the return trip. 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 card can be used for entering the united states at land border crossings and sea portsofentry from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda. As an adult, you can get into canada with a valid u. When i looked at the website for the consulate i found that passport applications should be made online, but the official u. A few weeks after moving, my parter was driving into canada osoyoos, bc with just her us passport card. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel.
You can now apply for a passport, or renew it, at over 300 service canada centres. Do passport cards work the same way as traditional passports. On the form, you indicate that youre applying for a passport card. Passport card is a limited travel document issued by the united states federal government in the size of a credit card. In addition to a regular passport, the passport book, u. Canadian passport issuing system is modelled after the united kingdom, where all firsttime passport applications are required to be countersigned by a person who has known the applicant for a minimum of 2 years and if issued outside of canada the guarantor may be someone who works in a. Documents needed for air travel public safety canada. Differences between a passport book and passport card. In general, a passport is required to enter canada and return to the united states but there are some exceptions. If any of the following apply to you, you may want to obtain a passport card. Passport books and cards are alternatives to a stateissued id.
You need a passport book, as the passport card wont cut it. The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip as well as the traditional photograph and personal information found in a passport book. Even if you are traveling by land or by sea, its a good idea to use a passport book in. The us passport card is a credit cardsized identification document. Passport book vs passport card difference and comparison. Service canada offers passport services in over 300 locations on behalf of the passport program, giving canadians broader access to passport services across the country. If you already have a passport book and are eligible to use form ds82, you may apply for the card by mail. Passport card basically a limiteduse passport enhanced drivers licenseacts both as a driver license and a travel document, but also with limits well walk you through the basic differences of each of these documents, and help you determine which one is right for you. Passport cards are particularly useful for some people.
It was designed for the people who live near the border and cross it frequently, with a lower cost and a handy size that fits in a wallet like a drivers license. I tried to fly to london on a fake passport bbc news duration. You can get a us passport card, whether or not you currently hold a passport book. It was designed for people who travel frequently between the us and canada, mexico, bermuda or the caribbean by land or sea. Documents needed for air travel bringing the right identification to the airport will help with a quick identity verification and checkin process. What is a us passport card, and how can you get one. It was introduced on july 18th, 2008 and over 7 million passport cards have been issued since then. Domestic flights within canada require a valid piece of government issued photo identification. As far as i can tell, the edl and passport card give the same travel rights. Crossing the border before you visit canada, visit tripadvisor for. Currently, all citizens of the united states need a one or the other for international travel, even to neighboring countries such as mexico and canada. Menu icon a vertical stack of three evenly spaced horizontal lines.
A passport card is the same size as a drivers license, and is official proof of your identity and us citizenship. A passport card is cheaper to get but is only valid for travel to canada, mexico and the caribbean islands. It wont work for flying, and you need a full passport book to do that. Told cant drive into canada with passport card on work. 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. The passport card is more convenient than the book but there are restrictions on forms of travel. Hi lynn, im assuming youre traveling by land into canada. If you meet certain criteria, you can renew your passport using the simplified renewal application process. Starting june 1, 2009, youll be required to carry a passport or passport card to return home after sea and land travel with some exceptions.
S citizens that want to travel by land or sea to canada, mexico, and the caribbean. 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. We already have nexus passes for frequent crossers i. The passport card is designed to be a less expensive and more. 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. The passport card is a wallet side document that will be used to expedite document processing from the u.
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