The passport card (previously known as the People Access Security Service Card, or PASS Card) is an alternative to a passport produced in the United States to meet the documentary requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Applications have been accepted since February 1, 2008; the cards were made available to the public beginning in July 2008.^[1] Up to May 2009, the United States Department of State has issued over one million passport cards^[2].

Contents 1 Rationale 2 Validity and fees 3 Card layout 3.1 Anti-counterfeiting features 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Rationale

The passport card is an alternative to an ordinary U.S. passport booklet for land and sea travel within North America (Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda). Like the passport book, the passport card is issued only to U.S. citizens and nationals. However, the passport card cannot currently be used for international air travel. The Department of State indicates that this is because the cards do not meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) document standards. However, other countries may elect to accept the card at land or sea borders with third countries, provided that U.S. changes its endorsement.

The passport card is being issued by the United States Department of State in response to border community residents' needs for a less expensive and more portable alternative to the conventional booklet since the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative's requirements for travelers to carry a single document verifying both identification and citizenship have come into effect. In an effort to improve efficiency at land crossings, the passport card also includes a vicinity-read radio frequency identification chip with a unique identifying number tied to government databases; unlike the passport book, the RFID chip in the passport card is designed to be readable at a greater distance and will not contain any information from the MRZ of the passport card beyond the identifying number. To prevent the RFID chip from being read when the card is not being used, the passport card comes with a sleeve designed to block RFID while inside.^[3]

Under the REAL ID Act, the passport card will also be accepted for federal purposes (such as domestic air travel or entering federal buildings), which may make it an attractive option for people living in states whose driver's licenses and ID cards are not REAL ID-compliant when those requirements go into effect. TSA regulations list the passport card as an acceptable identity document at airport security checkpoints.^[4]

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has indicated that the U.S. Passport Card may be used in the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 (form) process^[5]. The passport card is considered a “List A” document that may be presented by newly hired employees during the employment eligibility verification process to show work authorized status. “List A” documents are those used by employees to prove both identity and work authorization when completing the Form I-9.

The passport card can be used as a valid proof of citizenship and proof of identity both inside and outside the United States^[6].

[edit] Validity and fees

The passport card will share the same validity period as the passport book: 10 years for adults 16 and over, 5 years for children under 16. As of 2008^[update], the passport card renewal fee for eligible applicants (adults only, by mail) is $20; first-time applicants and those applying in person must also pay a $25 processing fee, for a total fee of $45. Passport cards for children must be applied for in person; the total fee is $35, including the $25 processing fee.

Adults who already have a fully valid passport book may pay a fee of $20 to apply for the card as a passport renewal.

A citizen or national is allowed to hold both a card passport and a booklet passport. A passport in either form entitles its holder to apply for the other form (or both forms) as a "renewal" by mail at the end of its validity period.

[edit] Card layout

The passport card is formatted according to specifications for credit-card (ID-1) sized travel documents, as described in ICAO Document 9303, Part 3, Volume 1. The card contains both human-readable and machine-readable information; the latter is printed in the machine-readable zone on the rear of the card as OCR-readable text in the same format as on the identity page of the passport book.

[edit] Anti-counterfeiting features

In addition to the embedded RFID chip, the front of the card features a hologram that includes the words "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative". One or more of the six letters in the vertical "USAUSA" to the right of the photograph are etched into the card. On the rear of the card, the "PASSsystem" mark appears in color-shifting ink.

[edit] See also

• NEXUS
• Proximity card

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Fact Sheet: Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) Passport Card Technology Choice: Vicinity RFID Release Date: October 17, 2006
• Fact Sheet: US Passport Card Release Date: January 8, 2008