There's a new passport card out now. Seems a helluva lot more convenient than the book, although I never have my passport on my person in Mexico. But I'm just wondering if anyone has one yet, and if so, if there have been any problems with Mexican officials accepting them. Would be nice to just be able to bring a copy of the card for FM-3 and FM-2 renewals, but that would be too easy, so I don't see that happening. Costs only $20 for 10 years....if you already have a passport.
Passengers arriving in Mexico by air carrying only a US Passport card are rejected and returned to the US. It is not valid for international air travel. It is valid only for travel by land or sea. http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html
That's correct, and my error for not mentioning that. I guess most of you in Cancun fly back to the States, since it's so convenient. But for another form of ID, that could substitute for a passport (like for a trip to Belize) I think the $20 for 10 years is well worth it.
The only reasons one would really need to carry around a passport in Cancun are for dealing with the banks, notaries, or immigration, and I doubt very much that any of them would accept the passport cards as a valid ID... Its a good idea and perhaps in another 10 years the "books" will be a thing of the past, but for now, other than for those people who live near the border and cross routinely, I don't see much benefit to having them.
