Types of Photo ID?

[tmli]

I just realized my mom doesn't have picture id since she doesn't drive. In the past we drive and it hasn't been a problem but next trip we are flying.

What other type of ID could she get besides a passport? I seem to recall years ago there was a gov't issued one for people who didn't have DL's. Am I out to lunch on this one?

Does anyone know the average wait to get a passport if done by snail mail?

 

[Cruisin]

Does your mother not have a health card with her picture on it?

I know it takes 10 days to get a passport if you take it into the passport office. I don't know how much extra time it takes to mail the forms.

I would be wary about sending original forms in the mail eg. birth certificates.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Originally posted by Cruisin'Kroezes
Does your mother not have a health card with her picture on it?

While it might be accepted for picture ID in other locales, the Province of Ontario Health Card is not considered to be valid photo ID in the Province of Ontario. (e.g. not valid for proof of age or ID at LCBO or The Beer Store)

 

[tmli]

She doesn't have a photo health card. Is it extra for the passport if you bring in documents for 10 day service?

 

[Cruisin]

I do believe that there is a small extra charge for rush passport applications but I don't remember exactly what the amount is.

 

[tmli]

If she really didn't want to get a passport, what would her other options be? We are driving cross border to fly out of US.

 

[mbb]

we're from Nova Scotia...but it might be worth a try...

Access Nova Scotia will do a picture ID for you - it's just like a Driver's License, but only costs $15 instead of the 50 or $60 that a license costs...it lists your name, birthdate, etc, and looks just like a DL. You get it done at the same place - Department of Motor Vehicles/Access Nova Scotia...

Ontario might have a similar program????

Good Luck!!

 

[tmli]

That's a great idea I will check it out. I am also originally from Nova Scotia.

 

[pkitty]

This may not be relevant but I know that when I cross the border with my DD (age 10) I only use here birth certificate and a current school photo which really isn't photo id at all. My husband uses his police id and his birth certificate or his drivers liscence depending on what's the handiest. I didn't know that they wouldn't consider your health card? That's interesting knowing how difficult it is replace them if your wallet is stolen or lost. They are alot harder to do that to replace your liscence and SIN number that's for sure!!

 

[kellyla]

I dont have a drivers licence and I have gone over the border with my birth certificate and my picture health card and they have never batted an eye or told me that I cant use that for ID.

 

[DSNY FN]

Most border crossings don't ask about the Health Card but it is actually not a legal form of photo ID they told us that when we went and got our new ones.

 

[sammi]

We were also told that our health card was not to be used as ID so last year before we flew to WDW out of Buffalo we went and got our passports which made travelling so much more simpler.

I don't drive either so the passport was very useful.

 

[Daisy-J&D]

I'd be careful with the Health card especially if you are flying out of a Canadian Airport. HC are not legal ID. Just last nigth my 28 and 30 year old friends were almost denied entry to a club (which we NEVER get ID'd at) because they only had a health card ID. They wouldn't even look at it saying they could get fired.

It's one thing to go home on a Saturday night, if it were my vacation I would have been in tears!

Edited to add: I think the price for Rush passports is an additional $70.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Originally posted by DSNY FN
Most border crossings don't ask about the Health Card but it is actually not a legal form of photo ID they told us that when we went and got our new ones.

The Ontario Ministry of Health office in Kitchener, ON would not even accept the Health Card they had issued to me as a form of ID when I went in to change my address with them.

 

[excitedmom]

it was an extra 35 for my dh to get his passport in 4 days instead of the regular amount of time. this was at the kitchener passport office in september. the bonehead actually waited till 6 days before we were flying out to inform me he hadn't sent in the form!

 

[DSNY FN]

We just sent in for our family passports as we are going on the Disney cruise in 06 so we will all need them so why not get them now rather than take a chance and wait