Passport Cards

[davekathy]

Speaking of Passports is anyone using the new wallet-size U.S. Passport Card? It can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. Note that it cannot be used for international air travel. The passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The U.S. Passport Card has the same period of validity as the U.S. Passport Book: 10 years for an adult and 5 years for minors under age 16. The card costs $45 for a first-time adult passport applicant and $35 for all minor applicants under age 16, regardless of whether they are previous passport book or card holders. Adults who already have a fully valid passport book may apply for the card as a passport renewal by mail for a cost of only $20.

[mom2tcdx2]

I did apply for the passport cards for my children as two of those were cheaper than one passport. I figured at least it would give them both a photo identification which they don't currently have. They are 11 and 14. Mailed the application off on Oct. 17, hopefully it won't take too long to get here.

[Shoalwater]

Speaking of Passports is anyone using the new wallet-size U.S. Passport Card? It can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. Note that it cannot be used for international air travel. The passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The U.S. Passport Card has the same period of validity as the U.S. Passport Book: 10 years for an adult and 5 years for minors under age 16. The card costs $45 for a first-time adult passport applicant and $35 for all minor applicants under age 16, regardless of whether they are previous passport book or card holders. Adults who already have a fully valid passport book may apply for the card as a passport renewal by mail for a cost of only $20.

 

So if you are not anywhere convenienient to a land crossing and have a medical or other emergency that requires you to return immediately to the USA without delay you have a problem. I believe these were intended for frequent travelers crossing the border regularly by land conveyance. I would not recommend them as a cheaper alternative to a passport for leisure travel. what would you do if you were stuck in say costa Rica and needed to get home in a hurry (say <24 hrs?).

[chrysalis]

So if you are not anywhere convenienient to a land crossing and have a medical or other emergency that requires you to return immediately to the USA without delay you have a problem. I believe these were intended for frequent travelers crossing the border regularly by land conveyance. I would not recommend them as a cheaper alternative to a passport for leisure travel. what would you do if you were stuck in say costa Rica and needed to get home in a hurry (say <24 hrs?).

 

I agree.......

[ssbeagle]

They are not used for international air travel. I didn't get one because it's just one more document to have to keep track of and would not want to take the chance of its being lost or stolen.

[cherylandtk]

Since most cruises from the US can continue to use the BC/DL, the passport card offers little usefulness for its cost unless you want the smaller wallet-sized card or frequently cross land borders. If you are going to spend any money, buy the full passport. JMO.

[davekathy]

Since most cruises from the US can continue to use the BC/DL, the passport card offers little usefulness for its cost unless you want the smaller wallet-sized card or frequently cross land borders. If you are going to spend any money, buy the full passport. JMO.

 

We currently use the Standard Passport. When our Passports are due for renewal we definitely stay with the Standard Passport. I guess the idea of a card vs. a book interested me. We haven’t used Drivers Licenses’ and Birth Certificates for years. Again the Passport book was a lot more convenient to use.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

So if you are not anywhere convenienient to a land crossing and have a medical or other emergency that requires you to return immediately to the USA without delay you have a problem. I believe these were intended for frequent travelers crossing the border regularly by land conveyance. I would not recommend them as a cheaper alternative to a passport for leisure travel. what would you do if you were stuck in say costa Rica and needed to get home in a hurry (say <24 hrs?).

 

With a passport card it probably would be easier to get a flight than say with a birth certificate and DL. The applicant has gone through the same checks as a passport the only difference is there are no pages that can be stamped if needed.

[TomCruises]

It is well worth the additional $20-$30 paid for a Passport Book rather than a Passport CardIYou get to go wherever you want whenever you want without the hassle!Now for all you Passport Book folks,you may obtain the Passport Card as well for only $20 additional when you renew!

[caribill]

And, if in the next 10 years you want to travel further away, you will already have the required passport.

[brian72]

With a passport card it probably would be easier to get a flight than say with a birth certificate and DL. The applicant has gone through the same checks as a passport the only difference is there are no pages that can be stamped if needed.

 

 

No. It will not be easier if its an international flight. It will be impossible. As stated in a previous response, the card is not valid in any way for an international flight. You will not be allowed to fly.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

No. It will not be easier if its an international flight. It will be impossible. As stated in a previous response, the card is not valid in any way for an international flight. You will not be allowed to fly.

 

Do not agree the DW is a F/A with a major carrier and has had passengers broad the plane with faxed permission from the Department of State. The only thing that happens is TSA (if the plane is from the Caribbean and not using international gates) meets those passengers at the gate questions them looks at ID and has them sign documentation. I am not sure what ID they were using but it is not impossible.

 

Remember even with a D/L and birth certificate information necessary to prove citizenship is easily verified especially when on a closed loop cruise. First passengers have already had their names go through a security check before boarding the ship. Second the cruise line can easily verify that they either missed the ship or had to debark.

[dforeigner]

Speaking of Passports is anyone using the new wallet-size U.S. Passport Card? It can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. Note that it cannot be used for international air travel. The passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The U.S. Passport Card has the same period of validity as the U.S. Passport Book: 10 years for an adult and 5 years for minors under age 16. The card costs $45 for a first-time adult passport applicant and $35 for all minor applicants under age 16, regardless of whether they are previous passport book or card holders. Adults who already have a fully valid passport book may apply for the card as a passport renewal by mail for a cost of only $20.

 

Why would a passport card be more convenient when it has limited use?

[PescadoAmarillo]

We each purchased a passport card in addition to the passports we've always had. Our thinking (when we applied) was that it would be a waterproof proof of citizenship that our drivers license alone would not prove. In any port where we are partaking in wet activities, we do not take our passport ashore with us, just our drivers licenses, which prove nothing. So now we'll take our passport cards...they're a photo ID for our return to the ship, as well as a proof of citizenship in the event we miss the ship and our passports are not retrieved from our cabin safe and given to the port agent.

 

In reality, after receiving them, I'm not sure if I will trust them in a dive box which inevitably leaks at 100 feet of depth. The card would be fine, I'm sure, but they are quite high-tech with quite a bit of info stored on them. I'm not sure that date would survive a salt water bath.

[cherylandtk]

Do not agree the DW is a F/A with a major carrier and has had passengers broad the plane with faxed permission from the Department of State. The only thing that happens is TSA (if the plane is from the Caribbean and not using international gates) meets those passengers at the gate questions them looks at ID and has them sign documentation. I am not sure what ID they were using but it is not impossible.

 

Remember even with a D/L and birth certificate information necessary to prove citizenship is easily verified especially when on a closed loop cruise. First passengers have already had their names go through a security check before boarding the ship. Second the cruise line can easily verify that they either missed the ship or had to debark.

Yes, the consular agent can arrange for a flight permission document in cases of emergency. This usually takes a day or so BUT State's willingness to provide such documents is on a case by case basis, usually involving an imminent death situation back home. Having BC/ID in that situation can get you on a flight within 24 hours, and I cannot imagine that a passport card in the same situation will be any more beneficial, or faster. You still would have to contact the local agent, explain the situation, get verification of the emergency, etc. Same as with the BC/ID.

 

Nobody has reported getting those permission to fly documents because they lost track of time and missed the ship, even when their passport is on the ship. They have to wait until the passport is sent to them OR they apply for and get a replacement passport.

 

From what I can see, (and admittedly the posted reports are few) having a passport card vs. BC/ID makes no difference in ease of returning to the US. A true medical emergency is the only thing that seems to speed up travel documentation. Already having a passport jumps you directly past that mess and gets you on the next flight at the airport.

[davekathy]

Why would a passport card be more convenient when it has limited use?

 

I believe the Passport Card is intended for frequent travelers crossing the borders regularly by land.

[Pam in CA]

Should the unthinkable happen and you miss embarking the ship in the U.S., you will not have the option of flying to the next port to catch up with the ship without a full passport.

 

We've seen more than one post over the years by people furious with Princess because of missed flight connections using Princess air, they missed the ship, and all Princess could offer them was a flight to the next port, which they couldn't do because they didn't have passports. They wanted their money back and felt Princess should refund it all. Ain't gonna happen.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

Yes, the consular agent can arrange for a flight permission document in cases of emergency. This usually takes a day or so BUT State's willingness to provide such documents is on a case by case basis, usually involving an imminent death situation back home. Having BC/ID in that situation can get you on a flight within 24 hours, and I cannot imagine that a passport card in the same situation will be any more beneficial, or faster. You still would have to contact the local agent, explain the situation, get verification of the emergency, etc. Same as with the BC/ID.

 

Nobody has reported getting those permission to fly documents because they lost track of time and missed the ship, even when their passport is on the ship. They have to wait until the passport is sent to them OR they apply for and get a replacement passport.

 

From what I can see, (and admittedly the posted reports are few) having a passport card vs. BC/ID makes no difference in ease of returning to the US. A true medical emergency is the only thing that seems to speed up travel documentation. Already having a passport jumps you directly past that mess and gets you on the next flight at the airport.

 

Agreed the point I was making was that it would not be impossible. I somewhat disagree on a passport card being no more vaulable than a B/C and drivers license. There is already a record in the database of the passport card being issued along with the applicants picture. This alone would have some value to the person making the decision whether to grant permission to fly. The other thought is in some of these small countries especially in the Caribbean the next available flight may take longer than getting permission to fly, passport or not.

[cherylandtk]

Oh, you are so right about the flight availability. Post last year on HAL board, two families traveling, one left the ship mid-cruise due to family emergency, scrambled to find flights from islands, needed multiple connections, long layovers, hard to find enough seats for everyone, finally made it home on Saturday, exhausted, cranky and poorer by several thousand dollars. Friends arrived two hours later on original flights, rested and relaxed from the last three days of the cruise. ( I know, if my family was ill I would not be rested or relaxed, I'm just sayin' the fastest way back may be on the ship).

[Treven]

I no longer drive due to disability so I no longer have a driver's license. I'm contemplating getting a passport card when my current state ID expires in a couple years. If, for no other reason, :) just to provide a new type of photo ID when asked for one.

 

At a local restaurant, when a particular person is on duty at the cash register where one orders their meal, although I've been in this establishment many, many times, he always askes to see an ID when I use my MC to pay for my meal. Simply to piss him off, I'd pull out my passport card and see how he handles it.

[dforeigner]

I believe the Passport Card is intended for frequent travelers crossing the borders regularly by land.

 

That part I get. The one about not getting a book passport when leaving the US and possibly having to fly back in a hurry due to a medical emergency while on a cruise I do not get.

[fcorey]

I personally have both...my company paid for them so what the heck :)

My understanding was that the card was intended for those that frequently travel over the border to Canada (like myself) or Mexico. I suppose it can be used for cruises in some cases, but if you have to fly, an airline will not accept it as others have stated. Personally I think its better to have a normal passport.

[caribill]

The official word at http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

 

Please Note: The WHTI-compliant documents described below are acceptable for entry or re-entry into the United States. You may be required to present additional or different travel documents when entering foreign countries, including countries in the Western Hemisphere. Before you travel, make sure you know the entry requirements of the country you plan to visit. See Country Specific Information for more information on the country you are traveling to.

 

AIR TRAVEL

ALL PERSONS traveling by air outside of the United States are required to present a passport book or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.

 

LAND AND SEA TRAVEL

ALL PERSONS traveling by land and sea outside of the United States are required to present a passport book/card, or other valid travel documents to enter or re-enter the United States.

 

The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website:

 

Effective June 1, 2009, all U.S. citizens are now required to present a passport book, passport card, or WHTI-compliant document when entering the United States.

 

Please Note: Children under age 16 will be able to continue crossing land and sea borders using only a U.S. birth certificate (or other form of U.S. citizenship such as a naturalization certificate.). The original birth certificate or a copy may be used. See the Department of Homeland Security's Ready, Set.. Go! for more information on the changing travel requirements.

 

The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory.

 

U.S.PASSPORT AND WHTI COMPLIANT DOCUMENTS:

U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air, land or sea.

 

The Passport Card: The passport card is only valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.

 

WHTI-Compliant Travel Documents for U.S. citizen travel via land and sea, as of January 31, 2008:

 

Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)

State Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (when available)

Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)

U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders

U.S. Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business

Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card

Form I-872 American Indian Card

 

For further information see U.S. Customs and Border protection.

 

 

On the Carnival web site:

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/New_Passport_Requirements.aspx

 

Proper travel documentation is required at embarkation and throughout the cruise. Even though a guest has completed registration using FUNPASS, it is still the responsibility of the guest to bring all required travel documents. Guest should check with their travel agent and/or government authority to determine the travel documents necessary for each port of call. Any guest without proper documents will not be allowed to board the vessel and no refund of the cruise fare will be issued. Carnival assumes no responsibility for advising guests of immigration requirements.

 

CRUISE TRAVEL

 

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) Passport Requirements became effective June 1, 2009, for land and sea borders. While the WHTI requires a valid passport for land and sea travel, a final ruling was issued allowing leniency for "closed-loop" cruises, i.e., sailings that both originate and terminate in the same U.S. port.

 

Recent guidance received from the Department of Homeland Security indicates the documentary requirements under WHTI for "closed loop" cruises are not limited to cruises that travel only to contiguous territories or adjacent islands. This means U.S. citizens calling on ports in Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica and Belize will also be exempt from the passport requirement.

 

U.S. citizens taking "closed-loop" cruises are not required to have a passport, but will need proof of citizenship such as an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization, a passport card, an enhanced driver’s license (EDL) as well as a government-issued photo ID. Children are also required to bring proof of citizenship, and if 16 and over, a photo ID is also required. Canadian and Bermudian citizens are required to have a passport for air, land and sea travel, including all Carnival cruises.

 

Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking "closed loop" cruises, we strongly recommend all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel). Having a passport will enable guests to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port in the event they miss their scheduled embarkation or to fly back to the U.S. if they need to disembark the ship mid-cruise due to an emergency.

 

If a cruise begins and ends in different U.S. ports or begins and ends in a foreign port (such as our Alaska cruises and Hawaii cruises) a valid passport or other recognized WHTI-compliant document is required. A valid passport is required if you are traveling on any of our Europe cruises.

For more information, a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents or to obtain a passport application, visit http://www.travel.state.gov.

U.S. Alien Residents need a valid Alien Resident Card. Non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport and a valid, unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-entry Visa, if applicable.

 

AIR TRAVEL

 

Passports are required for air travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, The Bahamas and Bermuda. This will impact all guests traveling by air to embark or debark in Vancouver for our Alaska or Hawaii cruises; and our Canadian guests that travel by air to or from any of our U.S. embarkation ports. This will also enable guests to fly from the U.S. to meet their ship at the first port should they miss their scheduled embarkation and allow guests that must debark the ship before their cruise ends to fly back to the U.S without significant delays and complications.

 

Guest names on travel documents (passport, Alien Resident Card, birth certificate, etc.) must be identical to those on the cruise and airline tickets. Otherwise, proof of name change (e.g., a marriage license) or a valid driver's license (or other government-issued photo ID) must be presented.