The passport book is accepted for all travel abroad either by land, sea or air. Passport books are valid for 10 years from the date of issue for adults and 5 years for children. The books will be stamped when you clear customs at each country that you visit. They allow re-entry into the United States after foreign travel and prove your identity and citizenship. The cost of a first-time adult passport is $135, while a child passport book is $105, as of 2010.
Passport cards are accepted in lieu of a passport book when traveling from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda to the United States. They are only accepted when entering at land border crossings or at U.S. ports, such as when returning from a cruise. They may not be used, under any circumstance, when arriving by air. The cost of passport cards is significantly less than passport books at $55 for a first-time adult applicant, valid for 10 years, and $40 for children, valid for 5 years, as of 2010.
Once you fill up all but two to four pages in your passport book with visa stamps, you have the option to apply for additional pages. This is a less expensive option than purchasing a replacement passport, however the processing time is the same, taking six to eight weeks to receive your passport. The fee to add additional pages is, as of 2010, $82.
All minors, including infants and newborns, are required to have a valid passport for international travel by air. If your child is under 16 and will be entering the United States by land or sea, such as from a cruise or visiting Canada, a certified birth certificate is acceptable. Children have the option of a passport book or card depending on where they are traveling to. The process of applying for a passport for a minor is more extensive than applying for an adult passport as it requires proof of parentage or guardianship.
