Guess what happened to me at my local DMV office?-(Hint: A passport isn't a valid ID!!!)

Hi All,

I recently moved back to Texas from Alaska ( I was born and raised in Texas all the way till I was 20). So this morning I drove down to my local DMV office and waited in line to get my new Texas drivers license. There was a young,teenage gentlemen in front of me. He was, how do I say it, dressed like an individual who thinks that the cool thing is your pants sagging all the way to the ground, exposing underwear, bouncing around to his MP3 player, while simultaneously texting on his cell phone. But who cares, that is his choice. So anyway, he goes up to the counter and the clerk is more than willing to answer any of his questions about getting a regular ID, asking for his Social Security number,(without having to show his card) telling him he needs to pay his fine for his "revoked licsense"...yada yada. He got extra special treatment from her. I thought they were going to exchange phone numbers for a minute there.
So I come up next to the counter I bring my passport and my Alaska drivers license. She says " how can I help you?" I said "yes, mam I need to obtain a Texas drivers license". I hand her over my Alaska license and U.S. passport. She said well do you have your Social security card? And I said no mam, my card is in my storage unit in Alaska. ( I mistakenly left it there) She said well you will need to get another copy and come back with that because I will need that to process your license. I said, "My passport could not have been issued without a verfication of birthplace and Social Security card. I said, I know this because I had to send copies of both when I submitted my paperwork for it back in 2002. She said I am sorry but this is not a legit ID for this? I said Are you kidding?!! I was born in this state, this country, look at the passport. She proceeded to look at the passport for a second, and said no, I can't use this. Please come back with a social security card.
WOW! can you believe this? Maybe I am being overreactive, but I don't think I am....I mean I have a perfect driving record, no tickets, no criminal background, etc. Please understand my Passport is valid and not expired.
This is crazy! please reply with your thoughts...

reply to post by wrangell76


Maybe they actually need to see your SSN on government-issued ID to know who you are. I don't think the thread title is actually accurate. From what you wrote, it should by "Hint: your passport is not a valid way to prove your SSN". Unless your SSN is on your passport, in which case you have a point.

I thought passports only prove citizenship.

We just had an election here and people attempted to use a passport when voting...no can do..it is not a form of ID.

How messed up is that?!?!?
I mean if you know your ss# what exactly can she gleam from looking at the piece of paper???? It's not like it is encrypted with digital data, or even a picture. It sounds kind of fishy to me. I think I would have asked to speak to a supervisor and maybe have them show me where the rules are.

I bet she was just a bit stupid. At the very least, she could have asked a coworker for some advice.

What do you plan to do next??

Originally posted by dave420
reply to post by wrangell76

 

Maybe they actually need to see your SSN on government-issued ID to know who you are. I don't think the thread title is actually accurate. From what you wrote, it should by "Hint: your passport is not a valid way to prove your SSN". Unless your SSN is on your passport, in which case you have a point.

If thats the case the same standards should apply to everyone, the op pointed out the person right before him didnt have to show his SS card.

Besides which a Passport is a valid form of ID, as is an Alaska Drivers License. I would have asked for a supervisor and pushed the issue.

reply to post by dave420


I understand what you are saying. But the passport is a validation of both Birth certificate and SSN. I had to submit both for my passport. It covers both. That is why I was perplexed at her...
And I have used my passport before in the past as a validation for that.

Plus, as a waitress we are allowed to use a passport as a replacement for drivers license when Id'ing for alcohol. Which is even more confusing...

You needed to go to her supervisor and have them help you.

Anyone can forge a ss card. It's just a simple piece of paper.

A passport and existing drivers license should have been sufficient.

Perhaps it's time to call up the local newspaper and have a reporter do a story on this.

reply to post by shadow watcher


hi shadow watcher,
I am actually thinking about calling my local talk radio station and telling them about this or at the least calling her supervisor. She was in such a hurry for me to get out of the way and let the others move up next. I didn't know what to do. But when I got back to work and explained it to my co-workers, and my husband, they were like WHAT! That is absurd! I felt relieved to hear I wasn't overreactive.

Originally posted by wrangell76
But the passport is a validation of both Birth certificate and SSN.

Do USA passports have the Social Security number on them now? I was under the impression that they just have a nine-digit 'passport number', not the SSN (even though you may have to provide your SSN to get a passport).

reply to post by wrangell76


But if they need to know your SSN, and you show them your passport and tell them your SSN, how do they know it was the same SSN you used to get your passport with? I understand you need your SSN to get a passport, but if they need your SSN, a passport proves nothing other than you, at one point, had an SSN that checked out. That's my point.

reply to post by Wildbob77


Hi Wildbob,
I think I will call up the local newspaper on this or there is also a woman on the local news channel here who has consumers call in with complaints, it is called "Take it To Akin". They thoroughly investigate the complaints and expose it on TV. Its great

reply to post by dave420


I guess since your "PHOTO" is on the passport that kind of validates it yeah? and once again, in order to get that passport, you have to submit birth certificate and social with the paperwork.

reply to post by wrangell76


Wrangell, clearly you weren't cool enough for this young lady to just accept that you are who your passport says. Regardless of whether a U.S. Passport is a valid form of I.D., you provided your Alaska Driver's Liscence. With the law of state reciprocation of state issued forms of identification, it is sufficient as validation of SSN. It should have been a simple issue of verifying your liscence had not been suspended/revoked in Alaska, and then they should issued you a Texas Driver's Liscence.

I recently got my passport they just needed my birth certificate, but he postal dude saw my license and verified my identity that way. My license does not have my SSN.......I dont know if that helps or not.

I'm not familiar with Alaskan licenses, but I know some states use the SS# as the license number as well. I have a hard time understanding how a valid American license and a valid passport is not enough proof of identification.
The current licenses are supposed be nearly impossible to forge. This is hard to reconcile. I would most definitely call someone about it. It is not as though you left it at home, it is across the freakin country in storage. On the upside, at least you are in the state that the SS was issued and can grab a duplicate easily enough. This does not lessen the fact that you may have been treated unfairly.

I know exactly how you feel. I traveled to more than 30 countries and stayed in 5 of them longer than a year. What I learned is that your passport is just a travel document. In those 5 countries I had to at least have some sort of social security number, then some national medical insurance and in the one I'm now it is another number EVERY single national or non-national has to have. Without that one you don't even exist. I always have all documents together with my passport and carry it on me. Yes, very safe and secure. More secure than my wallet. Bureaucracy in some countries are just over the top. I mostly hate it when you're treated like an idiot for not having a drivers licence. I DON"T AND NEVER WILL DRIVE. I take public transport and planes to travel...lol.
Glad to get this out of my chest. But not for much longer, we all have a chip or tattoo, worldwide recognisable. Yeahhhhhh...Just kidding. That's when I realy go bunkers at their offices.

reply to post by wrangell76


No, as unless your SSN is on there too, it doesn't.

Hahaha! That is so great...I will come in with different attire next time Thank you for that bit of info regarding state reciprocation. I am going to bring this up right away with them. I mean for crying out loud, I was getting my license so I can vote on Tuesday...UGH!

Originally posted by RealityisanIllusion
reply to post by wrangell76

 

Wrangell, clearly you weren't cool enough for this young lady to just accept that you are who your passport says. Regardless of whether a U.S. Passport is a valid form of I.D., you provided your Alaska Driver's Liscence. With the law of state reciprocation of state issued forms of identification, it is sufficient as validation of SSN. It should have been a simple issue of verifying your liscence had not been suspended/revoked in Alaska, and then they should issued you a Texas Driver's Liscence.

Nemind

[edit on 10/31/2008 by Zaphod58]

Originally posted by Benarius
Glad to get this out of my chest. But not for much longer, we all have a chip or tattoo, worldwide recognisable. Yeahhhhhh...Just kidding. That's when I realy go bunkers at their offices.

you poor thing! All that mess to go through when travelling. I will tell you when I travelled to the Ukraine one time, I brought my brand new visa with my passport and they told me that visa was not valid. So they made me pay them money right there to get another one. It was something else. So I do understand a little of your pain
I do see the microchip for us not too far off in the distance though