Identification documents in the United States are usually the driver`s license or regional state-issued ID card, while the Social Security card (or simply the Social Security number) and the U.S. passport card can also serve as national identification. The U.S. passport itself can also be used as identification. However, there is no official “national identity card” in the United States, in the sense that there is no federal agency with statewide jurisdiction that directly issues identification to all U.S. citizens for mandatory regular use. There are a variety of secondary documents that are used to establish identity. However, these documents are not generally accepted as the primary form of identification. They are usually only used to obtain primary identification (usually a driver`s license or passport) when other forms of identification have been lost or stolen, or as ancillary documents in conjunction with a form of primary identification. These other documents include: In addition to the main forms of identification in the United States, there are also secondary forms of identification. To obtain various pieces of identification in the United States, U.S. citizens must provide a certified copy of their birth certificate.

For more information on how to request a certified copy of your birth certificate, please refer to our articles where you will find the necessary information and requirements. A DOD ID card number is usually the holder`s social security number. 1. In June 2011, however, the Department of Defense began phasing out the use of the NSS to protect the identity of service members. [17] It has been replaced by a 10-digit DOD identification number and a 12-digit benefit identification number. The main purpose of the United States The passport card is designed to provide citizens who wish to carry an official federal identification card and those who live near a land border with a more convenient, wallet-sized identity and travel document. [12] It can be used for land and sea travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda, but cannot be used for other countries or for international air travel. [13] In addition to these travel restrictions, the passport card has the same rights and privileges as the passport booklet.

The passport card is also accepted as valid identification for domestic flights in the United States. [14] For citizens who acquire U.S. citizenship, not because they were born in the United States, the federal government issues a certificate of U.S. citizenship or a certificate of naturalization, which are documents that work in the same way as a birth certificate. These two documents, along with a U.S. passport, are legally one of the few primary documents proving U.S. citizenship. These certificates are not normally carried daily; Instead, they are used to obtain other documents such as a passport or driver`s license, which are then transported and used as the primary means of identification. This form of identification verifies who you claim to be by allowing the bank to match your face to your name.

You can bring your driver`s license, government-issued ID card, or passport as proof of your identity. If you need a driver`s license or government-issued ID, below are some tips on how to get it. While many U.S. adults carry their driver`s license at all times when they are away from home, there is no legal requirement for them to carry their license when not driving a vehicle. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states can require people to provide their names honestly when asked by a police officer. About half of the states have enacted a variant of stop and identification laws that require compliance with these police investigations. In some states, such as California, failure to provide identification is required for traffic violations (e.g., Cycling on the wrong side of the road) is sufficient justification for complete deprivation of liberty. [8] The driver`s license issued by each state serves as the de facto national identity card due to the ubiquity of driving in the United States. Each state also issues a non-driving state identity card, which performs the same identification functions as a driver`s license, but does not allow the driving of a motor vehicle. The driver`s license is issued by each state. This document is issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), a state government agency that performs driver`s license and vehicle registration.

Each state issues a non-driving state identity card that fulfills the same identification purpose as the driver`s license, except that it does not allow its holder to drive a vehicle. Many organizations, universities, and businesses have historically used Social Security numbers to uniquely identify their customers or students. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment, required changes that eliminated the use of the NSS as an identifier for a student. Educational institutions now request the NSS at first contact, as required by other federal legislation, and assign each individual their own unique number to preserve the individual`s privacy if necessary. Other laws require the SSN to be associated with interest-bearing accounts, interest-paying loans, most government assistance programs, and government-issued identification documents, such as driver`s licenses. To reduce the incidence of identity theft, several states have passed laws requiring institutions that use the VMS to assign individuals their own identification numbers and prohibit them from using the VMS as a primary key. A driver`s license is issued by the DMV of each state required to drive. [6] Each state`s DMV may also issue a state ID card. It contains no mention of driving and can be used as official identification if desired or required. Federal, state, and local governments and government agencies typically issue badges to their employees. These cards can be used to prove identity outside the workplace. While there are varying degrees of acceptance, government job identification is generally considered more reliable than private company job identification.

A notable example is the Ministry of Defense`s Common Access Card, which acts as the military`s main ID card. Please bring one of the following ID cards when you go to the OneCard office to have your photo taken. As mentioned earlier, there are several valid forms of identification, many of which are issued by the government. Acceptable primary proof of identity in the United States includes original or certified documents containing a person`s full name and date of birth. If you are applying to Your Employment Solutions (YES) for the first time, you will need to present 2 pieces of valid identification. Below is a list of pieces of identification that we can accept for employment verification. This is both a political and practical issue, and the idea of federalism is cited as support for federal (regional) identification. All legislative attempts to create a national identity card have failed due to the stubborn opposition of liberal and conservative politicians, who see the national identity card as the hallmark of a totalitarian society. [1] There are several acceptable forms of ID cards in the United States, all of which are government-issued identification that people can obtain from the respective government offices or agencies. Identity documents in the United States include: the driver`s license or ID card issued by the regional government, the Social Security card (or Social Security number), and the United States passport card. All three can be used nationally as a form of identification. To travel to Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Mexico, U.S.

citizens can use the passport card, but for all other international travel, they must have a valid, unexpired passport. The birth certificate is the first identification document issued to parents shortly after the birth of their child. The birth certificate is usually issued by local governments, usually the city or county where a child was born.