One of bikehikebabe’s neighbors is supposed to fly back east for Christmas, but he can’t find his driver’s license. And now in the U.S. you can’t fly without a valid identification card.
bikehikebabe thinks his children took the license away from him because he’s too old to drive. One of his grandchildren is coming to escort him on the trip, so maybe his family can get him a valid ID? I wish him luck, and the situation made me think about what we would do if/when we get too old to drive.
The first thing is to keep our passports updated — ours are still good until spring of 2016, so we’ll probably renew them then. We would probably also get a state ID, which means going down to the Department of Motor Vehicles with the following information:
- 1 document of your identity with documents such as:
- Your birth certificate.
- A valid U.S. passport.
- A military ID.
- 1 document proving your identification number with
documents such as your Social Security card.- 2 documents proving your New Mexico residency with
documents such as:
- A rental or mortgage agreement.
- Utility bills.
- A bank statement.
I assume an old driver’s license would also count as a document of identity, since it has a picture, but who knows. Both Andy and my social security cards specifically say “Not for identification purposes.” We’ve had many a good laugh about that.
What kind of identification card do you have? How often do you need it?
December 16, 2014
In the UK, we’ve needed valid photo ID to fly for some years (driving licence or passport). I seldom need ID, except for picking up parcels from the Royal Mail sorting office, or applying for something that needs proof of identity. I’m supposed to have my driving licence with me at all times but I never do and nobody ever asks to see it.
I usually remember to take my driver’s license when I drive, and mostly that’s about it. Except when we take the train to go see Kaitlin and Torben.
My last driver’s license was for 8 years, but at the end of next year I’ll have to renew every year, which means a lot of waiting in lines.
We need to show photo id proof before entering airports and at checking in. We also need to produce such an id on trains if asked for. I normally carry my Aadhar Card (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unique_Identification_Authority_of_India), and since other cards are required for other purposes, my wallet will always have my driving licence, my Permanent Income Tax No card, my three club membership cards and three credit cards. Yes, it makes for quite a bulky wallet!
The Wikipedia article about the Aadhar Card is interesting! I wouldn’t have guessed it was so controversial. I imagine your Permanent Income Tax No. card serves some of the purposes of our Social Security cards.
All the red tape now is confusing. But we need the protection.
Today the news unfolding was 126 children in Pakistan killed & untold large number wounded. The USA is still morning our 20 children shot two years ago. (Not by Isis or Taliban though.)
The tally now is 140 children killed. Best not to keep score. 🙁
The attack was sad. Apparently the Taliban is too weak to fight the army directly, so it’s going after the children of the military for revenge.
it makes me think of all those old black and white world war two movies . . .
where they were always checking everybody’s ‘papers’ if they tried to go anywhere.
we haven’t progressed much then have we.
and the slaughter of those poor children by the taliban in pakistan . . .
in the name of their religious ideology against western education or simply because it was a school for pakistan military families.
that is certainly some religion they have. condoning the killing of innocent children.
there is NEVER an excuse for that. EVER! young children? OMG.
it made me sick reading those headlines this morning bhb.
i guess what you say may be true. we need the protection that ID caution brings.
but i’m thinking it’s a moot point. they seem to find ways anyway.
I suppose the ID cards help somewhat. But that doesn’t mean we’re completely safe. I agree with you about purposely targeting children.
I keep my passport up to date.
It’s a smart thing to do.
Since my spine made it impossible for me to fly overseas, I’ve let my passport lapse. Now I see that there’s a good reason to reactivate it. Also, I have family overseas – and I could foresee a situation where I might be absolutely forced to fly despite the pain…
Thanks for bringing up something I should’ve been keeping track of!
It’s nice to have options!
Where are your overseas relatives?
I have an uptodate drivers license but I don’t own a car. Reason it has my mug shot on it and that is good to verify my ID. You need to have that for certain things, opening a new bank account/other.
If you don’t have a drivers license you can get an 18+card that has your mug shot on it…I was going to do that but instead it was cheaper to renew the drivers licence.
I don’t have a passport with correct name on it but I think I could still use it (if was valid) as long as I have my deed-poll with me. I have had to use that twice in the last few years, each time getting it verified by a JP (Justice of Peace)
I don’t know anything about international travel and I don’t think you need that for domestic travel…
I know my Community Services card has very little sway other than occasionally produce uptodate one for cheaper medical services…
They make it easy here to use a driver’s license for ID — I don’t know how much they charge for a non-driver’s ID. In your case the license makes sense.