A Passport Card Is A Good Alternative
Anyone who has traveled across the border a few times or more using a passport book has to replace all or parts of the book due to wear and tear. A United States passport card (http://www.uspassportnow.com/services/PassportCard) is the ideal choice for people who cross the border on an ongoing basis for work. The passport book can be conveniently replaced with a handy travel card that is easily accessible when needed.
The passport card was designed specifically for frequent border crossing into Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean. The card allows the holder to cross the borders multiple times without stamps or books that can become tattered over time and constant use. This is the perfect solution for business people who work across one of the borders and find themselves there 3 to 4 times a week.
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 meant to read very closely by particular border personnel who are trained to decipher them. This keeps the card from being scanned by the wrong people either accidentally or purposely. The card should be kept in the 'blocker sleeve' it comes with when it is not being used for traveling so it is not scanned when it is not supposed to be.
One of the most attractive aspects of the card is that it is more economical than a traditional passport. The standard passport book charge for an adult who is getting one for the first time is $100.00 from a passport agency (http://www.uspassportnow.com/). An adult can get a card for more than half the price at $45.00 for the same 10-year life span the passbook lasts for.
Any traveler that has a current passport can upgrade the passbook to a card. There is a modest $20.00 fee incurred to renew the card as opposed to going through the hassle and expense of buying a whole new card. The savings and convenience are two good reasons to switch from a passbook to a card 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 more people around the world use passport books, the US passport card (http://www.uspassportnow.com/services/PassportCard) is easier and more convenient. The card fits snuggly in a wallet or pocketbook for easy storage and access and doesn't wear out like the paper book. Many convenient outlets carry the card, including local U.S. passport agency (http://www.uspassportnow.com/) and online merchants for economical and convenient border crossing.
