Passport ID Card is being issued since Feb 08

thrix

Registered Users (C)
Today I was at the USPS and I saw applications for that card. There is also news about it on the travel.state.gov

I know it's valid only for crossing border to Mexico and Canada, but it's great proof of citizenship you can carry in the wallet.

I'll apply.
 
I wonder if it could be used in lieu of a REAL ID compliant driver's license. I thought about getting one, considering it is only $20, but if it is only useful to cross the border by land and nothing else I doubt I'll have much use for it. I have crossed the northern border and the southern border by car about three or four times since I came to the U.S. I also have a U.S. passport so, the only interresting thing would be if it could be used as ID in special cases for which a driver's license could be insufficient. Anyway, I still don't see much use for it ;)
 
I wonder if it could be used in lieu of a REAL ID compliant driver's license. I thought about getting one, considering it is only $20, but if it is only useful to cross the border by land and nothing else I doubt I'll have much use for it. I have crossed the northern border and the southern border by car about three or four times since I came to the U.S. I also have a U.S. passport so, the only interresting thing would be if it could be used as ID in special cases for which a driver's license could be insufficient. Anyway, I still don't see much use for it ;)

It's going to be true US Citizen ID and great ID confirming US citizenship. Look at the passport or passcard application, under proof of citizenship it's best evidence.
 
I have a feeling I am going to end up getting one of those passport cards. At the very least if I ever lose my passport and need to reapply it might be better to send the passport card than the naturalization certificate (lower cost of replacement if lost). I haven't checked the application but I think in case of losing the passport one needs to show proof of citizenship again, am I right?

Thanks thrix for the post. I had stumbled on the passport card information by accident on Feb 1st when someone was asking about A# on the application and realized that there was a new application that doesn't list the A# anymore.

I am probably going to leave some time until the people at the mail office understand the passport card requirements. I don't think the demand for these cards is going to be high in San Jose, which is quite far from the Mexican border.

I am still not clear whether one needs to send the U.S. passport alongside the application. I say it because it says that one needs to send a renewal application when applying for a passport card when one already has a passport, and I think the instructions for that form are to send the old passport along. That's what I mean when I say the people at the post office need to iron out the requirements.
 
I had an impression one could have only one of the two. a passport obsoletes the passport card, but i guess one can have both. passport card seem to have RFID range in 10-15 meters, whereas the chip in passport booklet few inches. Did you guys consider privacy concerns while getting passport cards? I know it is quite serious or the cards? Maybe carry passport cards in tinfoil wrappers?
 
I had an impression one could have only one of the two. a passport obsoletes the passport card, but i guess one can have both. passport card seem to have RFID range in 10-15 meters, whereas the chip in passport booklet few inches. Did you guys consider privacy concerns while getting passport cards? I know it is quite serious or the cards? Maybe carry passport cards in tinfoil wrappers?


There will be no info on RFID, just passcard # and all the date in USCIS computers.
 
I have a feeling I am going to end up getting one of those passport cards. At the very least if I ever lose my passport and need to reapply it might be better to send the passport card than the naturalization certificate (lower cost of replacement if lost). I haven't checked the application but I think in case of losing the passport one needs to show proof of citizenship again, am I right?

Thanks thrix for the post. I had stumbled on the passport card information by accident on Feb 1st when someone was asking about A# on the application and realized that there was a new application that doesn't list the A# anymore.

I am probably going to leave some time until the people at the mail office understand the passport card requirements. I don't think the demand for these cards is going to be high in San Jose, which is quite far from the Mexican border.

I am still not clear whether one needs to send the U.S. passport alongside the application. I say it because it says that one needs to send a renewal application when applying for a passport card when one already has a passport, and I think the instructions for that form are to send the old passport along. That's what I mean when I say the people at the post office need to iron out the requirements.

You can have both. If you still have valid US Passport, you can apply for US Passcard just showing passport at USPS and they don't have to take it. If you mail application, you have to incluse proof (passport).
 
I wonder if it could be used in lieu of a REAL ID compliant driver's license. I thought about getting one, considering it is only $20, but if it is only useful to cross the border by land and nothing else I doubt I'll have much use for it. I have crossed the northern border and the southern border by car about three or four times since I came to the U.S. I also have a U.S. passport so, the only interresting thing would be if it could be used as ID in special cases for which a driver's license could be insufficient. Anyway, I still don't see much use for it ;)

It would be strange if they allowed to cross US border, but not get with this ID on the domestic plane :D

I wen to Canada just few times, but still I will use this passcard for other purposes, then crossing border. All federal and state agencies will consider it as good as passport and I prefer my passport to be in my safe and passcard in my wallet.
 
It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport book and will be adjudicated to the exact same standards.
 
On a related note, one thing that seems to have been poorly coordinated is the requirement from May 18, 2008 (this year) to have REAL ID compliant IDs to do things such as board airplanes, even for in-country flights and enter Govt buildings etc.

Sure, things have been in the works for a couple of years, but no state seems to have acted or publicized this, and air travellers will be in a bind. Of course something will give and people will still fly, but this on-again, off-again uncertainty sucks big time. Extensions are there, but why do States and Govt agencies seem to use these so often?

OY
 
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I would still like to wait a bit to see if the passport card is accepted for I-9 or as a REAL ID compliant identification card. My gut feeling is that for I-9 it might be, but for REAL ID is a tough call, perhaps they'll accept it as equivalent, as it will work out of the inter state database as this is a federal document. Anyway, it would be interesting to see how the passport card might end up being used as a national card or internal passport card too.

My 2 cents.
 
Washington state has started implementing EDL/ID's (enhanced ID's) but I am not sure if that fit's the REAL ID requirement of what DHS has outlined.
 
Good information

Today I was at the USPS and I saw applications for that card. There is also news about it on the travel.state.gov

I know it's valid only for crossing border to Mexico and Canada, but it's great proof of citizenship you can carry in the wallet.

I'll apply.

thrix,

Thanks for the info. Could you please let me know how long is the process once you apply. How long will it take before you receive the card in the mail ?
Thanks
 
I guess thrix didn't see your question. Allow me to answer it. Time now is unknown as they are taking applications but the cards won't start being produced until late spring if my memory serves me well. It's unclear what the initial demand will be.
 
I guess thrix didn't see your question. Allow me to answer it. Time now is unknown as they are taking applications but the cards won't start being produced until late spring if my memory serves me well. It's unclear what the initial demand will be.

Cards will be sent in early Spring.
 
Respectfully disagree:

http://www.kulr8.com/news/local/15125041.html

"State Department officials say the cards will start to be issued in late spring."

I also hope the cards look better physically, on the pictures I see online they look so-so on the design side. I wonder how the text is going to look against that background. Anyway, I am sure we'll still have to wait quite a bit longer to get our hands on these cards.
 
That's true

I guess thrix didn't see your question. Allow me to answer it. Time now is unknown as they are taking applications but the cards won't start being produced until late spring if my memory serves me well. It's unclear what the initial demand will be.

Thanks for getting back Huracan. Yes when I called the post office the other day, they told me it could be April or even May before we start receiving these new id cards in the mail. I think I'll wait another month or so. I don't feel comfortable sending my original citizenship certificate for that long.
 
Respectfully disagree:

http://www.kulr8.com/news/local/15125041.html

"State Department officials say the cards will start to be issued in late spring."

I also hope the cards look better physically, on the pictures I see online they look so-so on the design side. I wonder how the text is going to look against that background. Anyway, I am sure we'll still have to wait quite a bit longer to get our hands on these cards.

travel.state.gov say early spring, so it's best source, not some non-gov page.
 
Thanks for getting back Huracan. Yes when I called the post office the other day, they told me it could be April or even May before we start receiving these new id cards in the mail. I think I'll wait another month or so. I don't feel comfortable sending my original citizenship certificate for that long.

Why to send? Go to USPS with your certificate, apply for ID card & show certificate and then you take it back.
 
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