Strategies For Acquiring Express Passport Cards
Based on the type of international travel that an individual undertakes, the new passport card might meet all of their needs. It is important to understand how to apply for the card and how to work the system in order to get the card in time for any planned travel. If the trip is imminent, it might not be possible to get the card in time under normal conditions, causing the individual to need to apply for an fast passport card.
This new travel document was designed for United States residents of the northern and southern border states who frequently cross the border to work, shop, or visit family. It is meant to be a more convenient and less expensive alternative to a regular passport. First made available in 2008, it is an option for any US citizen.
If you know that you are only planning to travel between the US and the islands of the Caribbean, Mexico, or Canada, then the passport card could meet all of your needs. Keep in mind that the card is only valid for crossing sea or land borders. No international air travel can occur using this type of document.
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 Agency 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.
For a new applicant, you must complete form DS-11 and submit it to the agent at the Acceptance Facility. In addition, you must provide proof of your citizenship, proof of your identity, two passport photos that meet the application requirements, and the fee for the passport card. You will also have to pay the Acceptance Facility a fee to cover their work, as an intermediary agent of the Passport Agency. This fee is separate from the fee you pay to the issuing agency.
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 are a current passport holder, and feel that having a passport card as well is of value to you, there is an application process that you can complete by mail. Since you have already gone through the initial application process and provided proof of citizenship and identity, the DS-82 form is submitted as your application for the passport card. This is the same form that is used when getting a priority USA passport, so if you are due to renew soon, you might want to do both together. With this process you submit your current passport with the application form, two new photographs, and the fees required. Your passport will be returned to you along with your new card.
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 expedited 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 overnight delivery fees are required in order to ship the documents.
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