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itai195 · Sep 22, 2006, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

And for all US Americans here: a drivers license is NOT a valid national ID.

-t

That depends on what you mean by national ID. State drivers licenses are accepted in most, if not all, situations that require photo identification.

Kenneth · Sep 22, 2006, 03:20 PM

sure.. always have one.

turtle777 · Sep 22, 2006, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by itai195

That depends on what you mean by national ID. State drivers licenses are accepted in most, if not all, situations that require photo identification.

No, it depends on your standpoint.

From the standpoint of a foreign country / entety, US drivers licenses are NOT a valid national ID. Currently, the US doesn't have a national ID.

-t

itai195 · Sep 22, 2006, 03:29 PM

Ah, okay from that perspective you're completely correct. You do still have to bring along the drivers license if you want to rent a car.

Monique · Sep 22, 2006, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

It's funny though that the US doesn't care about your foreign passport if you have a green card. Green card is all you need to get in.

-t

If you say you are a legal immigrant, yes a green card is great.

But, if you are a visitor a passport if the best way to travel.

The nicest border officer was an American in Chicago.

He was so funny, he said next, I gave him my passport and smile and said good morning, he smiled back said hi, took a sip from his subway cup and said go ahead. It is a lot faster then let me check in my purse way way down in it if I have a valid ID.

ghporter · Sep 22, 2006, 06:11 PM

Just because it is accepted as "identification" does not make a driver's license a national ID card. The whole discussion in Congress about establishing minimum standards for issuing and controlling driver's licenses came about because in some places it's trivial to get one, with or without enough credentials to attest to you being you.

I currently have two really good photo IDs: a military retiree ID, and a Texas driver's license. They are both pretty hard to fake, and they both have some good anti-tamper/anti-counterfeit features. I had to use a good photo ID for the passport agent to accept my application; I basically had to convince HIM that I was who I said I was. This is good, because the agent usually has a good idea of what is and isn't reliable identification (he lives where he works, right?) so he/she knows that State A's license is good, but State B's is worthless for ID...

d4nth3m4n · Sep 22, 2006, 06:26 PM

yup had it since i was 8 or something (i'll be 26 in a week or so). i have a feeling there will be a flood of applications now that you'll need one to get into canada.

euchomai · Sep 22, 2006, 11:52 PM

I got one when I started working with an orphanage in Nicaragua two years ago.

Sealobo · Sep 23, 2006, 04:47 AM

I have two. Many of us here in Hong Kong have duo-nationality status, i.e. British National (Oversea) and China Hong Kong.

It's interesting how the China HK passport gaining more and more travelling power over time.

PER3 · Sep 23, 2006, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy

However, this is NOT to advocate the requirement of carrying "indentity papers" like in some Cold-War-era Communist country but rather to provide a single repository for information on all US citizens.

Russia is a post-Cold War democracy and you sure as hell have to have your papers in order here at any time and any place for ID check and to make sure you are registered at a particular address (although you do have three days to register with the police if you visit another city).

Don't worry, though. Soon, I'm sure your country will catch up.

indigoimac · Sep 23, 2006, 12:09 PM

Yup, the passport is by far the least contested ID, I use it for domestic flights too, nobody argues w/ it.

mitchell_pgh · Sep 23, 2006, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by PER3

Russia is a post-Cold War democracy and you sure as hell have to have your papers in order here at any time and any place for ID check and to make sure you are registered at a particular address (although you do have three days to register with the police if you visit another city).

Don't worry, though. Soon, I'm sure your country will catch up.

OFF TOPIC: Could you name a few "must see" places in Moscow (beyond what a traditional tourist would go and see). Also, perhaps you could name a pub or a place to get some good food (think nice, but down to earth [not having to get overly dressed up])

I'll be there in January.

Kr0nos · Sep 23, 2006, 02:21 PM

I recently inquired about the price for renewing an American passport.

$93 - WTF? That seems awfully steep to me. Does that have to do with the whole RFID crap?

/just askin'

itai195 · Sep 23, 2006, 02:22 PM

Kronos, don't forget you have to pay for passport photos too

I thought $97 was only for a new passport, and $67 is for renewal. My wife just got a new one.

Kr0nos · Sep 23, 2006, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by itai195

Kronos, don't forget you have to pay for passport photos too

I thought $97 was only for a new passport, and $67 is for renewal. My wife just got a new one.

Oh, okay…must've mixed something up there. $67 is still a lot though, IMHO.

itai195 · Sep 23, 2006, 02:36 PM

The more you get into dealing with government bureaucracies, you'll realize that $67 for passport renewal is a steal. Sad but true.