firecracker725
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2010
I live in a non-compliant state, but I have a passport. It's annoying to have to carry it with me, as I normally keep it in a very safe place, but it's not that big of a deal to me.
Yes. When you can easily get a passport which suits all needs, I don't understand why one would fuss with something else.
Really? You don't see why someone would rather 'fuss with' a $10 state ID or $24 driver's license rather than a $135 passport? Especially if they have to have the DL anyway because they drive?
I've never understood the idea of keeping a passport if you don't actually need one. Most Americans never travel internationally. I do, just to Canada (which is all of 10 minutes from my front door, most of that spent talki), but I'm from one of the handful of states that offers an "enhanced" drivers license that is still good for land crossings into Canada and Mexico, so I've never bothered with a passport. It isn't as though we are going to decide to fly to Europe next week or anything! I just applied for passports for DD16 and myself because she's studying in Japan next summer and with her overseas I do feel better having mine "just in case".
This really is the heart of why the Real ID issue has no impact on my life. California next year (next week) will start issuing compliant licenses. We'll see if I have to get one.I clearly live in the wrong state! Drivers licenses for $16 and $25?! Damn!
I live in the "Live Free or Die" state, so it was a process, because we don't like to share our information with the government, but we are now semi compliant. We can opt in to Real ID, or get a non-compliant license. It's the best of both worlds. Except our licenses are $50... I will not be getting a REAL ID complaint license. I have a passport and when I renewed this fall, I got the passport card too. WAY less hassle than what is required for a REAL ID, and I don't plan to ever not be without a passport. Although we've yet to take advantage of our location, the reality is, we live just a couple hours from Canada. It's foolish in our location to NOT have a passport.
No, I do not. Our most frequent use of our Passports has nothing to do with travel. It has to do with proof of citizenship when starting a job, opening a bank account, getting a driver's license. When DD got her Driver's License DMV wanted nothing to do with her Birth Certificate, which they would have to go through several steps to verify, when she had her Passport.
No, I do not. Our most frequent use of our Passports has nothing to do with travel. It has to do with proof of citizenship when starting a job, opening a bank account, getting a driver's license. When DD got her Driver's License DMV wanted nothing to do with her Birth Certificate, which they would have to go through several steps to verify, when she had her Passport.
I've never had a problem using standard-issue forms of ID for those things, and two of my three kids have gotten their first license/state ID in the last couple years so it isn't as though it has been years since I dealt with the ID requirements at the DMV. And supposedly, the checking they do for the enhanced license/ID is more involved than for the standard license (which I haven't dealt with in years - we all shifted to the enhanced licenses when the passport requirement for visiting Canada went into effect). I fail to see what a passport would accomplish, other than for international travel beyond Canada, that justifies the extra hundred bucks per person just to have it on hand.
Police suggest not keeping your license in your car because of ID theft concerns.This is my exact thinking; it's just incredibly handy in so many situations and not everyone drives. Also, when they pulled my license, I was very happy to have the second form of valid id and felt naked with only one. I got so in the habit of carrying my passport all the time I use it as my primary form of id now and keep my license in my car.
Actually, travel to Canada was the reason my kids got Passports by age 3. We have family in Canada. I had a HUGE hassle with Immigration at Calgary Airport back in 1989 with my then 3 year old son, despite having a birth certificate AND a letter from the Canadian Consulate saying that all I needed for him. The Canadian Immigration official told us a Passport would have avoided the delay, and it did in subsequent trips.I've never had a problem using standard-issue forms of ID for those things, and two of my three kids have gotten their first license/state ID in the last couple years so it isn't as though it has been years since I dealt with the ID requirements at the DMV. And supposedly, the checking they do for the enhanced license/ID is more involved than for the standard license (which I haven't dealt with in years - we all shifted to the enhanced licenses when the passport requirement for visiting Canada went into effect). I fail to see what a passport would accomplish, other than for international travel beyond Canada, that justifies the extra hundred bucks per person just to have it on hand.
Police suggest not keeping your license in your car because of ID theft concerns.
I think if your state is compliant you have til 2020 to have the actual Real ID. Think only the noncompliant states are being punished.Not really. My state is compliant now but my driver's license doesn't expire for a few years so I'm not compliant. I'll just make sure I have my passport with me whenever I travel, I don't plan on getting the realID license until my license is ready for renewal.