Renewing Usa Passports: Try The New U.s. Passport Card

Anyone that holds and uses a passport knows that it entails having the pages stamped as each border is crossed in both directions

. The standard passport has a life of 10 years for adults and 5 years for holders 16 and younger and renewing United States passports becomes an integral part of any holder's experiences. The passport card can be received in lieu of or along with a standard passport.

Premiering in 2008, the passport card quickly became a great alternative to those travelers that frequently crossed the border into Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean. This is a wallet-sized card that has no pages to stamp and is good for the same period of time a standard passport is. Current passport holders can receive the card as a renewal option for the low fee of $20.00.

Any U.S. citizen may apply for a passport card, even if they do not already have a U.S. Passport. Someone who currently or previously had a passport book may be able to apply for a passport card via mail. The eligibility criteria for renewal via mail may be found via Internet search. When applying via mail, the person would complete a passport renewal form even if he or she is applying for the passport card for the first time. Those who never had a passport book or do not meet the requirements to apply via mail must apply in person.

Processing times for a pass port card are similar to those for passport books. Allow four to six weeks for standard processing or order expedited processing in order to receive the passport card within two to three weeks. An independent expediting service may be used for even faster processing. Passport cards must be shipped via first-class mail; they cannot be sent via overnight delivery.

Advancements in technology have made the card one of the most efficient methods of border identification available today. The RFID chip that is built in to the card allows the border personnel to scan an individual's card and access all the necessary information regarding that person. The radio frequency ID chip can be read by the customs and border guards, giving the access to a secure database with the information, rather than it being contain on the card itself.

Passport cards are designed much in the same way credit cards are in the use of laser engraving and other methods to prevent forgery or counterfeiting. Each card comes complete with a special sleeve that blocks unauthorized people from scanning it or accessing it in any way when it is not in use. The card is a more secure method than virtually any other form of personal identification available.

The low cost of the card in addition to the passport book when getting a renewal can make this a great secondary form of travel identification. The card is not only for adults as minors are also eligible to apply for this when affecting their renewal process. There are, however, very strict guidelines that the minors must adhere to in order to receive one of these cards.

by: Ben Pate

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