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Travel Passports
Almost all international travel to and from the US already requires
a travel passport. And as of June 2009, travel passports will also
be required for travel between the US and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda,
and other Caribbean destinations that did not previously require
them. Because of recent WHTI legislation, you will no longer be
able to cross these borders using separate documents to prove citizenship
(birth or naturalization certificate) and ID, even by land or sea.
Already, travel passports are required for air travel between these
countries.
Passports for Travel
So if you plan to travel outside of the US at all, you will need
to acquire a valid US travel passport. It’s Easy can help
you get one. Even if you do not require expedited passport service,
our travel passport information
pages detail the application process and required documents. Here,
however, we provide a brief overview about passports for international
travel.
US Travel Passports
US travel passports are issued by the US Department of State through
its passport agencies. These travel passports can be used for travel
and for regular identification purposes. To get a passport, you
need to prove your US citizenship and your identity. The process
for getting a new travel passport is explained here. An adult passport
is valid for 10 years and contains 24 pages for travel visas, immigration
stamps, and amendments (name changes, etc.). For children 15 and
younger, travel passports are only valid for travel for 5 years
before they must be renewed.
The State Department has recently begun issuing credit-card sized
“passport cards” in addition to regular passport booklets,
specifically to meet the needs of those in border communities who
frequently travel across borders by land or sea. Travel passport
cards cannot be used for international air travel, even to Canada,
Mexico, or the islands. However, they are acceptable forms of “Real
ID” for domestic travel and entrance to federal government
facilities, making them useful for people in states whose drivers’
licenses are not Real ID compliant. Information about applying for
and traveling with travel passport cards can be found on the State
Department’s web site.
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