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

I used passport card coming back from Mexcio by land, no issues. Actually another guy from my client traveled with me with just a license but he easily passed the "american citizen" test with his looks and accent and was let back in. I was at a border town and wanted to go the other side for sight seeing (I know I am an idiot to have done that, didn't know there was a murder that afternoon in the same street we were driving around). The guy with me was telling me it was OK not to go get card from the hotel...I would have dared not do that, couldn't have passed the "looks like an US citizen" test by any means:)
 
I used my passport card at the CT DMV last week. No problems. I carry it in my wallet, but I think I'll leave it at home from now on. Going to the SSA office on Monday probably and I will TRY to use it there. This is in CA.
 
I think the main issue with the passport card as compared to the DMV license or ID is that the passport card does not show the person's home address. Additionally, the main intention of passport cards is only to facilitate travel by road to Canada and Mexico and for the thousands of Americans who travel on a Cruise ship to the Caribbean. Many countries do not stamp on the passport. When I visited Australia earlier this year, I used my Australian passport to enter they did not stamp my passport. I think this way they can always ask when did you last visit this country. An impersonator with a stolen passport or fraudulent passport will be caught.
On a related matter I can never understand why the US passport control at airports have to question each citizen about how long they went etc. We now have e-passports. Why can't citizens enter by swiping their passports at POE. I think the wait times and the long queues not to mention the millions going down the drain can be saved by not having "interrogations" at POE. I have a global entry authorization on my passport and when I enter through Chicago or Detroit I just swipe my passport and walk through these special lanes with no wait times. I am sure this can be done for all US Citizens and is more secure than the person sitting and interrogating you. Here one is finger printed so identity is confirmed along with the passport verification.
 
brb2 said:
I think the main issue with the passport card as compared to the DMV license or ID is that the passport card does not show the person's home address.
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That is why it is my preferred form of ID. 99% of the time, I show my ID to business clerks who have no business in knowing where I live. That was also the reason why I put the PO Box address on my driving licence. In Europe, for example, neither national identity cards nor driving licences have home addresses, and it does not seem to be a problem there. My argument is always that if a document is good enough to prove the identity and citizenship in order to enter the country, it sure is good enough to prove my identity when buying groceries and doing banking operations.


On a related matter I can never understand why the US passport control at airports have to question each citizen about how long they went etc. We now have e-passports. Why can't citizens enter by swiping their passports at POE. I think the wait times and the long queues not to mention the millions going down the drain can be saved by not having "interrogations" at POE. I have a global entry authorization on my passport and when I enter through Chicago or Detroit I just swipe my passport and walk through these special lanes with no wait times. I am sure this can be done for all US Citizens and is more secure than the person sitting and interrogating you. Here one is finger printed so identity is confirmed along with the passport verification.
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That is my pet peeve too. I am barely asked any questions (if at all) when I enter European countries as a tourist than when I return to the USA. The CBP people argue that all this questioning arises from the fact that an inspector at the primary now has immigration and customs laws to enforce (since the inception of the DHS and CBP), and quite often it is very hard to determine which particular questions belong to immigration part and which - to customs one. As for GE, they made you go through extensive background check and took your fingerprints. For naturalised citizens it would not be a big deal because their background was already researched by the USCIS and their fingerprints taken as a part of GC and naturalisation processes; however, some natural-born citizens who are also paranoid about federal government may object to being subjected to these procedures.
 
I guess not. I actually forgot to take my passport book. I was just lucky to have had my passport card in my wallet.

Still, it's annoying for many that the card isn't accepted in many places.
 
cafeconleche said:
Still, it's annoying for many that the card isn't accepted in many places.
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What is annoying is that there is no official mandate from the government regarding which documents must be accepted as IDs. Basically, private businesses (especially banks) are free to decide what documents they will accept as identifications. My passport card was rejected in one large bank and a smaller credit union. I complained to the headquarters and said I would withdraw all my funds and close the accounts. Soon, I received an apology letter from the local branch of the big bank signed by the branch manager stating that it would never happen again. As for smaller credit union, my card simply became acceptable next time I came to do a transaction.
 
RE: Passport Cards are more respected overseas

My experience with the passport has been wonderful when they ask for it overseas because I have my passport card. And they respect it very much when shown. :)
 
Apparently the CBP has just started issuing so-called Global Entry cards to people enrolled in the Global Entry program:
http://www.riograndedigital.com/2011/08/08/cbp-issues-new-cards-for-global-entry-members/
From what I understood, the card is intended essentially for the allowing entry into U.S. by land from Canada and Mexico without having a U.S. passport (which is similar to the original purpose of the passport card).
The picture they provide of a sample Global Entry card has similar info to the passport card as well, indicating the citizenship of the holder of the card. I wonder if these new cards will be accepted as a form of ID for other purposes, particularly by airport security...
 
First of all, the article is not accurate - the new Global Entry card can allow access to NEXUS lanes but only coming into USA, not Canada. In essence, this new card combines NEXUS and SENTRI cards' advantages and adds to that the access of Global Entry kiosks at the airport. For TSA purposes, it should be accepted as a valid ID because NEXUS and SENTRI are accepted.

Now, comparing this new GE card to the passport card is not really possible because they serve drastically different purposes. The Global Entry card is like another NEXUS or SENTRI - while it indicates the citizenship, it cannot be used as a proof of citizenship (for DMV, SSA, Dept of State, USCIS purposes) and it still requires a valid passport to be carried along when crossing the borders. It requires an extensive background check. Passport card, on the other hand, is a complete document that proves identity and citizenship and can be used instead of the passport book, not in addition to it.
 
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