Expedited Passports

When you apply for a new passport, should you get a passport book or passport card? According to this report, one family learned the difference the hard way.  Sherry Housley and her daughter Whitney  had planned to to take a mother/daughter vacation by the ocean in Cozumel, Mexico.

However, when they went to apply for new passports, the clerk steered them toward ordering one of the wallet-sized new passport cards. Apparently, neither the clerk nor the Housleys was aware of one of the crucial differences between a passport book and a passport card:  A  passport card is only good for travel by land and sea, not by plane. So, when the Housleys tried to board the plane for Mexico, they were not allowed on board and they missed their vacation.

The passport book is only type of passport that is accepted for international air travel. The passport card was really meant to be a cheaper form of identification for people who live near the border and drive across frequently, to make it easier for them to comply with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative that requires passports for border crossings.

Unless you drive across the border frequently,  go ahead and spring for a full-fledged passport book when you apply for a new passport.  Also, make sure to allow enough time for your passport to arrive-it can take at least 6 weeks with regular service and 3 weeks for the government’s expedited service.

However, a private passport expediting company can speed this process up by personally dropping off your passport application at the Department of State. With an expediting company, depending on the package you buy, your new passport could be on its way back to you in as little as 24 hours!

Apply for your new passport today!

The passport card is a new  type of identification that is designed to be easy to carry in your wallet. It is the size and shape of a driver’s license, but is valid only for certain types of international travel. To apply for a new passport card, you will need to use one of the following procedures:

If You Already Have a US Passport:

If you already have a US passport, you may be able to apply for a new passport card using passport renewal form DS-82. To use this option, your current US passport must be undamaged and in your possession. Also, it must be less than 15 years since it was issued, and if your name has changed in the interim, you need official documentation of the name change.  Finally, in order to apply for a passport card by mail, your passport must have been issued when you were 16 or older. If you are eligible to apply by mail, fill out the form and send it in along with:

• Your passport.
• Legal proof of any name change.
• Two recent passport photos.
• A check or money order for $20.00

If you don’t have a passport already or are otherwise ineligible to apply by mail, you’ll need to do the following:

• Fill out form DS-11, Application for a New Passport, in person at a Regional Passport Acceptance Facility.
• Pay the fees: a $20 application fee and a$25 execution fee if you are over 16, and a $10 application fee and a $25 execution fee if you are under 16.
• Submit 2 passport photos.
• Submit proof of identification and proof of citizenship.

However, before you apply for a new passport card, consider carefully whether or not you might be better off getting a US passport book. A US passport card can only be used for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean. It cannot be used to travel to any other countries, and it cannot be used for international air travel at all.

A US passport is more expensive and bulkier, but it can be used to travel anywhere, by any means. Plus, you can’t expedite a passport book-so you’ll have to wait at least 6 weeks before you get yours.

However, you can expedite a new passport. The easiest way to do this is to use a private passport expediting service. An expediting service like RushMyPassport.com can help you with all the paperwork and will hand-deliver your passport application to the Department of State. Your new passport could be on its way back to you in as little as 24 hours.

On June 1st, 2009, the rules governing travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean will change. Currently, only air travelers need a passport to re-enter the United States-land and sea travelers can use a photo ID (like a driver’s license), and proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate). In just a few short weeks, land and sea travelers will also be required to show a passport.

To make it easier for frequent travelers to carry the appropriate travel documents, the government has introduced a cheaper, wallet-sized passport card. Please note that the passport card is valid for land and sea travel only-air travelers to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean still need the full-fledged (and full-priced) passport book.

How long does it take to get your hands on a passport card? Try 2 to 3 months…there is currently no way to expedite a passport card, only a passport book. If you’ll be crossing the border after June 1st and you haven’t applied for a passport yet, you’ll need to apply for a passport book to make sure you have the appropriate documentation by the deadline.

Fortunately, expediting a passport book is easy to do. You have a couple of different options. First, you can expedite your passport through the US Department of State, although you will still have to wait at least 3 weeks. If you want to be absolutely positive that you get your passport by June 1st, a private passport expediting company is the best way to go.

These companies expedite your passport by delivering your application directly to the US Passport Agency, where it goes to the top of the stack for processing.  With a private passport expediting company, you can have your passport processed in anywhere from 24 hours to a little over a week, depending on how soon you need it.

Be prepared for June 1st-Expedite your passport today!