American citizens traveling into Mexico now have the Passport cards For Mexico and an option of getting a less expensive and more convenient passport card that can be used to cross the border.

The new card is intended to be an alternative to a passport book.

And it comes as ports of entry are scheduled to stop accepting verbal answers on if someone is a U.S. citizen.

In June 2009, people will be required to show a passport or equivalent document in order to pass through a port of entry, said Brian Levin, public affairs liaison for Customs and Border Protection.

“It was this Tuesday that we learned from the Department of State that there will be substantial changes to the passport processing procedure effective Feb. 1. So, our office has been scrambling to make sure we are ready for those changes,” said Denise Lundin, clerk of Cochise County Superior Court.

The passport card will be more affordable and easier to carry than a traditional passport book. But, she said, the card is not ideal for everyone. It is best for people who routinely cross the border.

A passport book will cost $100 for adults and $85 for minors for first-time applicants. A renewal will cost $75 for adults. The book measures a relatively bulky 5 inches by 3 1/2 inches.

The passport card, on the other hand, will cost only $45 for adults and $35 for minors for first-time applicants. An adult who already has a passport book can get the passport card for $20. The card is small enough to fit in a wallet.

Both the passport book and card are valid for 10 years for adults and five years for minors.

However, while the passport book is valid for travel by air, sea or land, the passport card will not be valid for travel by air. The card will be good only for land and sea crossings between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean

Something old and something new is as much a tradition with passport requirements as it is with weddings.

Feb. 1 brought new passport costs and requirements as well as opening day of applying for a passport alternative for certain destinations.

If you’re planning a vacation this year to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean, how you’re traveling will determine what documents you will need.

By air

You need a passport or other valid travel document that shows identity and citizenship to enter or re-enter the United States.

For most of us, a passport is the gold standard of travel documents.

By land and sea (cruise)

Passports won’t be necessary for Americans and Canadians entering the United States by land or sea until mid-2009 — a year later than planned.

Even with the postponement, U.S. and Canadian citizens still will need a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, to enter the U.S. That’s as of Jan. 31.

Those 18 and younger only are required to present proof of citizenship, such as a certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate or a passport.

As of Feb. 1, applications became available for a U.S. Passport Card. It might be just the ticket for one man who inquired about requirements for Canadian travel at the mid-January Breton Village Travel Expo, which drew about 1,500. His family is among five families that travel together to Canada once each year, and having to get passports for everyone would be expensive.

Eventually, Michigan residents who travel to and from Canada also may be able to use an upgraded version of the state driver’s license rather than a passport.

The new U.S. Passport Cards are expected to be available and mailed to applicants in spring 2008, according to travel.state.gov/passport, the U.S. State Department’s Web site.

New Application for a U.S. Passport

To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one of over 9,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.

Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 13 regional passport agencies, and 1 Gateway City Agency, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.

You’ll need to apply in person if you are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time: if your expired U.S. passport is not in your possession; if your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago; if your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16; or if your currently valid U.S. passport has been lost or stolen.

For more information on getting a new passport, please visit How to get a passport page.

Renewal of a U.S. Passport

You can renew by mail if: Your most recent passport is available to submit and it is not damaged; you received the passport within the past 15 years; you were over age 16 when it was issued; you still have the same name, or can legally document your name change.

You can get a passport renewal application form by downloading it from this site.

If your passport has been, altered or damaged, you cannot apply by mail. You must apply in person.

For more information on how to renew a passport, please visit How to renew a passport page.

Cards, which cost less than a passport and should be easier to carry, will be valid for U.S. land and sea entry from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean region. (Note: Not to worry if you’re traveling to American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Swains Island or the U.S. Virgin Islands. The passport requirement does not apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or from those U.S. territories.)