Did you get your Real ID (License) ?

[bcla]

I took a plane trip last month. I asked the TSA agent if a passport card would be acceptable in lieu of the passport itself. I was told that it would be acceptable. So, if you're traveling and having yet obtained your Real ID drivers license, you can us your passport card.

I just stick my passport card in my walled behind my drivers license. That way, I don't have to carry my actual passport.

A passport card is clearly on the TSA list of acceptable documents. I got mine less than a year after they were available. The first time I used mine in at an airport (SFO which is authorized to use private security) I didn't get a second look. However, I've also used that passport card as ID at a bank. One teller said she knew what it was from ID training, but she apparently had never seen an actual passport card before.

 

[Kennywood]

I mentioned the passport card because there were some people saying that they would use their passports. I wanted people to be aware that a passport card is also acceptable. This way, they won't have to carry around their passports for domestic flights.

 

[bcla]

I mentioned the passport card because there were some people saying that they would use their passports. I wanted people to be aware that a passport card is also acceptable. This way, they won't have to carry around their passports for domestic flights.

I've heard of many people who ended up getting passport cards for various reasons. When I got mine it was only $20 since I already had a passport book. $30 now if one already has a passport book.

I've heard of some interesting uses too, including some living near the border worried about the Border Patrol detaining them, people worried about Real ID compliance by their state, or just a convenient pocket ID for domestic air travel.

I guess the most interesting case I heard of for a passport card was about someone who was born off the grid. Her parents were educated but iconoclasts and didn't register her birth and home schooled her. Her only evidence of birth was a notation in a family bible stating the date and location. She didn't have an SSN and as such had difficulties working. I think she worked waitressing jobs although I'm not sure how they managed to do that without an SSN. She sued the federal government to issue her an SSN card. The final outcome was that the State Dept was directed to issue her a passport card with the place and date of birth specified in her complaint, and she was instructed to use that to apply for an SSN within 30 days.

 

[Searc]

I mentioned the passport card because there were some people saying that they would use their passports. I wanted people to be aware that a passport card is also acceptable. This way, they won't have to carry around their passports for domestic flights.

You don't automatically get a passport card when you get a passport book. It is a separate charge and is not needed in most cases, when a passport covers everything. A card is a pricey duplicate.

 

[bcla]

You don't automatically get a passport card when you get a passport book. It is a separate charge and is not needed in most cases, when a passport covers everything. A card is a pricey duplicate.

It's $30 (was $20 when I got mine) and is valid for 10 years. It would cost me less than my California driver license valid for 5 years. As a travel document, $30 seems an eminently reasonable price to pay.

I don't like dealing with a passport if I can help it. I don't carry a man purse.

 

[Searc]

It's $30 (was $20 when I got mine) and is valid for 10 years. It would cost me less than my California driver license valid for 5 years. As a travel document, $30 seems an eminently reasonable price to pay.

I don't like dealing with a passport if I can help it. I don't carry a man purse.

If you already have a passport book, a passport card is not needed. It is an extra, unnecessary expense.

I assume when you are getting on a plane, you have a carry on, correct?

 

[bcla]

If you already have a passport book, a passport card is not needed. It is an extra, unnecessary expense.

I assume when you are getting on a plane, you have a carry on, correct?

It was $20 and I can carry it in my wallet. I've used it to enter Canada and return to the US.

Which reminds me that I need to renew mine.

We're talking about $30 and the cost of a photo and mailing if someone already has a passport. And it can be added on to a passport renewal. I don't see why there's some big controversy over the cost. It's $30 and in a far more convenient carrying size.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It's $30 (was $20 when I got mine) and is valid for 10 years. It would cost me less than my California driver license valid for 5 years. As a travel document, $30 seems an eminently reasonable price to pay.

I don't like dealing with a passport if I can help it. I don't carry a man purse.

Yeah passports are bigger and passport cards are smaller but passport cards are quite limiting.

Certain parts of the U.S. make more sense than others to get a card vs full book but it won't make sense for me. You can't use it to fly to the Carribbean for instance. So when we went to our honeymoon in St. Lucia that wouldn't have worked or when we went to Jamaica that wouldn't have worked. And if we ended up on a beach vacation to Grand Cayman, Turks or Aruba it also wouldn't work for those.

Majority of travellers are going to see a better benefit from a full passport than a card.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't see why there's some big controversy over the cost. It's $30 and in a far more convenient carrying size.

At that point it's a redundancy. Now if you're right by Canada for instance and you're frequently going back and forth between the U.S. and Canada (ETA: by land that is not by air) you may see it as easier to count on a card in your wallet in addition to the flexibility a full passport book gets ya when you're travelling elsewhere but that's probably not going to be a decision too many people make-more like a subset of the population.

 

[bcla]

Yeah passports are bigger and passport cards are smaller but passport cards are quite limiting.

Certain parts of the U.S. make more sense than others to get a card vs full book but it won't make sense for me. You can't use it to fly to the Carribbean for instance. So when we went to our honeymoon in St. Lucia that wouldn't have worked or when we went to Jamaica that wouldn't have worked. And if we ended up on a beach vacation to Grand Cayman, Turks or Aruba it also wouldn't work for those.

Majority of travellers are going to see a better benefit from a full passport than a card.

Again - it's $30. I have (or had) both. I originally got it back in 2009 because I saw ads (they were bizarre) mentioning that one would need one several documents to visit Canada but it seemed cheap enough at the then $20 price. I don't know how to explain the commercials, but one of them showed people at a ski lodge walking around with virtual outlines of the IDs (passport card and NEXUS) they used to visit Canada.

The only way I can explain it is that I never carry my full passport book with me unless I'm doing international travel. But I do carry my passport card with me at all times. Even though it's expired, it's still proof of citizenship. I figure that might be valuable if I ever get questioned about my legal presence in the US.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Again - it's $30. I have (or had) both. I originally got it back in 2009 because I saw ads (they were bizarre) mentioning that one would need one several documents to visit Canada but it seemed cheap enough at the then $20 price. I don't know how to explain the commercials, but one of them showed people at a ski lodge walking around with virtual outlines of the IDs (passport card and NEXUS) they used to visit Canada.

The only way I can explain it is that I never carry my full passport book with me unless I'm doing international travel. But I do carry my passport card with me at all times. Even though it's expired, it's still proof of citizenship. I figure that might be valuable if I ever get questioned about my legal presence in the US.

But it's not about the cost.

There's is no reason for me to spend any money on a Passport card when I live in KS and have an unlikely chance of driving up to Canada or down to Mexico to cross by land enough times to make it worth it. A passport card cannot be used for international travel by air. So I'm paying money for no reason and many in the U.S. are in the same situation.

This is directly from our government's website: "The passport card was designed for the specific needs of northern and southern U.S. border communities with residents that cross the border frequently by land. The passport book is the only document approved for international air travel."

We know it works for some people and I don't think anyone has said otherwise. But for many it's redundant because they won't be making usage out of it. It's the same for people who opt to not get a passport book OR a passport card. They don't see the point in paying for something that they won't be using. Personally speaking I don't have a need to carry around something that is my proof of citizenship but I can understand that a subset of our population may feel that pressure day in and day out. I guess you must feel that pressure. If it makes you feel more comfortable that accounts for something I suppose.

 

[bcla]

But it's not about the cost.

There's is no reason for me to spend any money on a Passport card when I live in KS and have an unlikely chance of driving up to Canada or down to Mexico to cross by land enough times to make it worth it. A passport card cannot be used for international travel by air. So I'm paying money for no reason and many in the U.S. are in the same situation.

This is directly from our government's website: "The passport card was designed for the specific needs of northern and southern U.S. border communities with residents that cross the border frequently by land. The passport book is the only document approved for international air travel."

We know it works for some people and I don't think anyone has said otherwise. But for many it's redundant because they won't be making usage out of it. It's the same for people who opt to not get a passport book OR a passport card. They don't see the point in paying for something that they won't be using. Personally speaking I don't have a need to carry around something that is my proof of citizenship but I can understand that a subset of our population may feel that pressure day in and day out. I guess you must feel that pressure. If it makes you feel more comfortable that accounts for something I suppose.

I've gotten usage out of it simply as an ID. At the time I got it my primary concern was that California hadn't gotten Real ID compliant and were relying on federal waivers. It's not an either/or. I consider the passport card to be supplemental. It's the cheapest wallet size federal ID that the average US citizen can get. I personally think it's a very useful thing to have for any US citizen. And sometimes I'm paranoid that my address is on my driver license, just in case someone is alerted to the fact that I'm not home.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I've gotten usage out of it simply as an ID. At the time I got it my primary concern was that California hadn't gotten Real ID compliant and were relying on federal waivers. It's not an either/or. I consider the passport card to be supplemental. It's the cheapest wallet size federal ID that the average US citizen can get. I personally think it's a very useful thing to have for any US citizen. And sometimes I'm paranoid that my address is on my driver license, just in case someone is alerted to the fact that I'm not home.

I'm not saying it's either/or. I understand however what the other poster was talking about.

At least be glad we don't put our SSN on DLs anymore lol.

 

[bcla]

I'm not saying it's either/or. I understand however what the other poster was talking about.

At least be glad we don't put our SSN on DLs anymore lol.

That was never the case in my state. There was supposedly a requirement that SSNs be placed on all state driver licenses by 2000, but that got nixed apparently. I found that from an SSA report to Congress. There's no date, but I'll assume it from 1996 to 1999.

https://www.ssa.gov/history/reports/ssnreportc6.html​

Use of the SSN in State drivers license systems is already authorized by Federal law, and 29 States currently use the SSN as the drivers license number or show it on the license. The 1996 immigration reform provision on improved identification-related documents requires the SSN to be included on State drivers licenses by the year 2000. Thus, the drivers license and Social Security card can both be used to verify the SSN.​

I remember my first driver license was on photo paper, and was really just a composite photo of a piece of paper and my face. They stuck the text page in a slot and it took a photo of the text, my face, and the frame. We also had licenses before turning 21 where the photo was on the right, so I think they had to set it up differently.

However, my student ID in grad school recycled my SSN. I'm not sure what they did for international students who weren't required to have an SSN (unless they got work permits).

I happen to think that a passport and passport card are very useful things for every US citizen to have. Especially if I'm visiting my BIL near Seattle and he asks if we want to go to BC.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That was never the case in my state. There was supposedly a requirement that SSNs be placed on all state driver licenses by 2000, but that got nixed apparently. I found that from an SSA report to Congress. There's no date, but I'll assume it from 1996 to 1999.

https://www.ssa.gov/history/reports/ssnreportc6.html Use of the SSN in State drivers license systems is already authorized by Federal law, and 29 States currently use the SSN as the drivers license number or show it on the license. The 1996 immigration reform provision on improved identification-related documents requires the SSN to be included on State drivers licenses by the year 2000. Thus, the drivers license and Social Security card can both be used to verify the SSN.
I remember my first driver license was on photo paper, and was really just a composite photo of a piece of paper and my face. They stuck the text page in a slot and it took a photo of the text, my face, and the frame. We also had licenses before turning 21 where the photo was on the right, so I think they had to set it up differently.

However, my student ID in grad school recycled my SSN. I'm not sure what they did for international students who weren't required to have an SSN (unless they got work permits).

It really wasn't that long ago that they were on them, took a while because of people's renewal schedule to get them off of it once it became law by the mid-2000s that you cannot have your SSN on your DL. Still a bit like "really!?" that we did though IMO. I don't believe my state had the SSN on it or it was before my time of getting a license/permit but my neighboring state did.

Especially if I'm visiting my BIL near Seattle and he asks if we want to go to BC.

No one is telling you you can't or shouldn't get a passport card. There is a limited purpose for them and one may not see the point in getting both. That's all that's really being said.

If I was your brother-in-law who frequently went back and forth by land into Canada yes I would see more point---he is after all part of the target demographic for the creation of the passport card.

 

[bcla]

It really wasn't that long ago that they were on them, took a while because of people's renewal schedule to get them off of it once it became law by the mid-2000s that you cannot have your SSN on your DL. Still a bit like "really!?" that we did though IMO. I don't believe my state had the SSN on it or it was before my time of getting a license/permit but my neighboring state did.

No one is telling you you can't or shouldn't get a passport card. There is a limited purpose for them and one may not see the point in getting both. That's all that's really being said.

If I was your brother-in-law who frequently went back and forth by land into Canada yes I would see more point---he is after all part of the target demographic for the creation of the passport card.

California never did that, and I think by that time the federal government started to realize that broadcasting one's SSN was an identity fraud risk. The SSA recommends against routinely carrying SSN cards unless there's a specific purpose. The last time I took mine out of my house was for Real ID eligibility documentation at a California DMV office.

As for my brother in law - he's not a US citizen yet and he only occasionally visits Canada. But his green card would suffice for nearly anything. I don't even think he needs his foreign passport when going to Canada by land or sea. However, he's a Washington resident. As a non-citizen he's not eligible for an Enhanced Driver License and they don't have Real ID compliant drivers licenses other than EDLs. Washington tells anyone needing a Real ID DL to get an EDL. I don't get it since there's a large immigrant population in WA that would be eligible for standard Real ID but not EDL.

 

[tex1989]

I guess I am lucky because living in Texas the real ID thing has been on our DL's for a while and we do not use SSN for id numbers on the licsense. We have passports as well. So there has been no scrambling to get the new id's.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I guess I am lucky because living in Texas the real ID thing has been on our DL's for a while and we do not use SSN for id numbers on the licsense. We have passports as well. So there has been no scrambling to get the new id's.

The SSN has been a law since the mid-2000s that you cannot have the SSN on DLs. It'd be really really really unlikely to see any licenses now given people would have had at least several renewal cycles since then. But in terms of time it's not been that long all things considered.

My state has been issuing REAL ID since August 2017, looks like TX has been since October 2016. In my state your license expires after 6 years so with the October 1, 2020 deadline only approximately 50% of the population of my state will have gotten the REAL ID via their renewal. So yeah it's been a while but there's still a lot of people that will either have to go outside their renewal period or will wait til their renewal. There's also the option in my state to get a non-REAL ID as well. Technically you can renew up to a year in advance in my state but I honestly haven't met anyone who has opted to do that.

 

[bcla]

I guess I am lucky because living in Texas the real ID thing has been on our DL's for a while and we do not use SSN for id numbers on the licsense. We have passports as well. So there has been no scrambling to get the new id's.

The federal government now bars the use of the SSN directly on a driver license, state ID, or vehicle registration. They're authorized to collect an SSN, but can't place it on a card. Kind of weird because a few years before this law (2004) the feds were in the process of mandating SSNs be on driver licenses. The law is 42USC405(c)(2)(C)(vi)(II).

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg...SCODE-2011-title42-chap7-subchapII-sec405.htm​

(II) Any State or political subdivision thereof (and any person acting as an agent of such an agency or instrumentality), in the administration of any driver's license or motor vehicle registration law within its jurisdiction, may not display a social security account number issued by the Commissioner of Social Security (or any derivative of such number) on any driver's license, motor vehicle registration, or personal identification card (as defined in section 7212(a)(2) of the 9/11 Commission Implementation Act of 2004), or include, on any such license, registration, or personal identification card, a magnetic strip, bar code, or other means of communication which conveys such number (or derivative thereof).​

 

[tex1989]

We have never used SSN as ID numbers in Texas. I have had the same DL number since I got mine in 1975.