I am curious to know how many of you are actually familiar with the U.S. Passport Card. If you’ve never heard of it, or you’re not sure what the benefits are of having one, then allow me to explain.

The U.S. Passport Card is exactly what it sounds like: a card version of your U.S. Passport Book, complete with your photo ID, your date of birth, and all other necessary information that would make this a legal and federal form of identification. The major differentiating factor between the card and the passport book is that the card cannot be used for air travel because it cannot be stamped by an immigration officer. You can, however, use the card for land border crossings (i.e. USA to Canada or Mexico and vice versa), and it is also acceptable to use at cruise ports of entry.

So, you might be thinking, I am not crossing any land borders between Canada or Mexico, and I don’t foresee myself going on a cruise, so then what good with this card do me? Well, I am glad you asked.

Traveling domestically with minors – All parties must present a valid from of identification when traveling. When adults travel domestically with minors, they usually revert to bringing their child’s passport book because they likely will not have another valid form of identification until they are eligible for a State ID (eg. 14 years in MA) or Driver’s License (eg. 16.5 years in MA). This was the case for me until I received my license at 16 and a half. But, if you want to you avoid the potential of losing your passport book, then the card would be a much safer option.

General ID for Students – To further elaborate on the last example, the Passport Card, in general, can serve as a useful form of ID for teens who have not yet received their State ID or license. I do understand that this might be a riskier form of ID to carry around in a wallet, but, unlike the passport book, whoever gets their hands on the passport card won’t get much use out of it. Additionally, this ID can come in handy for college students who attend school out of state and take up work. I can recall my parents having to mail me my passport (which, in hindsight, probably wasn’t the best idea, but at least nothing happened) so I could fill out the I-9 form. Having a Passport Card would have saved me the trouble, and I would have felt much better about keeping this form of ID in my desk drawer versus my actual passport book.

ID While Abroad – Another handy use of the passport card comes when you need a valid form of ID while you are out and about, either at home or abroad. For the college students who turn 21 but go to school out of state and cannot renew their license on time – apply for a passport card! Use this as your ID when you decide to spend a night out. Same thing if you are studying abroad – leave your passport book at your apartment and bring your card out with you. Lots of things can happen on a night out, and you definitely do not want losing your passport book to be one of them.