United States Passport - Types of Passports

Types of Passports

Regular (dark blue cover)

Issuable to all citizens and non-citizen nationals. Periods of validity: for those age 16 or over, generally ten years from the date of issue; for those 15 and younger, generally five years from the date of issue. A sub-type of regular passports is no-fee passports, issuable to citizens in specified categories for specified purposes. For example; an American sailor, for travel connected with his duties aboard a U.S.-flag vessel. Period of validity: generally 10 years from the date of issue. A no-fee passport has an endorsement which prohibits its use for a purpose other than the specified purpose.

Official (brown cover)

Issuable to citizen-employees of the United States assigned overseas, either permanently or temporarily, and their eligible dependents, and to members of Congress who travel abroad on official business. Period of validity: generally five years from the date of issue.

Diplomatic (black cover)

Issuable to American diplomats accredited overseas and their eligible dependents, and to citizens who reside in the United States and travel abroad for diplomatic work. Period of validity: generally five years from the date of issue.

Travel Document (also known as "Refugee Travel Document" or "Refugee Passport") (blue-green cover)

Not a full passport, but issued to aliens who have been classified as refugees or asylees.

Reentry Permit (blue-green cover)

Not a full passport, but issued to a permanent resident alien in lieu of a passport. The reentry permit guarantees them permission to reenter the US and is usually valid for a period of 2 years.

Emergency

Issuable to citizens overseas, in urgent circumstances. Period of validity: generally one year from the date of issue. An emergency passport may be exchanged for a full-term passport.

U.S. passport card

Not a full passport, but a small ID card issued by the US government for crossing land and sea borders with Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The passport card is not valid for International air travel. It is possible to hold the U.S. passport card in addition to a regular passport, making it useful when travelling internationally for a long time (Round-the-world-trip). In cases where people need to apply for a visa, and thus have to hand in their regular passport, the U.S. passport card can be a valid proof of ID and U.S. citizenship, allowing free movement unrestricted by local authorities. Please note that not all jurisdictions (e.g. Germany) accept the U.S. passport card as valid ID due to lack of signature.