Passport card

From Yenra

The U.S. Department of State has begun production of the new U.S. Passport Card, a convenient, wallet-sized document to be used for re-entry into the U.S. at land border crossings and sea ports of entry when arriving from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

As part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), travelers will be required to present a single document denoting both citizenship and identity when entering the United States through land or sea borders. This requirement will go into effect June 1, 2009.

Note: The U.S. Passport Card cannot be used for international air travel.

A previous passport book holder, eligible to use Form DS-82, may apply for a passport card as a Renewal. First time applicants for a U.S. Passport, and those not eligible to use the DS-82, should apply for a passport card using Form DS-11.

The card has the same period of validity as a passport book: 10 years for an adult, five for children 15 and younger. Adults who already have a fully valid passport book may apply for the card as a passport renewal and pay only $20. First-time applicants pay $45 for adult cards and $35 for children.