Techniques For Acquiring A Priority Passport Card

The passport card was designed for a specific type of travel and can be used for that purpose only. The guidelines allow it to be used for return to the United States via land or sea border crossings, but only from certain countries. Those countries include Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean islands, and Bermuda. It will not be accepted for travel by air to or from any of these countries, nor can it be used to travel to any countries not on this list.

Though the passport card is for limited travel under specific situations, it has as stringent application requirements as a regular passport. If you wish, you can submit one application for both the card and a traditional passport on the same form. If this is your first application to the Passport Agency for any type of document, you must physically apply. You can do this by going to a Passport Office, if there is one near you, or you can go to an Acceptance Facility, which is usually located at your local post office or a governmental agency office.

The application package that must be presented to the agent includes the application form DS-11, in conjunction with certain required supporting documents. Those documents include proof that you are a US citizen, proof that you are who you claim to be, and two passport photos of the designated dimensions. In addition, there is the fee for the passport card, and a separate fee that must be paid to the Acceptance Facility for their services.

Documents that are considered acceptable as proof of citizenship include a certified copy of your birth certificate, for those born in the United States, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, for citizens born outside the country. You can also use a Certification of Citizenship document obtained after becoming a US citizen. To prove your identity you can use a valid driver's license, a current military identification, or a current government identification issued by a city, state, or federal agency. You must also provide a photocopy of whichever document you intend to provide as proof of your identity.

If you already have a passport and desire a passport card as well, the application process is a bit simpler. You can complete the process through the mail, and are not required to appear in person at an Acceptance Facility. In this situation you will complete form DS-82, which is for renewal of a passport, or for obtaining a passport card. If your passport is due for renewal, you can apply for them together. As part of this application process, you must submit your current passport, two new photos that meet the specifications, and the fee for the passport card. If you are getting a priority pass port be sure to include the fee for that as well. The Passport Agency will give you a bit of a discount if you apply for both forms of passport at the same time.

If you have a need to receive your card faster than normal processing times will allow, you have the option to pay an additional fee of $60 with your application to receive an overnight passport card. This fee applies whether you are applying in person or by mail. This will generally cut the wait time by half compared to normal processing. You will also be expected to pay whatever priority US passport delivery fees are required in order to ship the documents.