U.S. Passport Card

Let's begin with the benefits of a passport card over the passport book. For one, the card is more affordable and smaller than the passport book. Your passport card can fit into your wallet so it's easier to carry around and somehow harder to lose. Also, applying for a passport card is just around half the price of the passport book.

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
Before you apply for one, you should first know the travel requirements for your destination of choice. You should know outright that you can only use your passport card when traveling by land or sea to destinations in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Territories included here are Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Now if you're planning of travel to destinations apart from the list, then you'll need the passport book.

Once again, you can only use your passport card if you're traveling by sea or land. Now what if you're planning to travel to WHTI destinations by plane? You cannot use your passport card in this instance. Therefore, you'll have to present your passport book.

Get Both Types Of Passport
You have the option of applying for both types of passports. This is best if you regularly travel to various foreign destinations that include WHTI territories. Having two types of passport applications provide you with the flexibility in choosing which passport type is best to be used. What's more, you'll get a significant discount should you apply for these passports at the same time.

How To Apply
When applying for a passport card, you'll need to determine if you're already a previous passport holder. If you are, then you can apply for your passport card by mail. To do this, you'll have to fill the Form DS-82, and provide other requirements that may be needed. You'll also need to do this even if you're getting your passport card for the first time. In case your passport card will be your first passport, then you'll have to fill in the Form DS-11.

RFID
The great thing about having a passport card is that it's so convenient to use. This is mainly because of the radio frequency identification (RFID) chip that's embedded on your card. Now all the US Customs have to do is to scan your card, and they will get all the information they need to provide proof of your identity and citizenship.

If you're wondering what a United States passport card is at the beginning of this article, we're pretty sure now that you're already familiar with it. All in all, it's just a convenient and affordable alternative to passport books if you're traveling to WHTI territories. For other destinations, you'll need your passport book to travel.