New Passport "Card"

There's a big change coming if you drive back and forth across the border, after June 1, 2009, you can no longer use your driver's license to enter the United States from Mexico.

All travelers will be required to show their passport, but rather than carry a book, there's a new travel document that will let you back in: The Passport Card.
 
The new passport card is making business pick up at San Antonio's walk-in passport center. Workers say they have seen a 300% increase in customers, and issue about 90 passports a day. Their record number was last Saturday, when they issued 112 passports.

Rosalba Fletcher and her husband were at the passport office getting their passport cards this weekend.

"I do have family still across the border in Del Rio," says Fletcher.

She visits them every Christmas, this year when she drove back across the border, she showed her driver's license to US Border Patrol as always.

"He said 'okay, this time you're going to make it," says Fletcher, "but next time, make sure you have your passport."

The passport card is the size of a driver's license or state ID card, and costs $45, which is half as much as a passport book, but there are some limitations. The card is for ground travel only, so don't plan on flying anywhere with it. It will also have an embedded microchip like all the new passport booklets, and these will be used to facilitate entry into the US.

Jose Pedraza, who works on the Passport Card Project, has traveled around the state to inform people about the approaching deadline.

"We have been encouraging people to apply now for the passport card or book," says Pedraza.

The cards are ready in 3 weeks, but this turnaround could take longer as we approach June 1st.