In years past, the only true form of international identification was the passport. However, in the United States, a passport was not needed for border trips to Canada and Mexico. Today, laws are much more restrictive and passports are needed to cross in and out of the country regardless of how close the final destination is to the U.S. If a trip is coming up in the near future, an expedited U.S. passport card can be used in place of a regular passport.

The traveler who truly travels the world will still need a regular passport, but someone who merely visits the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada does not need an actual passport. For this type of trip, the passport card is perfectly acceptable. It is very similar in appearance to a license, except it is issued by the State Department and can be substituted for a passport for certain destinations.

An expedited passport card is applied for in much the same manner as a regular or expedited passport. There is still an issuing agency that must be used in order to secure one of these. These agencies may all be found online by doing a simple search and choosing the one that is right for you.

There are, however, restrictions on a expedited pass port card that a traveler needs to be aware of. The passport card is meant to be a replacement piece of ID in situations where no ID was previously needed to cross the border. Some will say that it makes no sense to issue something that almost looks identical to a license, but there are plenty of security features in a passport ID that are not featured in a state drivers license.

A passport card is extremely secure, using state of the art laser engraving and electronic coding to make it unique. The chip that is built in to the card contains absolutely no personal information that may be removed, should the wrong individual get their hands on the card. Each year the government looks to the technology sector in an attempt to make the cards even more secure.

When an applicant is ready to apply for a passport card, they will follow the same exact guidelines that are in place for a passport. A passport photo, valid government issued ID and proof of citizenship is required for the application to be passed through. The fee, however, is much less and there is also a small discount offered to those that want to get both a passport and a passport card.

One thing to make note of is that when applying for a passport, all documentation must be the original forms. If anything is laminated or copied, it will not be accepted. If the documents are being mailed in for renewal, be sure to use a major overnight service that will provide tracking detail and guarantee delivery.

Many people will wonder why they should use an expedited US passport card service instead of just getting a regular passport. While it is always a good idea to have a passport, carrying it can be a bit of a challenge. When traveling to border countries, the passport card fits into the wallet and can be used as a substitute for the passport. With the lower cost and added convenience, many travelers are beginning to understand why they need to have a passport card.