You are limited in your travels with a card.

go to passport site as it has info there and saw it as I was checking out passport renewal

I just renewed my passport. READY to travel, just don't know when or where lol

Thanks Glenda. I figured I'd hear from you since you are quite the traveling woman. I was on the site and found the FAQ area where it answered as you did about the card. I think just the book will be fine.

Happy travels where ever the sky, sea, or road takes you next.

I just wish I had a regular traveling companion and I'd GO GO GO.

I have a passport "book". Gets me everywhere I like to go. Nothing else needed. :)

Moni

We all just renewed our passports and we each paid for the card too. The primary reason is in the event we need a government issued ID card. Usually everyone uses their driver's license but what if you happen to lose it or you forgot to renew it in time? The passport card is the same size as a credit card and very easy to carry. I thought the $20.00 was a reasonable price to get an extra ID card. We usually leave our passports in our safe unless we're traveling.

curious, maire_cate . why do you get the two??????

I have a passport pouch that hangs aroud my neck, so easy to show and carry and go thru security everywhere

conceals easily

Passport cards are a convenience if you travel anywhere between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. Regular passports are required for all other travel outside the country.

The cards make it much easier for those who travel frequently across the U.S. Canada or Mexican border. Faster processing than a regular passport. Sort of like fast-track.

You can get passport cards alone but they are more expensive than if bought as an addition to a regular passport.

I found all this out because I have to renew mine also. DS just got one and he had all the info.

Glenda- The passport card is faster because it has embedded information. I think some time in the future passports will have it too. But we also wanted the card to use as another means of identification - even when you're not traveling anywhere. It's a government issued ID card that you can carry in your wallet. I leave my passport at home unless I'm traveling out of the country. The passport card is easy to keep with you.

This is from the USPS web site:

Purpose of Passport Card

The U.S. Department of State began issuing passport cards in July 2008. The new wallet-size U.S. Passport Card is a travel document that can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. Note that it cannot be used for international air travel. The passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book.

To increase speed, efficiency, and security at U.S. land and sea border crossings, the passport card contains a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip. This chip points to a stored record in secure government databases. There is no personal information written to the RFID chip itself.

With RFID technology, Customs and Border Protection inspectors will be able to access photographs and other biographical information stored in secure government databases as the traveler approaches an inspection station.

The passport card uses state-of-the-art security features to prevent against the possibility of counterfeiting and forgery. In addition, a protective, RFID-blocking sleeve is provided with each passport card to protect against unauthorized reading or tracking of the card when it is not in use.