Ask the Consul
What is a passport card and how do I get one?
The new U.S. passport card is now in full production and may be applied for at the American Citizen Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy's Consular Section. The wallet-size passport card is less expensive than the passport book and can be used to re-enter the United States by land from Canada and Mexico, or by sea from the Caribbean and Bermuda. However, it is important to note that the U.S. passport card cannot be used for international air travel.
On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). U.S. citizens re-entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry are required to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security. Although passengers on closed-loop cruises originating in the United States are exempt, ferry passengers, including those using the ferry service between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, must have a WHTI compliant document such as a passport card or passport book.
The passport card has the same period of validity as the U.S. passport book: 10 years for an adult and 5 years for minors under age 16. The card costs $45 for a first-time adult passport applicant and $35 for minor applicants under age 16. To learn more about applying for a U.S. passport card, please visit our website at http://santodomingo.usembassy.gov/.