Passport Cards: How To Get Yours

Thursday, 28 January 2010 17:18

On July 14, 2008 the United States Government began to offer the U.S. Passport Card. The benefits and drawbacks of these cards are all very different from the original passport book but according to the government travel website, over a million have been issued.

The only type of crossing you can do with a passport card is by land or sea, which means it is not a valid international flight identification. You can use this card only at ports of entry on the borders of Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

The popularity of applications for the passport cards in the Tucson area has increased, according to Tina Wilson, an employee at the Tucson Desert Foothills Station passport office. Wilson said that in 2009 she had seen an increase of about 50 percent more people applying to get the passport cards and not the passport book.

“If all they want is to go to Rocky Point and if there is no plan to travel overseas, then there is no point [to buy the passport book],” said Wilson. The simplicity and ease of carrying the driver’s license-sized passport card is a huge benefit for citizens, but the new technology that comes on the card helps border crossing agents as well.

The passport card comes equipped with a radio frequency identification chip. This chip can be read at the border crossing stations once the card is in range. It points to a government database where the card owner’s information is stored, and this helps expedite crossing times according to the government passport website.

The card comes with a protective sleeve that it can be stored in when not in use to protect from unauthorized access to the chip information. However, the card does not contain any personal information.

These cards have been a huge success and they are easy to apply for and signifcantly cheaper than the traditional passport book.

How to Get the Card:

There are two different situations that define how you can order your passport card:

1. If you currently are or previously were a passport book-holder then you need to apply as described below under the first steps.

2. If you have never been a passport holder, then you will need to follow the directions directly below the first set of steps.

1. Current or Previous Passport Holders

What you need to do is fill out the form DS-82, which is the passport renewal form (this form is correct even if you currently don’t have a card). You can find the form online, and you will have two options once you get there. You can fill out the form online and print it to mail in with the other documents necessary, or you can print the form blank and fill out by hand to mail in. The other option is to go to your local passport facility and pick up the form.

Once you have completed the form you must mail it to the address shown on it. As per instructions on the government travel website, you must mail it in a padded envelope along with the following.

- Your most recent passport, book or card.

- Two passport photos (specifications for the photos are online).

- Current passport fees (which are listed online along with some general prices are at the bottom of this article).

- A marriage certificate or court order (only if your current name is different from what was recorded in your most recent U.S. Passport).

Mail in all of the above documents to the address found on the form.

2. Not a Current Passport Holder (Applying for the first time)

As a first-time passport applicant, the option to mail in an application is not available to you. What you will need to do is fill out the DS-11 form and submit it with all of the required documents in person to a local passport facility. This form can be acquired at your local passport facility or on the Web. If you go online, you will find that just like the DS-82 renewal form, you can fill out the form online and then print it or you can print out a blank form and fill it out by hand. Do not sign the form; you will need to do this at the acceptance facility in front of an agent.

Applying for a passport for the first time requires proof of citizenship to be submitted.

When at the passport facility you will be required to present identification to the agent. This can include a driver’s license, military ID, naturalization certificate or current government ID. Whichever ID you choose to show at the passport facility, you must have a clean photocopy of the front and back of it.

As always, you must pay the applicable fees that you can find online or at the bottom of this article.

You must also submit two passport photos. Some passport facilities have on-site capabilities to take those photos. Specifications for the photos are online.

There are special requirements for various situations, but all of the instructions for these can be found on the government travel website, or you can call or visit a local passport facility. There is a map below with each location's phone number included.

Fees:

Current or previous passport holder: (adult)

Passport book and card           =$95

Passport book                          =$75

Passport card                           =$20

Not a current passport holder: (adult)

Passport book and card           =$120

Passport book                          =$100

Passport card                           =$45

Any passport application for minors:

Passport book and card           =$95

Passport book                          =$85

Passport card                           =$35

Regular processing time for any passport application, whether it be for a book, card or both, is 4-6 weeks. Expedited services are available for an additional cost. 

**All fee and instructional information is taken from the U.S. Government travel website and is subject to change. Please check the website for the latest information to ensure your application will go smoothly.**

There are 13 different passport facilities in Tucson, below is a map that compiles those locations as provided by the government travel website. CommunityWalk Map - Passport Locations

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