Travel Fails - Not My Fault Edition

[BlaqueKatt]

Just how many people HAVE two forms of government-issued ID, anyway?

I do!
state ID(two actually, they let me keep my wisconsin one, it's still valid) and a "Totally Worthless Identification Card"
Also A security license issued by the New Jersey State Police

so technically I have 4 government issued photo ID cards.

[Jetfire]

Most of my province, Quebec, would i think most of Canada, too, but not not sure. drivers license plus Medicare card, both are government issued photo ids

Well, in New Brunswick, the LIcense is a Photo ID but the Medicare card does not have a photo. IIRC Ontario's medicare card doesn't (or it didn't 10 years ago) have a photo either.

As far as photo ID, I'll have my DL and Passport on me when travelling, but if I'm just puttering around, I'll only have the DL on me. So if they don't accept non-photo ID I'd be SOL.

[wolfie]

IIRC Ontario's medicare card doesn't (or it didn't 10 years ago) have a photo either.

Original red-and-white cards didn't have a photo, and had no expiry date (I've still got one). Newer cards have a photo, and are good for 5 years. There's some talk of recalling the old cards.

[mathnerd]

I think you're talking about the same thing as I have? It's an enhanced license, so it's both what you mentioned (land and sea passport) and a drivers license. So I'd still just have the one govt ID, right? I mean, unless I had my full passport and it wasn't expired.

No, this is different from the enhanced driver's licenses that some states issue. I would have liked one of those back when I was traveling into Canada frequently, but I was a North Dakota resident at the time, and ND doesn't offer those.

This is what I'm talking about:

http://travel.state.gov/content/pass...tion/card.html

[cindybubbles]

Because I don't drive, I used to use my health card for ID, but not anymore. Now I have a government-issued photo ID.

[PastryGal]

Well, in New Brunswick, the LIcense is a Photo ID but the Medicare card does not have a photo. IIRC Ontario's medicare card doesn't (or it didn't 10 years ago) have a photo either.

As far as photo ID, I'll have my DL and Passport on me when travelling, but if I'm just puttering around, I'll only have the DL on me. So if they don't accept non-photo ID I'd be SOL.

I'm in Newfoundland and our provincial medicare cards don't have photo ID on them. 10 years ago when I was in PEI there was no photo. Most of my life I was in New Brunswick and no photo there either. In fact when I was first getting my license you didn't need to have your photo on it, they charged more if you wanted or needed it. That changed a couple years later making photos mandatory on DL's and the cost was worked into the total price.

[Hsaud]

Alberta doesn't have a photo on their health care card either. I've been asked for two forms of id before but usually only one needs to have a picture.

[Dreamstalker]

My SS card also says "not for identification". Technically I believe my EBT card could be used as one form of ID as it does have my photo on it and is issued by the state.

I have two valid state IDs: my primary state of residence, and it's easy enough to keep my NM-based one current so I do--I also think that ID photo is far better I never carry both at once (whichever one I'm not actively using is in the lockbox) and never found there to be any problems. Chronologically my NM ID was issued first, and when I went for my other state ID they only asked about a DL.

[AccountingDrone]

<rummaging through my messenger bag> 4 governmental based IDs - US passport, US military ID, Nuclear Regulatory Commission "get out of jail card" and state of CT drivers license. [the get out of jail card lets me pass any roadblock or drive in travel bans en route to a nuclear based emergency. I would guess I could also flee from said type of emergency also, it doesn't say I have to go towards the emergency, just that I am authorized to pass =) ] I also used to have a haz mat version for NY state but it lapsed about 30 years ago.

[Gilhelmi]

Hey AccountingDrone, what would I need to do to get that Nuclear Regulatory Commission card?

OT: When I worked at a nursing home, I was issued an ID card that would let me get to work if the roads were closed because of a disaster (like a tornado). I have my Conceal Carry Permit and my Military ID and my DL.

Of course, 2 of the 4 are expired.

[Jetfire]

I'm in Newfoundland and our provincial medicare cards don't have photo ID on them. 10 years ago when I was in PEI there was no photo. Most of my life I was in New Brunswick and no photo there either. In fact when I was first getting my license you didn't need to have your photo on it, they charged more if you wanted or needed it. That changed a couple years later making photos mandatory on DL's and the cost was worked into the total price.

Yup, I got my first DL in New Brunswick in the early 90's, and it was still paper at the time, with no pictures. Just a pink sheet of paper with my info printed on it.

They rolled out the photo licenses in the mid 90's and I swapped the paper for the photo-card version just before I went to university IIRC.

At least NB was smart about it, and updated all their offices to print on site, so you don't need to wait for the license in the mail. (Usually; I've posted my story about my last license renewal fun around somewhere ).

I do remember when the photo licenses came out, people were complaining because the first wave of licenses supposedly had a fading problem. It was quickly fixed but the media loves to pick at any fault they can find.

[Dreamstalker]

My EBT card has a fading problem; it looks like they used a cheap ID printer (ironically, my undergraduate ID that used the same type of printer is still legible 10 years on). It got damp in the rain one day and the ink started coming off.

Of all the photo ID items I have, my transit pass and NM ID have the best pictures. Transit pass has also gotten wet and none of the ink has come off, but an RFID card printer probably uses a different ink/process.

[mathnerd]

Now that I think about it, my youngest son (who's 13) has three government ID's if we're taking non-traditional type ID's into account. He has his passport, a state ID card (he has to have one to go along with his handicap parking permit), and his disabled user bus pass, which in my city has the owner's photo on it (the bus system is run by the county, so the ID is technically government issued). Not bad for a kid who's still a few years away from even being able to drive.

[hyperion]

Just wondering...does having 2 copies of a state drivers licence count? My state underwent some design changes on the DL a few years ago and so I have one of the old format and one of the new format. Both being valid for a few more years...

[PastryGal]

Yup, I got my first DL in New Brunswick in the early 90's, and it was still paper at the time, with no pictures. Just a pink sheet of paper with my info printed on it.

They rolled out the photo licenses in the mid 90's and I swapped the paper for the photo-card version just before I went to university IIRC.

At least NB was smart about it, and updated all their offices to print on site, so you don't need to wait for the license in the mail. (Usually; I've posted my story about my last license renewal fun around somewhere ).

I do remember when the photo licenses came out, people were complaining because the first wave of licenses supposedly had a fading problem. It was quickly fixed but the media loves to pick at any fault they can find.

Nice thing here in NL when I moved from Mt Pearl to St.John's all I had to do was email them my new address and they mailed me out a new one updated. The offices here aren't too bad tho. Don't think I've ever waited more than an hour or so on a busy day.