Wallet passport

Perhaps this is old news, but it sure sounds like a good thing to me.
The Gummint is now issuing a wallet-sized version of the passport for
$20 if you already have one. It sure would simplify ID at airports and
Immigration and Naturalization ports.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...t_N.htm?csp=34

Can anyone identify any drawbacks that aren't apparent?
--
Nonny

Nonnymus
I'm not who you think I am. I'm not who
I think I am. I am what I think you think I am.

Nonnymus wrote:
Perhaps this is old news, but it sure sounds like a good thing to me.
The Gummint is now issuing a wallet-sized version of the passport for
$20 if you already have one. It sure would simplify ID at airports and
Immigration and Naturalization ports.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...t_N.htm?csp=34

Can anyone identify any drawbacks that aren't apparent?

I just visited the official Gummint site and found:

The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing
at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico,
the Caribbean and Bermuda. The card may not be used to travel by air.
It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport
book and will be adjudicated to the exact same standards.

Why not OK for travel by air?

--
Nonny

Nonnymus
I'm not who you think I am. I'm not who
I think I am. I am what I think you think I am.

Nonnymus wrote:
Nonnymus wrote:

Perhaps this is old news, but it sure sounds like a good thing to me.
The Gummint is now issuing a wallet-sized version of the passport for
$20 if you already have one. It sure would simplify ID at airports
and Immigration and Naturalization ports.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...t_N.htm?csp=34

Can anyone identify any drawbacks that aren't apparent?


I just visited the official Gummint site and found:

The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing
at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico,
the Caribbean and Bermuda. The card may not be used to travel by air.
It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport
book and will be adjudicated to the exact same standards.

Why not OK for travel by air?


Dunno. Why do you need a passport now for air travel to Canada, but not
by land or sea? Gummint doesn't do things logically - that would make
too much sense.

Marsha/Ohio

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:40:31 -0700, Nonnymus wrote:

Why not OK for travel by air?

Hi Nonny,

These are NOT full-fledge passports. They are mainly for use for
locals that go back and forth between Canada/US and Mexico/US and
Bermuda/Caribbean for cruise passengers. See:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt...card_3926.html

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com
--

well onder picture it says:

The government will soon release passport cards that fit in a wallet and
cost half the price of a new passport. They can be used for re-entering the
U.S. by land or sea from Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean only, and they are
not valid for air travel


sounds like enough drawbacks in that statement allone.

Jaap

"Nonnymus" wrote in message
...
Perhaps this is old news, but it sure sounds like a good thing to me. The
Gummint is now issuing a wallet-sized version of the passport for $20 if
you already have one. It sure would simplify ID at airports and
Immigration and Naturalization ports.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...t_N.htm?csp=34

Can anyone identify any drawbacks that aren't apparent?
--
Nonny

Nonnymus
I'm not who you think I am. I'm not who
I think I am. I am what I think you think I am.

Jaap van Dorp wrote:
well onder picture it says:

The government will soon release passport cards that fit in a wallet and
cost half the price of a new passport. They can be used for re-entering the
U.S. by land or sea from Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean only, and they are
not valid for air travel


sounds like enough drawbacks in that statement allone.

Jaap

Yup, after reading the fine print and the responses here, I see it more
like a National ID card, than a passport. Since I have enough crud in
my wallet now, I don't need another card.

--
Nonny

Nonnymus
I'm not who you think I am. I'm not who
I think I am. I am what I think you think I am.

"Nonnymus" wrote in message
...

Yup, after reading the fine print and the responses here, I see it more
like a National ID card, than a passport. Since I have enough crud in my
wallet now, I don't need another card.
--
Nonny

But I would have been very happy to be able to carry a real passport in my
wallet. Always a pain to have to carry the passport book.

--
Greg

My cow carries a huge purs with both our passports(we are both senior
citisens)
"Gregory C. Read" wrote in message
news:z9whk.245$GI.227@trnddc05...
"Nonnymus" wrote in message
...

Yup, after reading the fine print and the responses here, I see it more
like a National ID card, than a passport. Since I have enough crud in my
wallet now, I don't need another card.
--
Nonny

But I would have been very happy to be able to carry a real passport in my
wallet. Always a pain to have to carry the passport book.

--
Greg

On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:45:13 -0500, Dillon Pyron
wrote:

What's stupid is that it's good for 5 years and costs half as much as
a passport (not the $20 quoted above). You need proof of citizenship
(birth certificate or naturalization papers) and it will probably take
2 to 3 weeks to process.

The passport card is valid for 10 years for adults, 5 years for
children under 16.

If you order it by mail, using an existing valid or recently expired
passport book as your proof of citizenship, it costs $20.

If you do not order it by mail, there is a $25 execution fee (for
adults), bring the total to $45 - still less than half the cost of a
passport.

The current backlog is 2 months. They claim that production started
on July 14.

It is more like an ID card - so it doesn't have any way to stamp it or
attach visas - which is why it is only good for the Western Hemishpere
and not for air travel. It was originally intended as a way to
expedite land crossing in border states - but they extended it to sea
arrivals. Why is it good for sea arrivals? is a more logical question
than "why is it not good for air arrivals". In any case, the upside is
that first-time Caribbean cruises won't have to fork out the money for
individual passports for the entire family.

FYI: kids under 16 will still be able to use the old "two-document
option" even after 2009; a picture ID and a certifed birth
certificate. The irony of that is, how many kids under 16 have a
driver's license?

Paul Motter
editor: http://www.cruisemates.com