BajaNomad

Passport Book Vs. Passport Card

jeans - 8-17-2012 at 03:46 PM

My Passport book has expired so its time to renew. A new option I am not familiar with is the Passport card, which is a LOT cheaper at $30 than getting the book ($110) I think my globetrotting days are over so I will only be crossing the border with it...maybe getting another Sentri (also expired). Do I need to get a book to get Sentri?

When is the book necessary? When will the card "do"?

Sandlefoot - 8-17-2012 at 04:02 PM

If I am not mistaken you can not get the card without first purchasing the passport book. I use the card as convience when I only need ID and don't want to carry the passport book. From what I understand they are using the card to expedite getting through the border in different lanes but I have never tried that before. I use mine when leaving a cruise ship for ID to get back on, and if something happens while I am off ship I will not have lost my passport book.

Happy Trails

thebajarunner - 8-17-2012 at 04:55 PM

There has been a lot written on this on Nomad.
Here is a simple site that gives basic info.

http://travel.state.gov/pdf/ppt_pptCard.pdf

And, it does not work for air travel,
just land and sea, basically North America

We crossed back from Canada a while back,
they did not have a Sentri lane but they did have a lane for cards only.
Unfortunately we only had the books, so we sat with the Canucks for 40 minutes while the other Gringo card carriers hardly slowed up in the card only lane.

woody with a view - 8-17-2012 at 05:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sandlefoot
If I am not mistaken you can not get the card without first purchasing the passport book. I use the card as convience when I only need ID and don't want to carry the passport book. From what I understand they are using the card to expedite getting through the border in different lanes but I have never tried that before. I use mine when leaving a cruise ship for ID to get back on, and if something happens while I am off ship I will not have lost my passport book.

Happy Trails


yep!

DENNIS - 8-17-2012 at 05:14 PM

Just today wrote a check for the combo, card and book....$212.72....expedited service.

durrelllrobert - 8-17-2012 at 05:19 PM

You will have to mail your passport book in to get the card. They will return it to you before they send the card.

WideAngleWandering - 8-17-2012 at 05:36 PM

I got the card so I could cross back into the states by land should I lose track of my passport. Seemed like a cheap backup.

Triple Play

bajaguy - 8-17-2012 at 05:41 PM

Passport
Passport Card
SENTRI.............

Priceless!!!!!!

Udo - 8-17-2012 at 05:51 PM

When I wanted just the passport card, The people in charge of the passport cards stated that the ONLY WAY TO GET A CARD IS TO TURN IN YOUR PASSPORT AND START FROM SCRATCH!

comitan - 8-17-2012 at 06:20 PM

Udo

Thats what I read from the Gov. website.

Passport

tehag - 8-17-2012 at 06:22 PM

Passport renewal, book and card, expedited, 2-day service, $200US, 8/15/2012, San Diego office.

meme - 8-18-2012 at 07:58 AM

I have kids that had no passport books but applied fo he cards & got them.

Terry28 - 8-18-2012 at 10:30 AM

Think about it for a minute...why did they invent the passport card?? It was so people did not have to pay for a passport when all they wanted was to go back and forth to Mexico...Hence no passport required to get the "card"
You guys have a short memory........

[Edited on 8-18-2012 by Terry28]

Passport

tehag - 8-18-2012 at 10:33 AM

Terry28

Huh??

Terry28 - 8-18-2012 at 10:36 AM

Tehag....I meant no passport required to get the "card"

durrelllrobert - 8-18-2012 at 10:39 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Terry28
Think about it for a minute...why did they invent the passport card?? It was so people did not have to pay for a passport when all they wanted was to go back and forth to Mexico...Hence no passport required to get the "card"
You guys have a short memory........

[Edited on 8-18-2012 by Terry28]
my point was that IF you have a passport book you have to submit it with your passport card application to prove who you are. Otherwise (if you don't have a passport card) you have to submit other proof of identity (birth certiicate, etc)

[Edited on 8-18-2012 by durrelllrobert]

woody with a view - 8-18-2012 at 12:31 PM

Terry is correct, i think!:biggrin:

Bajaboy - 8-18-2012 at 12:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by woody with a view
Terry is correct, i think!:biggrin:


I agree with most of what you write

Passport

tehag - 8-18-2012 at 07:35 PM

In San Diego Wednesday, I was given the choice — Book, Card, or both. I took both for various reasons that made sense to me at the time, still do, actually.

meme - 8-19-2012 at 05:29 AM

We got the card for an extra $20 if we got it when we renewed the passport books.

woody with a view - 8-19-2012 at 05:50 PM

^^^we did the same. it's a no-brainer^^^