McClatchy Washington Bureau

Print This Article

Travelers crossing U.S. land and sea borders can now replace their passport book with a new passport card.

Federal passport officials started issuing the wallet-size cards on July 14.

More than 450,000 people have applied for the card, said Brenda Sprague, deputy assistant secretary of state for passport services, at a news conference Monday at the Port of Miami.

''The U.S. passport card is a less expensive and more affordable alternative to the U.S. passport book,'' Sprague said.

The brand new document — which looks similar to a drivers license — can be used for people returning to the United States from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

The pros: It's cheaper [$45 for first-time applicants, $20 if the applicant already has a passport and $35 for children], it's valid for the same period as a passport book, and it's faster for border officials to check.

Read the complete story at miamiherald.com.