Anyone who travels abroad knows that passport book doesn’t last long because they get worn out before long and aren’t too handy to transport. Many frequent travelers prefer to use a passport card instead because it is more convenient to store and access when needed. A card is sturdier and convenient to carry around and access quickly when crossing borders.

The original idea behind the passport card was to make it easier for people who regularly cross the border going into Canada, Mexico or the West Indies. People can go across national lines a number of times without having to replace their worn passbook or stamps. The card is ideal for those who travel across cross borders several times a week for work or business-related reasons.

A passport card contains what is known as a vicinity-read radio frequency ID chip. This chip links the cardholder to a database that contains all of their pertinent information. The chip does not contain any personal information from the cardholder, thereby making it much more secure.

These cards are designed to be read at close range by readers designed for this purpose. This prohibits anyone else from scanning the card accidentally or for purposes other than the intended personnel at the border checkpoints. The card is also accompanied by a “blocker sleeve” to house it while not in use to prevent any type of unwanted scanning.

One other nice feature of the card is the overall cost as compared to a standard passport. An adult applying for a standard passport book for the first time incurs a charge of $100.00. The card, on the other hand, is only $45.00 for the same individual and has the exact same life expectancy of the regular book of 10 years.

Any person with an existing passport will appreciate the incentives of switching to the card. A passport holder only has to pay $20.00 for a renewed passport if they want to switch to the card as opposed to having to pay for a whole new card. The cost-effectiveness and convenience are appealing factors when considering changing to the new passport method.

There is one prohibitive factor involved when deciding whether to switch to the card from the book. The card is not valid for international travel requiring the use of airlines. For these trips, it will still be necessary to use the book and have plenty of pages available to cover the entire itinerary. As this is done infrequently, the card is still the preferred method for frequent border crossing for many people.

While the book is more familiar to people and recognized the world over, there is no more convenient method in existence than the passport card. This eliminates the wear and tear the paper book takes while coming in a more convenient size for carrying. These can be easily applied for by either going online and searching out a provider or visiting a local USA passport agency office.