Vacations Blog

When you travel out of the United States, you need to bring a US passport with you, especially when visiting counties that require this document. Typically, you’ll bring your passport book, however, there are destinations that allow you to use the pass port card. These destinations are part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which includes Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Mexico. In this article, we’ll show you how to get a passport going to these destinations.

First off, let’s talk about what a passport card is. This is for those who are looking for a cheaper and more convenient alternative to the passport book. Unlike passport books that can be quite thick, passport cards are thin and can easily fit into your wallet.

If you’re after convenience when traveling, then you’ll love the U.S. passport card. It has an embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) chip that allows Customs officials to scan your card without you needing to put it out. They will then be able to see all the relevant information about you, all while the card stays in your pocket or wallet.

Applying for a passport card is also more cost-effective than passport books. The fee for applying for a passport card is around half the price of the application for a passport book. However, the destinations where you can use this card are limited. You can only use this card for land or sea travel to WHTI territories. So if you are traveling to the same places by air, then you’ll need to show your passport book instead.

Now, how do you apply for a passport card? Doing this depends if you already have a passport or not. If you are already a passport holder, or if you already had a passport before, then you can fill in Form DS-82, and submit it along with other requirements you need to fulfill. Filling in the DS-82 allows you to send your application for a passport card by mail.

However, if you are applying for a passport for the first time, then you will be required to fill in DS-11. Once completed, you can submit it to the passport office in person, along with the other requirements. It would therefore help that you familiarize yourself on how the application works so as to save time.

Having a passport card is a great thing. However, there are times when you’ll also need to have a passport book. The great thing is that you can apply for both documents. This provides you with great flexibility when it comes to your travel. That way, you can use your passport card when visiting WHTI destinations, then use your passport book when traveling to Europe, for example. If you are applying for both documents, you have the choice to apply for them at the same time and get a corresponding discount from the application fee.

To summarize this information, you need a American passport card when traveling to WHTI destinations. Look into this alternative before your next trip.