The new passport card will be a boon for many
new passport card
There was I, just having renewed my (very expensive) passport for 10 years only to find that it's all changed. Well, not really. Passports are still necessary, but the Dept of Foreign Affairs has introduced a new supplementary passport card (inset right) which will be available from mid-July and costs €35 - it allows for travel within the EU. It's credit card size, so perfect for wallets.
Why, says you? Well, anyone with young adult kids, like me, always worries when they take their passports to nightclubs and pubs for ID purposes. Lose it, and it's a nightmare. So, this card will be a great alternative. Likewise, those awaiting visa applications who need to submit their passports to embassies but still travel in the meantime will find it a boon.
The card can only be applied for via a Smartphone App or with the Department (www.dfa.ie) online and it lasts for five years.
