Little help please...DH lost his wallet...we leave in 23 days

[zulaya]

DH lost his wallet on the golf course yesterday. He looked and couldn't find it. I drove up this AM and walked the course; couldn't find it. No one has turned it in. Besides the nightmare of cancelling credit cards and all, we have to get a new driver's license.

He's already been up to get it done. The problem is they told him it takes 3-6 weeks to get a new license.

So here we are, 23 days from leaving, faced with the possilibity of no government issued photo ID. I called our airline and they said just show up 2 hours beforehand and the counter people will take care of it. What does that mean? I am just not sure I trust that.

TSA website says if you don't have a gov. issued photo ID, you need 2 forms of non-photo ID, still government issued. So is the paper copy of his license (the thing he has before the card comes in the mail), plus maybe Social Security Card or Birth Certificate count?

Not that I'd wish this on anyone, but has anyone had to fly without the photo ID? If so, what did you do and how did it go?

 

[CarolA]

It takes THREE to SIX weeks??? Even down here in GA they print it while you wait?

Anyway, what will happen is that you will have to identify him (so if he makes you mad he may be stuck LOL!) And then they will search EVERYTHING he brings very carefully and he will have to have the full body scan.

Bring everything you can get your hands on be prepared for this to take a while. If you are flying out of a major airport I would go with more then two hours. For smaller ones two hours will be fine.

He will get on, but it won't be fun!

Good luck!

 

[zulaya]

I was floored when they said 3-6 weeks. I am hoping that's what they "say" and it's really going to be 7-10 days. He even asked about paying for it to expedited and there was nothing.

We are flying out of MSP on a 7:23am flight.

 

[Cam2Mike]

Wow, thats a bummer. Did your husband try begging and pleading when he went for the replacement ID? Sometimes you really have to be very persistent to get any kind of special treatment. I know in MA I lost my license and was able to get a replacement on line faster than if I went to an RMV office. If your State can't guarantee that you get it in time it might be worth paying extra $$ and get a passport. Pretty sure you can apply for expedited passport services but you have to go to a federal building that does that specifically. I wouldn't trust the advice you got about non-photo ID. I got stuck in NY City once with an expired drivers license. I lost my current one and called the airline and they said the expired one was ok. I was able to fly from Boston to NY with it but they wouldn't let me come back. I was told the Airline gave me bad advice and that each airport has its own rules based on its own security risk and at the time Laguaria's security risk was higher than Boston (go figure.. the 911 hijackers came from Boston??). I missed my original flight, but after I proved that I was flying to and from NY on a weekly basis they let me fly on a later flight. Thank goodness my replacement license came in the mail a few days later.

 

[clkelley]

Does the temporary paper one have his picture one it??

Our state does the same thing. When you go in for a new license, they print you a paper one that has all the information of your final license including your picture. Then your permanent license comes in the mail in about 4 weeks.

I had to fly once with the paper one, but since it had my picture on it, no problem.

Carol

 

[MNSusan]

You know, I wonder if it would take less time to get a passport? I know when I got mine renewed, I just took the photo, filled out the paperwork, and got it back within a week or so. Not sure, but might be worth checking out.

My drivers license will expire while we're on our trip. Good to know how long they're saying it takes (we leave in 6 weeks). I'd better get it taken care of right now.

 

[zulaya]

Susan-

For real, it only took a week? I was looking online and it sounded to me like a passport took like 3-6 weeks as well.

Where did you go to get the passport processed? Somewhere close to us?

PM or e-mail me would you?

 

[stage manager]

I lost my drivers license on a trip once. Now, I work for Indiana University, so my campus ID counted as a state issued ID. If your husband has a work ID, that might help.

Also, you might want to take a copy of your marriage license as one of the documents. At least then you can prove you are you and surely you can vouch for him being the guy you married.

Multiple items with his name all spelled the same are good. SS cards are good for the airlines as they are government issued along with birth certificates.

It can be a hassle, but leaving at that hour from MSP on a domestic flight, you might get lucky. If it is really busy, they may not give you a horribly hard time. However, you must do all of this at the counter. You can't do any curbside with a situation like this.

And be sure to check some luggage under his name. No ID and no checked luggage could send the TSA into a tizzy.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

have you thought of just going to the dmv??? The least they could do is print out an id?

 

[dcfromva]

zulaya,
I don't know if this will help you, because I'm not sure in which part of Minnesota you live, but here is a link to The City of Minneapolis Passports

"How to apply for an Expedited Passport

Expedited service is available for an additional fee of $60.00, payable to the U.S. Department of State. This expedited passport will arrive in approximately two weeks. To further expedite the process, the applicant may also bring two Express mail delivery stamps to cover express mail costs both to and from the Passport Agency. Call for additional information about expediting your passport based on your specific emergency."

(There are links to the passport application, too)

-DC

 

[Brian Noble]

An expedited passport may be just the ticket. Here is how to apply for a passport (possible without a driver's licence):

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html

And here's how to expedite it:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_831.html

They say two weeks, so get started right away. It will cost you about $150 total, but will save you up to an hour on the flight down, and another hour on the way back.

 

[malibuconlee]

have you thought of just going to the dmv??? The least they could do is print out an id?

Unfortunately some states have in place a centralized system where all ID's are made in one place. It's not like here in Iowa where you go to the station and they make it while you wait.

Texas had the same thing when I was there. You go to the station to fill out the paperwork and you get a piece of paper that you use as your license with no photo. They mail it out to you. I assume Minnesota is the same way.

 

[zulaya]

He did go to the DMV. They don't print it while you wait. They print them elsewhere and mail them to you. I always renew my license early enough so I don't have to worry when I get to expiration date.

I appreciate all the info!

We have other government issued documents (Social Security, birth certificate, the paper copy of the license they gave him at the DMV while we are waiting for the card to come in the mail) so I think we are good there. Just hoping they are a little speedier than they told him and this turns out to be a non-worry.

 

[canwegosoon]

Can you get any town id's printed? Or do you have a copy of his old licence anywhere? I am hoping someone finds his wallet today!!!

 

[MainStreetFan]

DH lost his wallet on the golf course yesterday. He looked and couldn't find it. I drove up this AM and walked the course; couldn't find it. No one has turned it in. Besides the nightmare of cancelling credit cards and all, we have to get a new driver's license.


A website says if you don't have a gov. issued photo ID, you need 2 forms of non-photo ID, still government issued. So is the paper copy of his license (the thing he has before the card comes in the mail), plus maybe Social Security Card or Birth Certificate count?

I work for a major airline and this happens more often than you can imagine. If you have SS card and birth certificate those do count. Also voter registration card, and State, county or city issued item for a school, library or insurance. Usually people say they don't have any, but if they show me everything in their wallet, I can find the qualifying documents. Take the copy of his license, ss card and birth certificate. Get to the airport 2 hrs before, because sometimes a supervisor has to approve the ID, but you souldn't have any problem. Have a great trip!!

 

[Meezers]

Where does hubby work? Maybe they have the capability of making a photo ID...most places I have worked do!

 

[tjmw2727]

He may be able to get a "non-drivers" photo id.

Here in DE we got non drivers id for my kids in an hour, we needed birth certificate and social security card. In addition my or dh's drivers license. It was done on the spot and we walked out with them.

Perhaps your state has something similar he can get with his temporary replacemend license and a SScd and birth certificate?

Worth a try and you could probably get the information online.

TJ

 

[manning]

My wife lost her wallet once. luckily it was in the days when no one (even the crooks) knew about identity theft. About a week later a package came from the post office. It was her wallet. Maybe someone will find it and throw it into a mailbox and you will get it back quickly.

If he had his ssn in it (could be on a medical id card) start to monitor your credit report. There are three reporting agencies. You are entitled to one free report from each per year. order one at a time from each every four months.

Did he check his car? Had a friend who lost track of his wallet and it turned out it fell out of his pocket while sitting in the car.

 

[MNSusan]

Zulaya, I just went to the DMV office on Lexington in Roseville. They have/had a desk to the left when you walk in the door. It may not have taken as long for me because it was a renewal, but it looks like the info that's been posted here is pretty good.

Also, I talked to a friend today who got their new license within about 2 weeks. MN is now changing the license number on all newly issued cards, too. So we can all take our DL#s off our checks now. Sheesh!

BTW, DH used to work for the company that makes the printers that do the drivers licenses here. The state opted to have one centrally located office to do all the printing, rather than provide each site with their own printer. Cheaper to get one really big printer than many little ones. Time is the price we pay for that.

 

[zulaya]

Thank you for all the info! I have been stressing over this, not just travelling, but the whole thing about losing the wallet.

We have cancelled credit cards and DH is contacting all the credit reporting agencies as soon as he gets home from work. We know what to do and are doing them, it's just a frustrating process.

I was out today a couple times and each time I had a voicemail and each time I hoped it was someone calling with his wallet, hoping they looked us up in the phonebook and all. It wasn't. I really do hope that someone will be a good samaritan and all, but even if everything is returned, I am still so worried about identity theft and will be for a while.

MNSusan, I knew about the Roseville office, but didn't know they did passports there. Good tip for me to know because I do need to get those done for a Pampered Chef cruise we are most likely going to be on next year.

Again, thanks for all the input!