Can I Get A Passport Book With A Passport Card? | Apply For Both At Once

Yes, one application can request both documents, so you can get a passport book and card in the same filing.

If you’re filling out a passport application and wondering whether you need to choose one document or the other, the answer is simple: you can request both at the same time. That gives you the full travel range of a passport book plus the wallet-size convenience of a passport card.

For many travelers, that combo makes sense. The book covers international air travel anywhere a U.S. passport is accepted. The card works for land and sea entry from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean destinations. It also fits easily in a wallet, which makes it handy as a backup travel ID on shorter trips.

Still, getting both isn’t the right move for every traveler. The extra cost may not pay off if you only need one trip abroad by air every few years. On the other hand, if you cross a land border often, cruise to nearby ports, or want one more government ID in your pocket, the card can earn its spot.

This article breaks down what you can apply for, who should get both, what forms and fees come into play, and where people get tripped up.

Can I Get A Passport Book With A Passport Card? What The State Department Allows

Yes. The U.S. Department of State lets you apply for a passport book, a passport card, or both on the same application. That rule applies to first-time applications and to many adult renewals as well, depending on your situation.

That means you do not need to submit two separate first-time applications just to get both documents. When you fill out the form, you select what you want. If you choose both, the agency processes both from the same filing.

The catch is not in whether you’re allowed to get both. The catch is in whether each document fits the kind of travel you do. A lot of people hear “passport card” and assume it is a smaller passport that works everywhere. It doesn’t. The card has strict travel limits.

A passport book is the full passport most people picture. It has visa pages, works for international air travel, and is the one airlines expect for overseas flights. A passport card is a smaller card with no visa pages. It is valid for U.S. citizens traveling by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean countries. It is not valid for international air travel.

That split matters. If you’re flying to Europe, Asia, South America, or even flying to Mexico or Canada, the book is the document that gets you on the plane. The card will not replace it.

Getting A Passport Book And Passport Card Together

Getting both documents at once is usually the cleanest option if you think you may want the card later. You handle the paperwork once, pay once, and skip the hassle of circling back for another filing later.

For first-time adult applicants, the State Department uses Form DS-11. On that form, you choose whether you want the book, the card, or both. If you are applying in person because your old passport is too old, lost, badly damaged, or issued before you turned 16, the same rule applies. One filing can request both.

If you already have a valid adult passport book and want your first passport card, that can often be handled through adult renewal rules. The reverse is true too. If you already have the card and want your first book, you may be able to apply through the renewal path if you meet the mail or online renewal rules that apply at the time you file.

That part surprises a lot of people. They assume “first passport card” means “first-time applicant.” Not always. If you already hold one valid passport type, the second type may still be added through the renewal channel if you meet the State Department’s renewal conditions.

Another detail that catches people: if you are renewing both a valid book and a valid card, you need to submit both documents. If one is missing, the process changes.

Who Usually Benefits From Both

The best fit is someone who wants travel flexibility with less friction. That includes people who fly abroad once in a while but also drive into Canada or Mexico, cruise to nearby ports, or want an extra federally issued ID that fits in a wallet.

Families also like the setup when one document stays locked away and the other is easier to carry day to day. Some travelers keep the card on them during domestic travel while storing the book more carefully until an international flight is near.

If you almost never cross land borders and do not cruise, the card may sit unused. In that case, the passport book alone may be enough.

When The Book Alone Is Enough

If all of your non-U.S. travel is by air, the passport book does the job. That includes short hops to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Many travelers in the U.S. fall into this bucket.

The book is also the better pick if you want one document that covers nearly every trip type without second-guessing the rules. You grab it, check the expiration date, and go.

If you’re trying to keep upfront cost low, getting only the book can be the cleaner choice. You can always add the card later.

What Each Document Can Actually Do

The book and the card come from the same agency and prove the same citizenship and identity. Their travel use is not the same. That difference is where most mistakes happen.

The easiest way to think about it is this: the book is your full international travel document. The card is a narrower travel document built for certain nearby crossings and some domestic ID uses.

Topic	Passport Book	Passport Card
International air travel	Yes	No
Land entry from Canada or Mexico	Yes	Yes
Sea travel from nearby countries	Yes	Yes, for eligible nearby routes
Visa pages	Yes	No
Fits in a wallet	No	Yes
Domestic flight ID use in the U.S.	Yes	Yes
Good backup ID during travel	Yes	Yes
Best for broad travel freedom	Yes	No

The State Department’s passport card page spells out the card’s limits clearly: land and sea travel from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean countries only. No international flights.

That one line is enough to settle the choice for many people. If there is any real chance you will fly outside the United States, the book belongs on your application. The card can be added if the lower-cost, wallet-size format also helps your travel pattern.

Why Some Travelers Like The Card Anyway

The card is easy to carry. It slides into a wallet, works as federal photo ID, and can feel less stressful to take along on road trips and cruises. People who live near the northern or southern border often find it handy.

It can also be useful if you prefer not to carry your passport book every time you need a federal ID. The card gives you another option without asking you to take your booklet out of safe storage.

That said, it should not create a false sense of coverage. The moment air travel enters the plan, the book takes over.

Forms, Fees, And Filing Choices

The forms are straightforward once you know which lane you’re in. First-time adults and anyone who does not qualify for renewal usually apply in person with DS-11. Renewal-eligible adults use the renewal route for the document type they already hold, or for adding the other type when the rules allow it.

Fees are where applying for both together can make more sense than many people expect. The State Department charges one passport application fee for the bundle and, for in-person adult DS-11 filings, one acceptance fee on top of that.

On the current passport fees page, first-time adults paying with DS-11 are listed at $130 for a passport book, $30 for a passport card, or $160 for both, plus the $35 acceptance fee. That means the combined application costs less than filing for a book and then coming back later for a separate first card through another in-person DS-11 path.

That pricing is one reason many travelers decide to get both in a single shot. The card is not free, but the add-on can feel more reasonable when paired with the book from the start.

Application Type	State Department Fee	Acceptance Fee
Adult passport book only, DS-11	$130	$35
Adult passport card only, DS-11	$30	$35
Adult passport book and card, DS-11	$160	$35

Those numbers can change, so it is smart to check the State Department page right before you file. Fee updates are not rare, and rush service or fast return delivery can change the total too.

What You’ll Need For A First-Time Or In-Person Filing

If you are filing with DS-11, expect to bring proof of U.S. citizenship, photo ID, photocopies of those documents, a passport photo, and payment. You will complete the form, print it, and sign it when the acceptance agent tells you to do so.

That paperwork is the same basic stack whether you request one document or both. The difference is the boxes you check and the fees you pay.

If you already hold a valid passport and are trying to add the other format through renewal rules, the paperwork can be lighter. Even then, read the renewal instructions line by line. A missing document or a damaged passport can knock you out of the renewal lane.

When Getting Both Makes Sense For Real Trips

Plenty of advice on passports stays too abstract. Here is the practical version.

Get both if you take mixed trip types. Maybe you fly to Europe every couple of years, drive into Canada for a long weekend, and hop on Caribbean cruises when you can. In that pattern, the book and card each get used.

Get both if you want a slimmer government ID for domestic use but still need the book for flights abroad. The card is easier to keep in a wallet, and some travelers like having one more federally issued photo ID on hand.

Get only the book if you mainly fly and want the widest travel range with one document. That is the cleanest answer for a big share of U.S. travelers.

Get only the card if you do not plan to fly abroad and your trips are limited to land or sea travel covered by the card’s rules. Even then, pause and think about whether your plans may change. Many people who skip the book end up needing it later.

Common Mistakes That Cost Time

The biggest mistake is treating the passport card like a smaller passport book. It is not. People get caught by that when they book an international flight and assume the card will be fine.

The next mistake is waiting too long. Passport processing times move around. If a trip is already on the calendar, filing early saves stress.

Another common slip is forgetting that renewals can require you to submit the document you want renewed. If you are renewing both, both need to be included. If one is lost, your filing route may change.

And one more: people sometimes pay for the card when they like the idea of it, not the use of it. If you will never cross a land border or cruise to nearby ports, the card may stay in a drawer.

Which Choice Fits Most People

For most U.S. travelers, the passport book is the non-negotiable document. It covers the broadest set of trips and avoids confusion at the airport.

The passport card is the add-on that makes sense when your travel habits line up with it. Frequent Canada or Mexico road trips, closed-loop cruises, or a wish for a wallet-size federal ID can all tip the scale toward getting both.

If you are already filling out the paperwork and the added cost works for your budget, getting both can be a tidy move. You handle the process once and keep your options open. If your budget is tighter or your trip pattern is simple, the book alone usually wins.

The cleanest test is this: ask how you actually travel, not how you might travel in a perfect year. If air travel abroad is in the picture, the book belongs in your hand. If land and sea crossings near the U.S. are part of your routine too, the card can earn its place right beside it.