U.S. Passports Questions and Answers

Traveling overseas is one of the pleasures in life.  Exploring countries and cultures that are new to you.  If you are beginning to think of travel, questions about applying for U.S. Passports is guaranteed to come up. Here the definitive questions and answers that will help you to begin on your journey to travel the world.

Should I get a U.S. Passport Book or a Passport Card?

This is an excellent question. There is most definitely a difference between the two.

The U.S. Passport Card is for land border crossings such as for traveling to Mexico and Canada.

The U.S. Passport Book is the Gold Standard, in my opinion. It’s for all international travel by land, sea, and air, including land border crossings. What is the difference in price and value?

The U.S. Passport Book is more expensive than the Card and has more benefit to travelers. With it you can go beyond North America. The U.S. State Department now has a fee calculator on their website that will make it easy to determine the cost. The price you pay depends on what you need, how soon you need it processed, and returned. Click here to go to the Fee Calculator.

Can I have two U.S. Passports?

Yes, there are some circumstances where you can have two U. S. passports. People who often travel to visa countries can apply for and receive a second passport. Having two passports allows you to go with one passport, and send the other for visa processing. Click here to read about “How to apply for a Second Passport.”

When Should I Apply For A U.S. Passport?

If at all possible, apply for your U.S. passport when you begin to think about traveling or before you decide to travel; when it’s a glimmer of an idea. You must have a passport in hand to buy international airline tickets.

Prices for air travel can fluctuate from day to day. Sales pop up and go away too.  When you have your U.S. Passport ready in your hands, you can take advantage of those opportunities that can arise. The name on your airline ticket must match the name on your passport.

If you think, I know what it’s going to read, because I filled out the application myself, don’t be so sure.  Even the U.S. Government can make a mistake when issuing U. S. passports.  I’ve seen it happen and it’s not something that will be overlooked by Customs officials. As a travel professional who values exactness, I will only issue a ticket with a valid Passport, and I recommend you do that too.

Do Driver’s License and Passport have to match?

No, they don’t, but it’s a good idea. If you show your valid U.S. passport, you aren’t required to present your driver’s license also. But the name on your airline ticket must match the name on your government-issued photo id. To save time and confusion, always match everything to the name on your U. S. Passport. When everything is the same, there’s no problem.

What if my U. S. Passport Gets Damaged?

You can be denied boarding on an international flight if the valid U. S. passport you have is damaged. Chewed by the dog? Waterlogged? Something else? Make a point to renew it right away if anything happens.

What if I have more questions?

The  U.S. Department of State passport application site, Travel.state.gov/passports, is the go-to website for all things passport related. Found within are answers to questions, application forms, calculators and more.

Parting words of wisdom:

A person without a passport is a person without a country. Scan your passport and save a digital copy of the information page. Upload it to a cloud based app such as Dropbox that you can access online from anywhere in the world. Keep your passport safe when you’re traveling but make it easy to get a new one issued if the unthinkable happens.

Finally, now that you’re getting the right passport, you’re going to need Global Entry. To answer your questions about GE, go to How To Apply For Global Entry.