Everyone should get passport card
A revolutionary new offering from the U.S. Department of State is about to be made available. The U.S. passport card.
Starting on Feb. 1, U.S. Citizens will be able to apply for the passport card, it is credit card sized so it can be placed in your wallet or purse. It can be used in crossing into Mexico, Canada, the various Caribbean countries and also Bermuda. It cannot be used for flights - only land and sea based travel.
The cost for first time adult applicants is $45 and $35 for children. Additionally, the card is good for 10 years. The card does have a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip inside but it will contain no personal information in the RFID chip itself. Bad news for Identity theft criminals, good news for us!
It strikes me that every citizen should apply for the passport card because it would be a great form of ID to verify if one is a citizen or not. Think of this little card when we all go to vote in November. If you're not a U.S. citizen, you're not going to get this card. Walk up to the polling place, whip out your passport card and that is that! This card should help to insure the validity of our electoral process.
Also, this passport card will be all you need to travel to Mexico. No need to carry birth certificates and multiple forms of identification.
The main point of contact for this on the internet is www.travel.state.gov.
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JON A. UNDERWOOD
Yuma
