Information Regarding The Passport Card
In recent years, the United States has released an alternative to the passport. This is what a new passport card is. It’s a document for travel that’s used to get into the United States at land crossings and ports of entry by sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. This form of ID is cheap and smaller than the passport book. It is a convenient 2nd option for people who do a bit of traveling between these countries by sea or by land. It became available starting July 14th, 2008 and has already been issued to more than 2,700,000 United States citizens.
You must also understand that although the booklet allows for travel between international countries via airplane, the card will only allow for automobile travel and travel by boat. It was made for citizens living on the North and South borders of the US. Those who travel to Mexico and Canada enough require a more convenient form of identification to travel between each country. This card makes it easier to do so without having to apply for an urgent U S passport.
An electronic chip called a ”vicinity read frequency identification chip” is placed in each card. This is a device that speeds up the amount of time used to process identification by the government. Don’t worry; the chip doesn’t hold personal information, just a unique number that identifies a record within the databases of the government.
You don’t need to worry about security either. Each card is engraved by lasers with state-of-the-art technology, which keep security at a maximum while limiting the ability of criminals to try to counterfeit your documents. It also comes with a sleeve that protects the card from being scratched or read.
To apply for one, you must have the necessary documents required to prove your identity and citizenship. Proof of citizenship can include a previously issued, undamaged United States passport, a birth certificate that is issued by the city, county, or state, a report of birth abroad or a certificate of birth, a certificate of citizenship, and a naturalization certificate. Acceptable identification includes a previously issued unharmed passport, a naturalization certificate, a valid driver’s license, a current government ID that is city, state, or federal or a current military ID.
Along with these documents of identification, you must bring along a small photo 2×2 inches in size. You only need to bring one. Once you have all these items ready, simply fill out form DS-11 and visit one of the many passport application facilities located across the U. S. You can find these locations online.
Application fees for adults are $30, and execution fees are $25. For kids under 16 years old, application fees are $15. Execution fees are still $25.
After you submit the application, it typically takes between four and six weeks to fully process and ship. There is expedited service available which costs a bit extra. It typically takes between two and three weeks.
Try to apply ahead of time for the United States passport card to avoid any unnecessary headaches. It’s a real hassle to get to the airport and not have the right ID, even after applying for an urgent US passport. Have a good time on your trip!
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