Unmanned stations checking IDs?

[Devil's Advocate]

My husband lost his wallet on a trip to San Francisco some years back. We came to the airport really early, and were upfront about what had happened. In the end, he was asked a lot of questions--which I suppose they may or may not have tried to check out--examined his used boarding pass from our outgoing flight, where he obviously had his license, and gave him one of those super-enhanced patdowns that leave nothing to the imagination. But he was allowed to fly home in the end without ID. (We actually got his wallet mailed back to us, ID and cards intact! But without a return address, so we couldn't thank the Good Samaritan who went out of their way--and paid postage!--to return the wallet to us. Just goes to show that there are honest, kind people out there!)

I left my wallet on a bench at LAX while rearranging things waiting for a shuttle after a transpacific flight. I realized what happened soon after boarding but by the time I could return a few minutes later the bench was empty. I figured it was gone for good but I decided to ask where it might go if someone had reported it. I made some calls and thankfully someone had dropped it off at a nearby police station. I caught a cab over and the staff had the name and address of the kind person who handed it in. When I got home I sent them a thank you note along with a collection of handmade treats from a boutique chocolatier. I still had to go through the groping and luggage inspection after an S4 was added to my PNR when I asked about lost identification but at least I was on my way again!

 

[jis]

Does your daughter have a passport? A passport is a useful thing to have, even if you think your international travel days are over, because having more than one government-issued photo ID is valuable backup if one is lost or rejected. Yeah, it's not cheap, currently $110 (without any special or expedited service) for an adult. But it's valid for 10 years. I realize this is not practical advice if your daughter lacks a passport and is traveling imminently, but maybe it'll help others!

Just for use as Id and Proof of Citizenship, a Passport Card is more convenient than a full Passport, and is much cheaper to get. You do not need to get a Passport Book unless you need it for foreign travel.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I have adult friends that for their own reasons refuse to get a passport. Their loss!

 

[jis]

I have adult friends that for their own reasons refuse to get a passport. Their loss!

Depending on various factors, some people have much less of a need to be able to prove their citizenship than others. For those that need to be able to prove their citizenship to various officials a Passport Book or a Passport Card or an Enhanced Driver's License is convenient. To the others who can get a pass in such checks, it is possibly superfluous.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I'm just thinking of my otherwise sophisticated NYC friend that has never had anything other than a DMV id card (not drivers license). He uses it to get wine and fly domestically. He says he sees no reason to ever leave the country. To each his own...

 

[PVD]

NYS will issue an "enhanced" non driver id which functions the same way as an EDL or Passport Card as far as land and sea border crossing is considered. My parents had DMV ID, they did not drive. But they had regular passport books for international air travel. If you have an EDL or or EID a passport card is a waste, it costs more than changing regular or Real to Enhanced, and has no added benefit. But last time I looked, only 5 states had them.

 

[jis]

I'm just thinking of my otherwise sophisticated NYC friend that has never had anything other than a DMV id card (not drivers license). He uses it to get wine and fly domestically. He says he sees no reason to ever leave the country. To each his own...

I presume he carries the appropriate credentials in the way of his skin color perhaps?

NYS will issue an "enhanced" non driver id which functions the same way as an EDL or Passport Card as far as land and sea border crossing is considered. My parents had DMV ID, they did not drive. But they had regular passport books for international air travel. If you have an EDL or or EID a passport card is a waste, it costs more than changing regular or Real to Enhanced, and has no added benefit. But last time I looked, only 5 states had them.

True. But as you say, most states do not do EDL or EID and most don't have any plans to do them either.

 

[zephyr17]

I presume he carries the appropriate credentials in the way of his skin color perhaps?

True. But as you say, most states do not do EDL or EID and most don;t have any plans to do them either.

Yeah, just Washington, New York, Michigan, Minnesota and Vermont do EDL/EID, all on the Canadian border where it makes sense to have an easy id for border crossing.

BTW, Washington's regular driver's license isn't a Real ID and won't be. Only a Washington EDL qualifies as Real ID.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yeah, just Washington, New York, Michigan, Minnesota and Vermont do EDL/EID, all on the Canadian border where it makes sense to have an easy id for border crossing.

BTW, Washington's regular driver's license isn't a Real ID and won't be. Only a Washington EDL qualifies as Real ID.

Texas now requires All DLs to be "Certified" Real IDs, which means only US Citizens can get a Valid Texas DL that will now have a Gold Star embedded on the License.

Whether or not these are good for Mexico and Canada( when the Border reopens??)Land Crossings remains to be seen???!!!

 

[jis]

Texas now requires All DLs to be "Certified" Real IDs, which means only US Citizens can get a Valid Texas DL that will now have a Gold Star embedded on the License.

That is quite unlikely to be true unless they expect the armies of Green Card holders and H-1B techie non-immigrants in Austin, Houston and Dallas and all those F-1 students in Universities, to stop driving legally. I know Texas is stupid, but it is not that stupid when it comes to attracting and keeping technology companies and airlines head quartered there.

Whether or not these are good for Mexico and Canada( when the Border reopens??)Land Crossings remains to be seen???!!!

Real ID DLs are not Enhanced DLs.

 

[PVD]

Texas doesn't make it clear without digging,, but any permanent lawful legal resident can get a Real compliant DL. But the ID requirements for Real an Enhanced diverge, only a citizen can have EDL, so no, not good for the border. Temp or visitors classed licenses are available for people on date limited visas or permissions (like students)

 

[Bob Dylan]

That is quite unlikely to be true unless they expect the armies of Green Card holders and Hi1B techie non-immigrants in Austin, Houston and Dallas to stop driving legally. I know Texas is stupid, but it is not that stupid when it comes to attracting and keeping technology companies and airlines head quartered there.

Real ID DLs are not not necessarily Enhanced DLs.

My bad, as PVD said, you have to research hard to find out the legal technicalities, so any "Legal" resident can get a " Real Texas DL, but it's Texas as jis said!

 

[jis]

My bad, as PVD said, you have to research hard to find out the legal technicalities, so any "Legal" resident can get a " Real Texas DL", which really makes no sense, but it's Texas!

But being a legal resident is a requirement in general for getting a RealId. It has nothing specifically to do with Texas. It is as spelled out by DHS.

To apply for a REAL ID driver license or identification card, you need to provide: Proof of identity such as an original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate, U.S.passport, employment authorization, permanent resident card, or foreign passport with an approved form 1-94.

 

[Bob Dylan]

But being a legal resident is a requirement in general for getting a RealId. It has nothing specifically to do with Texas. It is as spelled out by DHS.

Got it, Thanks, but as you said it's Texas, so playing to the Yahoo's is what's happening since all our State Politicians are up for Reelection in 2022!

 

[jis]

Got it, Thanks, but as you said it's Texas, so playing to the Yahoo's is what's happening since all our State Politicians are up for Reelection in 2022!

Abbott may be posturing to his cheering section but Texas is not doing anything beyond what is required of them for issuing RealId DLs. Of course, it being Texas, some of the bureaucrats may be misbehaving with those that they think are "undesirable" irrespective of their legal or citizen status. That is not unheard of in Texas. RealId or not.

Temp or visitors classed licenses are available for people on date limited visas or permissions (like students)

Students (F-1) are really no different from non-immigrant employees (H-1 various). Their I-94s are endorsed differently. F-1 do not have work permit, H-1xs usually do. Dates on the Visa are not really relevant.

Visas are documents for crossing the border. Once you are in the US you carry a status on your I-94. This may be limited to a specific time, or to a specific employer, or can have the odd endorsement called "Duration of Status" which sounds circular. I don't know if they still do this. Afterall I have not been a non-resident for 37 years! I have been a citizen for the last 32 of those.

When I came to the US my F-1 Visa was valid for two years for Multiple Entry. As long as I did not leave the US and stayed at the same school I did not need to get my I-94 endorsed further as it said "Duration of Status". I actually did leave the country several times, and when I did so after the two year validity of the Visa had expired I had to haul myself over to the Delhi Consular Office and get me another Visa using another I-20. But once I was back in the US, again the period of valdity of the Visa became irrelevant. I could stay as long as I maintained my status as documented on the I-94.

 

[flitcraft]

Things may have changed in the last couple of years, but when my-then non-US citizen husband applied for Global Entry, he got it with green card status. He's since become a citizen, so renewal shouldn't be a problem, if they no longer allow non-citizens GE.status. I do have a Real ID compliant Washington driver's license, but stupidly have not applied for Nexus--which lets you skip the long line at the Canadian border. Of course, we can't get across the Canadian border now anyway, so it's rather academic, but I should have applied for Nexus instead of Global Entry in the first place.

 

[MARC Rider]

I remembered reading an article in the Washington Post a few years back where a reporter describes her experiences having to travel after leaving her purse (with all of her ID) in the cab that took her to the airport. Fortunately, she had her cellphone in hand, and even more fortunately, she had taken the precaution of previously taking pictures of all her ID and storing them on the phone. I think she had some complications, but she was able to make her flight, though I suppose she had a lot of work calling all of her credit card companies to cancel her cards. I don't recall reading how she took care of her finances without a purse or valid credit cards, though.

From this, I would strongly recommend taking a photo (with your phone camera) of at least your driver's license, probably some other stuff would be helpful, too.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I remembered reading an article in the Washington Post a few years back where a reporter describes her experiences having to travel after leaving her purse (with all of her ID) in the cab that took her to the airport. Fortunately, she had her cellphone in hand, and even more fortunately, she had taken the precaution of previously taking pictures of all her ID and storing them on the phone. I think she had some complications, but she was able to make her flight, though I suppose she had a lot of work calling all of her credit card companies to cancel her cards. I don't recall reading how she took care of her finances without a purse or valid credit cards, though.

From this, I would strongly recommend taking a photo (with your phone camera) of at least your driver's license, probably some other stuff would be helpful, too.

Or don't carry such items in a Purse or your Pocket, especially where Pick Pockets are known to work!

As much fun as we pick @ Fanny Packs, Valuable Pouches or Belts, they make sense when Traveling!

 

[zephyr17]

Global Entry privileges are available to citizens many countries. South Korea, Japan, Australia, Canada and Great Britain I know of right off the top of my head, just as Americans can apply for similar trusted traveler programs in many of those countries recipricolly.

Back to Real ID. Washington refused to limit DL issuance only to lawful residents, which DHS objected to (as documented by jis in post #38). You have to prove residency to get a regular Washington DL (utility bill, lease, etc), but you don't have to prove legal status. DHS and Washington ultimately came to agreement on the licenses by Washington adding the words "Federal Limits Apply" to the front of the regular license to ensure it would be clear that they are not "Real ID".

I just have a regular license, I have a NEXUS card and a passport, either of which is good to get through TSA once the Real ID restrictions come into effect.

At least part of the reasoning was that the undocumented were going to drive anyway, and it was better to have them licensed and therefore insurable.

 

[PVD]

Some states used Real ID requirements to engage in political statements about immigration, others chose not to. NY will issue a drivers license that is not Real ID compliant as well as Real and Enhanced.

 

[zephyr17]

Washington just has not-Real ID and Enhanced.

 

[PVD]

A Washington resident who would be eligible under DHS standards to receive a real ID will have to carry the same documentation that would make them eligible in most cases for a real ID DL. They are just trying to avoid the political posturing.All they accomplish is inconveniencing large numbers of residents.

 

[zephyr17]

There have been news stories about it on and off for years. Despite the coverage, I still think a lot of people are going to get caught short at TSA when they finally start enforcing it (now May 2023).

I was surprised when the settlement reached with DHS after years of struggle was to print "Federal Limits Apply" on the license.

Oh, well, doesn't affect me, I usually use my NEXUS card at TSA anyway, and most people I know got EDLs.

 

[Bob Dylan]

There have been news stories about it on and off for years. Despite the coverage, I still think a lot of people are going to get caught short at TSA when they finally start enforcing it (now May 2023).

I was surprised when the settlement reached with DHS after years of struggle was to print "Federal Limits Apply" on the license.

Oh, well, doesn't affect me, I usually use my NEXUS card at TSA anyway, and most people I know got EDLs.

I need to renew my Passport( it expires in October) even if I won't be leaving the Country till 2022!) since by next year there will be a backlog @ Passport Offices as people resume International Travel( mine will be mostly to Canada and Mexico now!)

 

[jis]

Global Entry privileges are available to citizens many countries. South Korea, Japan, Australia, Canada and Great Britain I know of right off the top of my head, just as Americans can apply for similar trusted traveler programs in many of those countries recipricolly.

In addition to Citizens of the USA and lawful Permanent Residents of the USA, Citizens of the following countries can participate in the Global Entry program

• Citizens of Argentina
• Citizens of India
• Citizens of Colombia
• Citizens of United Kingdom
• Citizens of Germany
• Citizens of Panama
• Citizens of Singapore
• Citizens of South Korea
• Citizens of Switzerland
• Citizens of Taiwan
• Mexican nationals

Quite an eclectic list I might add....

Texas doesn't make it clear without digging,, but any permanent lawful legal resident can get a Real compliant DL. But the ID requirements for Real an Enhanced diverge, only a citizen can have EDL, so no, not good for the border. Temp or visitors classed licenses are available for people on date limited visas or permissions (like students)

I suspect the resident does not have to be permanent, in the sense that I am sure non-immigrant legal status holders, who are anything but permanent, can get a Real ID Licence if the DHS rules are followed. They could be time limited to their legal status. In short anyone that can get a license legally today can get a RealId License if they can establish their legal residency status.