I have a passport card but need a passport book to travel to Barbados.
by Dawn
(Ashley, IN)
Question: I currently have a passport card that was issued in June 2009. I will be needing to get a passport book within the next couple of years so I can travel to Barbados.
Will I have to apply for the book as a first time applicant or can I renew by mail an send in my passport card? What are the fees if it is considered a renewal? Will I receive my passport card back along with the new book or will they keep the card?
Answer: First of all, a
passport card can be used for travel by sea to
Barbados. You only need a passport book if you travel by air.
Yes, you can use your passport card in order to apply for a passport book. In this case, you would apply for a passport renewal by mail.
The application to complete is
form DS-82. Along with this, you need to submit your passport card, one passport photo and payment of $110 for the application fee.
Finally, your passport card will be returned to you. The two passports may arrive in different envelopes and, possibly, different days.
For more information on applying for a renewal, click the link below.
How to Get a Passport Renewal
Return to Passport Card FAQ.
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UPDATE: Mailing delays and high demand are impacting passport processing. The Department of State's processing times begin when applications are received at a passport agency or center and not when you mail them or apply at a local acceptance facility.
Standard service may take between 10 and 13 weeks. This timeframe does not include delivery time. Mailing times vary across the country.
Expedited service takes from 7 to 9 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.
Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.
If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment:
Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. ET, call 1-877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY:1-888-874-7793)
Outside of these hours, call 202-647-4000.
For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.
If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC at 1-877-487-2778 Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. ET.
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