Passport & Passport Card Question

[marcyjane]

I just noticed that my Passport number is different from my passport card number. I don't know why I hadn't noticed this before and I got them at the same time. The passport card is what I was going to carry off the ship for ID in the port stops and leave passport in safe on ship. Would this be a problem? Going on Conquest Oct 1, 2016 to Aruba, Curacao, Grand Turk, La Romana, DR.

Thanks in advance for you comments. :)

[kerryincork]

In my experience they just look at the photo in port. There is no boarder guards who are checking your passport. You could use your drivers license if you want?

[marcyjane]

In my experience they just look at the photo in port. There is no boarder guards who are checking your passport. You could use your drivers license if you want?

 

Thanks

[joepeka]

Our passport cards have a totally different numbers than our passports although everything else is the same.

 

I know I've read that some folks do just the opposite of what you're planning: take their passport with them at port stops and leave their passport card in the ship safe. If the passport is lost/stolen, the card can be used to re-enter the U.S. at the end of the cruise but it won't do you much good if you need to fly home from, say, the Dominican Republic. Geez.... I hope I didn't start another "should I take my passport off the ship?" debate. :o

Edited August 9, 2016 by joepeka

[marcyjane]

Our passport cards have a totally different numbers than our passports although everything else is the same.

 

I know I've read that some folks do just the opposite of what you're planning: take their passport with them at port stops and leave their passport card in the ship safe. If the passport is lost/stolen, the card can be used to re-enter the U.S. at the end of the cruise but it won't do you much good if you need to fly home from, say, the Dominican Republic. Geez.... I hope I didn't start another "should I take my passport off the ship?" debate. :o

 

Thanks

[maldenmusic]

Curious as to why you have both a passport and a passport card? I travel with a passport book and my daughter uses a passport card. My PP cost more than her PP card and it's my understanding that the PP card can only be used for travel other than international. What do you do with both?

[Elaine5715]

Curious as to why you have both a passport and a passport card? I travel with a passport book and my daughter uses a passport card. My PP cost more than her PP card and it's my understanding that the PP card can only be used for travel other than international. What do you do with both?

 

For us in the border states, the passport card fits in the typical wallet.

[marcyjane]

Curious as to why you have both a passport and a passport card? I travel with a passport book and my daughter uses a passport card. My PP cost more than her PP card and it's my understanding that the PP card can only be used for travel other than international. What do you do with both?

 

To be honest I don't know. I just remember when I renewed my passport they offered a passport card for a small extra fee and as well thought it would be easier to carry it in with my driver's license and credit card I use when traveling.

[sparks1093]

Curious as to why you have both a passport and a passport card? I travel with a passport book and my daughter uses a passport card. My PP cost more than her PP card and it's my understanding that the PP card can only be used for travel other than international. What do you do with both?

 

The PP card is good for land border crossings and at sea ports of entry from Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and the Caribbean. It is a niche document that meets the travel needs of many people and means they don't have to pay for a full passport.

[JerseyshoreBruce]

we just ordered both for the first time....plan on carrying both with us but locking passport in the safe. will carry off passport cards at port being they are just like the size and sealed like a drivers license

[BenjiRodney]

Curious as to why you have both a passport and a passport card? I travel with a passport book and my daughter uses a passport card. My PP cost more than her PP card and it's my understanding that the PP card can only be used for travel other than international. What do you do with both?

 

The card fits in my wallet and is good for Federal ID when needed until my Driver's License renews in 2020 and is Federal compliant. I don't carry my Passport Book with me domestically.

[babygrljaz]

I just noticed that my Passport number is different from my passport card number. I don't know why I hadn't noticed this before and I got them at the same time. The passport card is what I was going to carry off the ship for ID in the port stops and leave passport in safe on ship. Would this be a problem? Going on Conquest Oct 1, 2016 to Aruba, Curacao, Grand Turk, La Romana, DR.

Thanks in advance for you comments. :)

 

Passport card # start with a C, passport book does not so everyone's will have different #s

[rgg]

I just got my daughter's first passport a few months ago. Mine is up for renewal next year, so I asked the woman who handled the application the reason to get the card, and she said that if your passport is lost or stolen, the passport card will enable you to get a new passport more quickly and easily.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[bakersdozen12]

Curious as to why you have both a passport and a passport card? I travel with a passport book and my daughter uses a passport card. My PP cost more than her PP card and it's my understanding that the PP card can only be used for travel other than international. What do you do with both?

 

I have both. I use my passport when cruising and international flights. I also have a passport card which is more convenient for when my husband and I drive to Canada (we live in NH). Additionally, since NH has not conformed to the REAL ID Act, the card will come in handy when my state's extension runs out and they still haven't complied (if that ends up being the case).

 

I'm curious as to why you think it's odd for a person to have both? The card isn't that much more money, so why not just get it at the same time when you are going through the trouble to get a passport?

[sparks1093]

I just got my daughter's first passport a few months ago. Mine is up for renewal next year, so I asked the woman who handled the application the reason to get the card, and she said that if your passport is lost or stolen, the passport card will enable you to get a new passport more quickly and easily.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

The person you were speaking to didn't know what she was talking about. You'll get your lost or stolen passport replaced just as quickly and easily without the card.

[Tatka]

I do not have a strong opinion but why pay $80 pp if you have passport?

Money is not an issue, but I do not see a reason.

I only heard that there are places on Mexican boarder where you can swipe it automatically without going through immigrations.

[joepeka]

I have both. I use my passport when cruising and international flights. I also have a passport card which is more convenient for when my husband and I drive to Canada (we live in NH). Additionally, since NH has not conformed to the REAL ID Act, the card will come in handy when my state's extension runs out and they still haven't complied (if that ends up being the case).

 

I'm curious as to why you think it's odd for a person to have both? The card isn't that much more money, so why not just get it at the same time when you are going through the trouble to get a passport?

That is likewise true here in Arizona. The State is now issuing REAL ID compliant driver's licenses (finally) but I won't renew mine until it's due to expire in several years.

Edited August 12, 2016 by joepeka

[sparks1093]

I do not have a strong opinion but why pay $80 pp if you have passport?

Money is not an issue, but I do not see a reason.

I only heard that there are places on Mexican boarder where you can swipe it automatically without going through immigrations.

 

Unless they just raised the price a passport card is $30 when applying for one with the passport or when renewing, it's $55 to obtain on it's own for the first time. It is machine readable just like passports are.

[Havingfun2010]

The passport card question and "fear factor". The card was designed to be an identification card that looks like a drivers license, fits in your wallet, and is easily carried. It can be used for when you drive to Canada, or Mexico or when going on a cruise. It can get wet!. You can go swimming with it and easily carry it. In a foreign North American Country it is a better ID than a DL. When flying domestically, the rules are changing and the passport card will work as ID for those that live in states that can't comply with the new rules.

 

The "fear factor" comes into play when people think that they can't get home without the book. If an misfortunate issue arises you can get home, but with some additional fees and headaches. However, most people leave it in the safe where it is useless. The card cost $30.00 for 10 years or $3.00 per year.

 

The card is a different document and so it has a different number on it.

[dwgreenlee]

The person you were speaking to didn't know what she was talking about. You'll get your lost or stolen passport replaced just as quickly and easily without the card.

 

To obtain an emergency passport from a US mission abroad you must present evidence of both identity and citizenship. A passport card will fulfill both of those requirements.

 

US Missions will work with you - accepting faxed copies of documents to establish your identity and citizenship - but keeping a passport card in a safe (second) place could speed the process.

 

In addition to keeping a passport card separate from my passport book, I keep copies of my birth cert., passport, passport card, and driver licence online so I can access them even if robbed of everything.

 

More info at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/emergencies/lost-or-stolen-passports-abroad.html

[sparks1093]

To obtain an emergency passport from a US mission abroad you must present evidence of both identity and citizenship. A passport card will fulfill both of those requirements.

 

US Missions will work with you - accepting faxed copies of documents to establish your identity and citizenship - but keeping a passport card in a safe (second) place could speed the process.

 

In addition to keeping a passport card separate from my passport book, I keep copies of my birth cert., passport, passport card, and driver licence online so I can access them even if robbed of everything.

 

More info at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/emergencies/lost-or-stolen-passports-abroad.html

 

There is a list of documents that can used including a photocopy of your passport and keeping copies on the cloud is certainly a good idea. I wouldn't spend money on a passport card just in the off chance I lost my passport or had it stolen overseas, so it's still a poor selling point.

[dwgreenlee]

There is a list of documents that can used including a photocopy of your passport and keeping copies on the cloud is certainly a good idea. I wouldn't spend money on a passport card just in the off chance I lost my passport or had it stolen overseas, so it's still a poor selling point.

 

I was just addressing the merit of the use of the card in obtaining a replacement passport book - not selling anything. There are lots of other reason to get a passport card - easy to carry, waterproof, convenient Canada or Mexico land border crossing, domestic ID for those of us that live in non Real ID states, easy proof of citizenship, etc.

 

I also ran across as case where a passport was required to make a duty free purchase and my passport was being held by the ship. The merchant accepted the passport card - not sure if he should but he did. The savings was many times the passport card fee.

 

Each reader should understand the use and limitations of a passport card and decide if it is worth the $30. For you, clearly the passport card is not worth it.

[sparks1093]

I was just addressing the merit of the use of the card in obtaining a replacement passport book - not selling anything. There are lots of other reason to get a passport card - easy to carry, waterproof, convenient Canada or Mexico land border crossing, domestic ID for those of us that live in non Real ID states, easy proof of citizenship, etc.

 

I also ran across as case where a passport was required to make a duty free purchase and my passport was being held by the ship. The merchant accepted the passport card - not sure if he should but he did. The savings was many times the passport card fee.

 

Each reader should understand the use and limitations of a passport card and decide if it is worth the $30. For you, clearly the passport card is not worth it.

 

I did appreciate your taking the time to provide the link, it was educational, but I was specifically replying to the PP who said she was told that the reason to get the passport card was because if your passport is lost or stolen it would make getting a new passport easier. That's not a reason to get a passport card, although it may be a consideration. I am a big proponent of the passport card if they meet an individual traveler's needs (I live 8 miles from the Canadian border and know many who have them).

 

In fact before we cruised on the NCL Gem we debated getting passport cards because at that time all we could do was cruise and passport cards would allow us to go up to Canada if we wanted to (something we had not done since the rules changed and not something we do frequently). We had used our birth certs up until then, but it made me nervous using DW's naturalization certificate since to replace those it costs $350 so the cards would mean not having to carry that. We ended up getting Enhanced Drivers Licenses instead even though it's bit more than the card in the long run, mostly because we always have our licenses with us.

Edited August 13, 2016 by sparks1093

[dwgreenlee]

I did appreciate your taking the time to provide the link, it was educational, but I was specifically replying to the PP who said she was told that the reason to get the passport card was because if your passport is lost or stolen it would make getting a new passport easier. That's not a reason to get a passport card, although it may be a consideration. I am a big proponent of the passport card if they meet an individual traveler's needs (I live 8 miles from the Canadian border and know many who have them).

 

In fact before we cruised on the NCL Gem we debated getting passport cards because at that time all we could do was cruise and passport cards would allow us to go up to Canada if we wanted to (something we had not done since the rules changed and not something we do frequently). We had used our birth certs up until then, but it made me nervous using DW's naturalization certificate since to replace those it costs $350 so the cards would mean not having to carry that. We ended up getting Enhanced Drivers Licenses instead even though it's bit more than the card in the long run, mostly because we always have our licenses with us.

 

Fair enough. You are lucky to live in a state that issues EDLs. They are wonderful - proving ID, citizenship, and the right to drive. We live in Kentucky and our governor just vetoed the bill to make our DLs compliant with the real ID act of 2005. Not sure how this is going to play out but as it stands now our DLs will not be usable to board even a domestic flight as of Sep. 2017. Already there are reports of KY residents being turned away from federal buildings because the DL/real ID issue.