Can I renew a passport book that is not expired for a passport card and change the name?

by Estela
(Westminster, CA USA)

Question: I will be traveling this Feb 2011 to Mexico (cruise) and would prefer to renew my passport just in case of an emergency. I have two children whom will be needing passports as well and would like to get them passport cards.

My passport book does not expire until June 2012 however, it's in my maiden name not my married name. Can I renew it as a passport card instead of a book and still make the name change? If yes, how do I do that?

I am told we don't really need passports for a cruise and we have to leave the country on an emergency will we have any issues if we do not have passports? Thank you.

Answer: You can renew your passport and change the name at the same time. There is a place on the application to check whether you want to apply for a passport card, passport book or both.

Note, passport cards can only be used for travel by land and sea. If you plan to travel by air, then you will need a passport book.

The fee for a passport card for an adult is $30. To get a passport card for a minor, you must pay two fees. The application fee is $15 and the execution fee is $25 for a total of $40 per child.

Passports are not required of passengers on a closed-loop cruise. Please check the regulations of your cruise line. If you need to obtain passports before the trip and the cruise is schedule for the beginning of February, it may be necessary to expedite your passport.

Standard processing of passport applications can take up to six weeks. Expedited services can reduce the processing time to 2 or 3 weeks.