FAQ / What is the Passport Card?

The U.S. Department of State is offering a passport card to facilitate entry and expedite document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry for U.S. citizens arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. The passport card, which is less expensive and more portable than the traditional passport book, may not be used to travel by air. Visit the link at USA.gov for more information.
To meet requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), the United States Department of State (DOS) and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have developed a passport card for use by U.S. citizens who frequently travel by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Part of the PASS (People Access Security Service) system, it is a limited use passport designed to secure and expedite travel under WHTI guidelines. To facilitate the frequent travel of U.S. citizens living in border communities, as well as to meet DHS's operational needs at land borders, the card contains a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip that links it to a secure U.S. government database containing biographical data and a photograph; no personal information is contained on the chip itself.

Although the passport card cannot be used for travel by air, it does carry the same rights and privileges of the traditional passport book, and is held to the same standards. It joins the existing NEXUS Highway and Air Program and SENTRI Pass as acceptable identification documents for entering or re-entering the United States from a neighboring country.

The requirements for obtaining or renewing a passport card are identical to those of a traditional passport book. Applicants may request either or both documents. Additional information about both documents, as well as further assistance, is available through the National Passport Information Center (NPIC).

Additional Resources:

* Frequently Asked Questions about the Passport Card
* Passport Card Layout
* Important Change in International Land and Sea Travel Document Procedures
* Passports: Obtaining Quickly (Expedited Service)
* Passports: Obtaining in an Emergency
* Passports: Obtaining or Renewing Abroad
* Passports: Obtaining for a Child Adopted Abroad
* Passports: Correcting or Changing Information
* Passports: Fees
* Passports: Application Status
* Passports: Application Processing Times
* Forms from the Department of State (DOS)
* Border Crossing Wait Times
* Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

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