Using passport card as an ID inside and outside the USA: your experience

K

König

Registered Users (C)
I am not a fan of local custom of using the driving licence as an identity document, so I was trying to use my passport card for every transaction requiring an ID. Overall, I was not very successful mainly due to Americans' ignorance toward the passport card. It was rejected by banks (in violation of their own policies), by public notaries, by sales clerks and by an Amtrak clerk. Last time when I went to California DMV to apply for a licence, a lady clerk was looking at the card for several minutes and finally asked me: "Do you have an I-94 or something like that?" :D "No, I am a citizen" "A citizen of what?" :confused: "A citizen of the United States - it is written on the card." Finally, she reluctantly accepted the card. This was the actual conversation, nothing made up. Not being familiar with the passport card is hardly an excuse considering that this document is at the top of the DMV document list.

Interestingly enough, I had more luck when using my passport card in Germany and France. I guess it is because the concept of national identity card is much closer to them, so they are less suspicious of an unfamiliar document.

Have you tried to use it as an ID and what was your experience?
 
I'm sympathetic but not surprised. When filling out my US passport application I decided the passport card would be a complete waste of money, for me. Your experience confirms my reasoning.
 
$3/year is hardly a waste of money even if you only intend to use the passport card as a back-up document. Perhaps if you lived closer to your home country (border state), it would prove more useful for you.

By the way, do you think you would encounter the same obstacles when trying to use a Canadian citizenship certificate as an ID in Canada?
 
cafeconleche said:
Where did you show your card in Europe? Given that non dual US citizens would need a passport book to enter the EU, I'm surprised you could use your card and didn't have to use the passport book.
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Of course, to enter and exit the EU, I used the passport book. Upon arrival, I immediately left the book at relative's home in Germany and took off to France. What I did with my passport card:
  • Bought a SIM card in Germany and France
  • Rented a car from Europcar in Germany (they require DL and ID)
  • Checked into hotels in France and Germany
  • Received Western Union money transfer in Paris

It was a bit tricky when I rented a car because the agent wanted to see the passport book, but I pointed out that they only require an ID without specifying it should be a regular passport. I said that the passport card is an American national identity card, so they finally gave in. I admit that I haven't had any interaction with government agents (i.e., police), and I assume they would not be satisfied with only my passport card, especially if I was randomly stopped at the French border.

I'm not surprised, though, that the card is being met with quizzical looks in this country. It's an attempt to introduce a national ID card, and it will take a while for people to get used to it.
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I blame it on ignorance, not a deliberate attempt to reject my passport card due to political reasons.
 
König said:
By the way, do you think you would encounter the same obstacles when trying to use a Canadian citizenship certificate as an ID in Canada?
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I always got funny looks with a Canadian citizenship card since it's apparently very rare for a native-born citizen to have one. I got it to make travel to the US easier, but this 1987-era document is no longer secure enough to be of any value.
 
I used the passport card a couple of times in the U.S. to pass through the airport security (for domestic flights) - it was accepted without questions.
 
cafeconleche said:
I might still get the card, hehe. Probably not, though, because now the cost of a passport has risen, and extra pages are not cheap, so I will be spending a pretty penny over the next 10 years I think. I will apply for a larger booklet from the get-go, though.
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Do you travel a lot? If you don't travel to many countries that require visas for US citizens, the current 27-page passport should suffice over 10-year span. Well, at least in this country you can use passport book for identification and citizenship proof - in other countries (e.g., Canada, Russia, France) passport has no value inside the country and cannot be used for citizenship/identity purposes.
 
cafeconleche said:
I do intend to do a TONNE of traveling
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In that case getting a passport card may be a good investment. If your passport book gets lost or stolen while you are traveling abroad, a passport card serves as an original document proving both identity and U.S. citizenship and having one makes it considerably easier to apply for a new passport at a U.S. consulate/embassy.
 
TheRealCanadian said:
I always got funny looks with a Canadian citizenship card since it's apparently very rare for a native-born citizen to have one. I got it to make travel to the US easier, but this 1987-era document is no longer secure enough to be of any value.
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Its only valid for land or seaport travel. Not for air travel to any country including Canada
 
I only provide my US passport card for non-driver ID requests in the US and I never have any problem. Some take a while to find the DOB, but that's about it.
 
When I went to Social Security Office and Drivers License Office (Florida), I only used my Passport card as proof of citizenship. It is accepted without reservations. Furthermore, I use my 4 year old son's Passport Card during school registration and other education related applications instead of Birth Certificate. If you've got one, it is convenient and most importantly "easy to carry".
Regards.
 
Definitely easy to carry. Still haven't had a chance to use it, though. When I drove to Canada last week, I used the book. I was hoping for my first stamp... hehe. Didn't get any though.
 
cafeconleche said:
Definitely easy to carry. Still haven't had a chance to use it, though. When I drove to Canada last week, I used the book. I was hoping for my first stamp... hehe. Didn't get any though.
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You had to ask for one. CBSA are lazy to do this extra work :) I asked them for a stamp and the lady border agent did it (after going inside and searching for an ink). I guess she did not like my request because after stamping it, she wrote the validity of one week (!) instead of six months as it would be by default. That was something I did not ask for :rolleyes:
 
Hehe, nah I don't like asking for these things. It's not a BIG deal, but it would have been nice. I'll wait for other impending trips.
What about for nationals of other countries, though? And, I suppose CBP are lazy too?
 
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