Renewing passport

We are renewing passports and have not previously had a passport card. I assume the passport card can be used when needed for TSA purposes, but are there other uses for the passport card? Thank you, Cherie

When we renewed our passports a couple of years ago, we did not bother getting the passport cards.

Couldn't figure out what we would need them for.

Maybe someone here can help us out why or why not they are a good choice to get.

The Passport card is only good for Cruises, Land Border crossings to Mexico or Canada, or as a government issued ID.

 

If that is the extent of your travel, it will save you a few bucks.

We live in South Texas and were told that the passport card could be used when walking across the bridge into Mexico. We have them but never used them. I wouldn't bother getting them again.

 

Marcia

I have one. If nothing else, sometimes my passport has to be sent away for visas for exotic countries. If I have a passport card I can still travel.

 

Roy

Passport Cards are useless for air travel, for a start. But as previous posters have noted, useful for cruises and land crossings into Canada.

Edited June 27, 2015 by Langoustine

This link provides a snapshot of some of the differences between the book and the card:

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/card.html

 

DW and I have NEXUS cards, which provide some of the same benefits. A major advantage for us, other than accelerated passage through airports, is being able to carry a very small, waterproof card on shore excursions while leaving our passports safely locked in our cabin.

On a cruise you can leave the card in your safe and take your booklet passport ashore. That way if you miss the ship for any reason you can still fly home or to the next port, and if your booklet is lost or stolen you can still sail home and easily get back in the country with the card. :cool:

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Edited June 28, 2015 by jtl513

I have one. If nothing else, sometimes my passport has to be sent away for visas for exotic countries. If I have a passport card I can still travel.

 

Roy

 

But you cannot travel by plane internationally.

When we renewed our passports a couple of years ago, we thought that we didn't need the passport cards and did not order them. Then we discovered that we needed to send our passports out for visas during the period we wanted to take a Caribbean cruise so we got the cards (so much easier to get them at the same time as the passports). It is true that you cannot fly internationally on them, but we use them as our government issued photo ID when flying domestically or on shore in port. If lost, it is less of a problem to loose these cards than to loose a drivers license. The card is smaller and easier to carry and we can leave the passports in the safe. We have never missed a sailing, but have been told that if a ship is leaving without you, they will leave your passport with the ship's agent (the ship does have the ability to get into your safe).

We have never missed a sailing, but have been told that if a ship is leaving without you, they will leave your passport with the ship's agent

Yes, IF there is time after the Captain decides he's leaving. Then you have the hassle of trying to find the ship agent. I always have our passport booklets in my money belt when ashore in non-US ports.

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Edited June 28, 2015 by jtl513

We are renewing passports and have not previously had a passport card. I assume the passport card can be used when needed for TSA purposes, but are there other uses for the passport card? Thank you, Cherie

 

For those who live near either the Mexican or Canadian border and make land crossings it is nice to have a 'border crossing' card in the wallet so that the passport doesn't need to be remembered to be taken.

Yes, IF there is time after the Captain decides he's leaving. Then you have the hassle of trying to find the ship agent. I always have our passport booklets in my money belt when ashore in non-US ports.

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Lifestyle can have quite an influence on the decision. DW and I no longer scuba dive but we snorkel at every available opportunity. Carrying a passport book simply isn't practical when we are in the water or on the beach. I have a small waterproof container that holds our Nexus cards, a credit card, our ship cards and a few folded bills.

 

We always plan our shore days with a good safety margin built in, so we aren't concerned about missing the ship. Consequently, the convenience of carrying the card far outweighs the very slim possibility of missing the ship's departure.

 

Just a different perspective. If you read many of the other cc threads on this topic, you'll see that a significant number of passengers don't carry either, choosing instead carry a DL or similar ID for reboarding.

We always plan our shore days with a good safety margin built in, so we aren't concerned about missing the ship.

One accident, traffic or otherwise, can quickly blow a good safety margin.

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Edited June 28, 2015 by jtl513

Thank you for all of the responses. I had not thought about using the card if our passports are unavailable for visas. We usually carry a copy of our passports in some countries and leave the passport books in a hotel/ship safe. I know I will show my age, but...I am not sure I could leave my passport book at home and just take the passport card if crossing the Canadian or Mexican border on the ground. I'm just so used to having it with me when out of the U.S.A. The benefit of having the small card, like a credit card, when out and about would be nice. I know there are many countries that require you to have your passport with you at all times. So...it seems like the card is not perfect but may offer some benefits for us, and it is easier to order it with the new passport.

 

Thank you again for the great responses. Cherie

One accident, traffic or otherwise, can quickly blow a good safety margin.

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Possibly, but equally, you could be mugged and lose your money belt and passport.

 

Life is full of potential pitfalls, but I don't stop cruising because of the Concordia. I don't take unnecessary risks, and I'm very comfortable with my decision.

 

But if you see me running after the ship, waving my NEXUS card as you slowly disappear over the horizon, feel free to say you told me so! :)

Possibly, but equally, you could be mugged and lose your money belt and passport.

Did you forget the part about leaving a passport card on the ship to get home with?

One accident, traffic or otherwise, can quickly blow a good safety margin.

... and too generous a safety margin can severely limit what excursions you can take ...

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Edited June 28, 2015 by jtl513

Did you forget the part about leaving a passport card on the ship to get home with?

... and too generous a safety margin can severely limit what excursions you can take ...

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But when you were mugged, you had to go to the hospital for treatment and missed the boat! :)

 

You can play "what if" until the cows come home. If you personally prefer to carry your passport with you, by all means do so, but please don't negate other viable options.

But when you were mugged, you had to go to the hospital for treatment and missed the boat! :)

And so did you when you fell and needed to get medical treatment that took longer than your safety margin.

If you personally prefer to carry your passport with you, by all means do so, but please don't negate other viable options.

I'm simply arguing that having a passport with which I can fly home if necessary is a safer choice.

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Edited June 28, 2015 by jtl513

And so did you when you fell and needed to get medical treatment that took longer than your safety margin.

I'm simply arguing that having a passport with which I can fly home if necessary is a safer choice.

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If you are really that concerned, then staying home would be your safest choice. :rolleyes:

If you are really that concerned,

Of course not ... but I do believe in eliminating as many potential problems (e.g. flying home) as possible. ;)

Of course not ... but I do believe in eliminating as many potential problems (e.g. flying home) as possible. ;)

Potentiality, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. :)

My passport comes up for renewal soon and I will get passport card when I renew.

I'd rather have one than not...... just my personal choice.

Potentiality ... is in the eye of the beholder. :)

Uhhhh ... no, it's not.

I can't remember if HAL is one of the cruise lines that collects and keeps everyone's passports upon boarding for European cruises... It was very unsettling the first time this happened--when we were told just before docking at the first port that for going ashore, we'd need "a form of Photo ID"in addition to our cruise cards--but not allowed access to our passports! Never thought we'd need our US driver's licenses on a cruise since we had our passports, but started carrying them after that. Guess the passport card will at least resolve that issue.

 

Had planned to use our new passport cards to enter Canada via seaplane to Victoria last fall, but we were told we had to have our passport books. Dunno about Mexico.

 

I know we can't use them for Europe but supposedly we CAN for the Caribbean. Will take both cards & books with us in January, show them our passport cards, & see how it goes.

 

And a side note: you cannot sign up for Global Entry just with your card; they must have your book to complete that registration.