If you’ve ever been concerned about the price and portability of a passport (let’s face it, they’re not exactly easy to carry on the beach for some people), you will soon has another option that is both less expensive, and smaller.

The reason for this new card is because of the fact that in June of 2009, US citizens will not be able to re-enter the country from Canada or Mexico by simply stating that they are US citizens. Instead, travelers will have to provide a passport, one of these new passport cards, or a similar document.

The new passport card currently has over 350,000 applicants waiting for theirs, but orders could swell as high as 4 million according to USA Today. The new cards will fit in your wallet, and cost about half of what a traditional passport costs.

Keep in mind, though, that these cards will not work for air travel. For that, you’ll still need a regular passport, but if you’re primarily heading for the borders and back, the card may be a good option.