Passports

Hi,

Should I carry my passport with me when out and about in the US? I'd have thought not, and never have done. But an event today made me wonder.... We visited Tombstone, AZ, which is about 30 miles from the border. We didn't cross the border, we didn't need to, we didn't go near it or intend to, but on the way back and just outside Tombstone was a border guard point, literally just a bit of road blocked off. They were stopping some cars, including ours. Asked if we were from the US, which of course we aren't and then asked where we were from and we told them the UK. And then asked to see our passports. Which we didn't have, and we expressed surprise. The guy said we were 30 miles from the border and how else would we identify ourselves? Kind of a fair point, but surely the expectation isn't to be carrying these valuable documents all the time? Anyone else experienced something similar?

I never go out without my passport in the US. The Americans seem to love asking to see ID - be it to buy drinks, pay by credit card or check in to hotels so it just makes sense.

I'm sometimes asked when checking into a hotel, which is fine as I always have ti with me then. We don't get asked for ID when buying drinks - well beyond looking too young to drink lol - and the very few times we're asked for ID otherwise, we've produced driving licences (card type) and that's been fine. Naturally, if we were actually crossing a border, I'd expect to need it, but 30 miles away seems a bit odd. Not that you can argue with these folks, of course....

I think a passport is to valuable when travelling, and leave it in my hotel safe at all times. That is unless I know I may need it. Depends where you travel whether you need ID, in Chicago for instance many bars ask for it.

I agree with previous posters, I carry mine with me everywhere when in the US. In a lot of places in California we have been asked for ID when entering bars, even though we are both well over 21, in fact it annoys hubby when he gets asked by door staff/security half his age for ID. We are also often asked for ID when paying with cards.

[honey lamb]

I always carry mine with me in the US as I was under the impression that you are legally obliged to carry ID with you all the time. on one occasion I was met at IAD by a friend who lived there and we had to take a massive detour because he had forgotten to bring his ID with him and he wanted to go home to collect it. ii)

It depends. If staying in a large city I tend to leave my passport in the hotel safe, but if travelling around I'll carry it with me.

An alternative to a carrying a passport around all the time is the UK Photo Driving Licence, it’s always been accepted when asked for ID

[mitchja]

Another vote for using a photo driving licence. My passport always stays safely locked away.

Also never had any issues using that in the US or any other country.

The present Mrs Treelo always carries our passports in her shoulder bag, We have never actually been asked for them apart from one time when she was asked for ID when buying some wine in a supermarket (Publix I think), When we queried the request, we were advised that it was 'company policy'. She was 50 something at the time. )

Another vote for using a photo driving licence. My passport always stays safely locked away.

Also never had any issues using that in the US or any other country.

We did have issues in some of the more remote parts of Tennessee and Oregon, particularly where, despite the physical evidence of their eyes, age needed confirmation. They were comfortable with the dd-mon-yy format of the date in the passport and uncomfortable with the dd-mm-yy format on the licence.

A couple of years ago in Boston, I was asked for ID when entering a couple of different bars. I duly produced my photo driving licence and was told that for anyone without a US driving licence, a passport was all they could accept.

Jonathan

In all the years I have been travelling to Orlando we have only ever been asked once, on my very first trip there, going into Blazing Pianos on International Drive. I was the only one that had my passport on me and the only one not drinking too!
I am wary about carrying it around with me - I have managed to lose park tickets before when I was certain they were safely tucked away.

[Decker]

and another vote for photo driving license. Though I did have to call a supervisor when the muppet who carded me at Safeway in CA refused to accept it as it didn't stipulate the colour of my eyes.

[Neil]

Photo license here also. In the US currently and like all other trips have had no issues using it.

I don't have a driving licence so have to carry my passport but that said I have had to show it on only a few occasions on my trips.


The issue for Cat though was she was in AZ which has very strict ID requirements .

I've had my UK driving license refused by TSA at LGA so always carry my passport. Madison Square Garden also do not accept it so even buying a beer requires a passport - even though I'm in my 30s!

An alternative to a carrying a passport around all the time is the UK Photo Driving Licence, it’s always been accepted when asked for ID

That's what we've always found, but it's interesting to read how many of you (well-travelled!) folks do carry it routinely. Oopsie, maybe we've been wrong. And for so long!

We did offer our licences as photo ID though. Mmmm.... Have to admit it gave us food for thought. Then again and kind of connected, we didn't get asked to take our shoes off at security at Heathrow, but we did have to for a flight from LAX to Tucson. Bizarre stuff....

I always carry my passport in the US. I get ID'd a lot (my youthful good looks ) and I've found it is more readily accepted than my driving licence.

^^ Ha, me too... had a problem in NYC before with my driving license not being accepted because it "looked foreign" and "why is it pink?" Lol, how diplomatic.

Passport has always been accepted though, looking a bit worn these days. Got to miss the old blue ones used to slap people aside with

I always lock my passport in the hotel safe and use my photo driving licence when I get ID'd (At my age too ). Never had a problem with it not being accepted in hotels, bars and for security when entering big office buildings. Americans are generally more comfortable with a "drivers license" than a passport in most places.

Didn't realise this but Mrs P has our passports locked in the security death trap that is her handbag at all times when we are away ):

I carry a copy of the photo page of my passport when in the USA, leaving the original somewhere safe. It has always been accepted for drink and credit card ID when needed. I haven't yet ever been stopped by any police or border staff within the USA so can't therefore comment on the situation described here. The one time I went anywhere near the mexican border, it was at San Ysidro and, because I actually did go into Tijuana and back, on that occasion I did (of course) carry my passport.