U.S. Passport Card Application

The U.S. passport card is a wallet-sized identity document issued by the State Department. It's valid for land and sea border crossings between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean — but it cannot be used for international air travel.

The card uses the same application paperwork as the passport book (DS-11 for first-time, DS-82 for renewals). Most travelers get the book + card combination because the marginal cost is small and the card makes a great wallet-sized backup ID. Our service supports book-only, card-only, or book + card on the same application.

Applying for a U.S. Passport Card Application is helpful if:

• You drive across the U.S./Canada or U.S./Mexico border
• You take closed-loop cruises that depart and return to the same U.S. port
• You want a wallet-sized federally-issued ID that doubles as REAL ID
• You travel to Bermuda or the Caribbean by ship

It is not valid for any international air travel — even within North America. If you fly internationally at all, you need the passport book.

What you'll need for a Passport Card Application

• Proof of U.S. citizenship — birth certificate or naturalization certificate
• Government-issued photo ID (what counts) + photocopy
• One passport photo (2x2 requirements) — recent (one photo even if applying for both book and card)
• Completed DS-11 or DS-82 — we determine which and generate the form
• Government fees (breakdown) — $30 (card only, adult) or $130 + $30 (book + card combo)