State ID

[Dana-Mića 51]

I am taking my citizenship June 24th (after how many months of waiting ) and now i just figured out I had lost my NY state ID. I have one that is expired but the one that was up to date is nowhere to be found and I have searched up and down my house. Now I don't think if I applied today for a new one that I would even get one on time. What should I do? I really want to take the exam on the 24th

[v333k 59]

I am taking my citizenship June 24th (after how many months of waiting ) and now i just figured out I had lost my NY state ID. I have one that is expired but the one that was up to date is nowhere to be found and I have searched up and down my house. Now I don't think if I applied today for a new one that I would even get one on time. What should I do? I really want to take the exam on the 24th

Go and apply for a replacement... and then go to your interview and take with you everything that has a picture ID on it... explain the situation to them and see if they are willing to accept your paper ID that they issue temporarily with other IDs that you have.

They might be understanding....

good luck!!!

[aleful 1,905]

I am taking my citizenship June 24th (after how many months of waiting ) and now i just figured out I had lost my NY state ID. I have one that is expired but the one that was up to date is nowhere to be found and I have searched up and down my house. Now I don't think if I applied today for a new one that I would even get one on time. What should I do? I really want to take the exam on the 24th

if you have a driver's license then it will be OK. they require an ID, which can be the State ID or driver's license.

I didn't have neither, I applied for the state ID but it didn't arrive in time, I just went with my passports and explained the situation. no problem.

[NickD 203]

When my wife and her daughter first came here, the only way my wife could get a driver's license, and her daughter a state ID, was to show our DMV their green card. The green card is the key form of identification, drivers' license and state ID is a secondary form based on the green card. Apparently our field office recognizes this simple fact, and only asks to see their green cards.

Of course getting those green cards wasn't easy, needed a ton of evidence to get those. Fortunately to get either from our DMV, normally takes about 20 minutes, but we live in a smaller town.

Wife was told she had to get a Colombian passport to visit her mom, but did let her in, but first she had to renew her Colombian ID. Her mom had her original form, don't ask me what it said, was all in Spanish, we took that to the office with her expired ID, they wouldn't accept her original, had to go to a notary, pay a couple of hundred bucks to get a copy of the same form she had, but it had a stamp on it, but so did the original. Went back said we had to pay a fee, but at a bank across town, paid that and brought the receipt back, that was only 40 bucks, then they told her she needed special photos of herself at a special place, also across town in Bogota, and this was during a bus strike. We got those and brought them back. Most of the time, we were the only ones at the office, after several trips, the guard finally let me come in and sit down, rest of the time was waiting outside. All in all we spend three days doing this.

After all this, they told us it can take a year for her to get her ID.

I know I have criticized the USCIS for delays, seems to me if you have all of your paper work in order it should be done instantly, not months, gathering that paper work is the huge effort. But they are saints compared to other countries, glad to be here.

Wife was advised to open a small savings account as she may get an inheritance. After waiting in line for four hours, was told it takes ten business days to open that account. Its not like we are getting money from their bank, WE are putting our money in that bank. We couldn't stay that long, so dropped it. If it takes me longer than five minutes to open a savings account here, I start looking for a different bank.

[milimelo 4,581]

I am taking my citizenship June 24th (after how many months of waiting ) and now i just figured out I had lost my NY state ID. I have one that is expired but the one that was up to date is nowhere to be found and I have searched up and down my house. Now I don't think if I applied today for a new one that I would even get one on time. What should I do? I really want to take the exam on the 24th

State ID takes maybe 10 minutes to replace, especially if you already have a DL.

[Dana-Mića 51]

i have the D.L but i will go in tomorrow and file an app for a replacement of the ID and hopefully the office will understand it. I just thought I can use other Identification since after I take the citizenship test I will have to go to the ID office and change the name on the ID

[aleful 1,905]

i have the D.L but i will go in tomorrow and file an app for a replacement of the ID and hopefully the office will understand it. I just thought I can use other Identification since after I take the citizenship test I will have to go to the ID office and change the name on the ID

you'll be fine.

the yellow letter I received it said, state ID or driver's license. and the officer asked if I had a DL. I was worried becauae I only had my passports, I had nothing.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

You don't have a problem. If you have a passport, you really don't have a problem.

[NickD 203]

You don't have a problem. If you have a passport, you really don't have a problem.

You can't state that as a fact, Bob, with 80 some odd field offices ran by an equal number of managers making their own rules as they go along, not telling what you may experience, can't argue, and only you will be hurt by having to make a return trip and experience excessive delays unless you are buddy, buddy with a US senator that happens to be on the USCIS finance board.

Why to some offices have same day oath, while others make you wait nine months for a big celebration? Or request evidence like a worthless utility bill not even listed under the required evidence. I feel a state ID is completely worthless evidence, but if your office requires that, can reject you and make you wait. Certainly not dealing with consistency here, knowing a little bit about legal interpreters, was even a bit surprise that the Chicago office permitted that womans' daughter to interpreter for her, but sometimes you just don't know, and very difficult to give good advice, if you don't.

[antda 13]

I am taking my citizenship June 24th (after how many months of waiting ) and now i just figured out I had lost my NY state ID. I have one that is expired but the one that was up to date is nowhere to be found and I have searched up and down my house. Now I don't think if I applied today for a new one that I would even get one on time. What should I do? I really want to take the exam on the 24th

Danijela+Miroslav-Sorry that you lost your NYS ID card. I hope you do find it in time for the interview and/or get a replacement before your interview. You should get a replacement, regardless, ASAP, as you need a NYS ID card/Driver's license for various other reasons too.

Normally, (well, at least from my experience anyways, see my VJ signature) it takes about 1-3 weeks to get a NYS driver's license (heck, I even got an Enhanced Driver's License in less than 2 weeks..talk about quick service!). So if you re-apply for it now, you should get it in time for the interview.

If not, then bring other identification and proof that you applied for a NYS ID card (for example, the reciept/temporary license green paper thingy that they give you at the DMV after you apply for a license), in case they ask for it during your interview. Basically, they just want to see your identification to verify who you are when you enter the building and when you go for your interview, that's all. So if you can satisfy those requirements, then you're ok there.

Hope this helps. Good luck with the rest of your journey too.

Ant

Edited June 18, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[NickD 203]

We got our daughter here in the nick of time as her foreign passport was about to expire, her really nasty biological father refused to sign for a passport renewal even though we had a court order stating he gave permission to come here. Her Chicago based consulate refused to accept that. She did get her green card, and we wanted to make a domestic flight, instructions stated to bring in either a drivers' license or a state ID to pick up your ticket. Could have risked just getting by with her green card as an ID, but ran into situations already, what in the hell is a green card.

To avoid this risk, took her and her green card to our DMV, least the guy their knew what a green card was, about five minutes and seven bucks later, she had a photo ID. That is what we used for our flight. And that is the only time we used that state ID. But then, my daughter liked to carry it along with her SS card as did my wife, because as LPR, made them feel like everybody else. Wife had a state drivers' license, exactly like mine and her license was based strictly on her green card as well at their SS cards. Did bring a ton of evidence with me to our SS office, but all they wanted to see was their green cards.

I think I have a SS card around here someplace, haven't carried it for years, about the only time anyone asked me about it was opening a bank account or a job application, just fire off my number by memory, never did anyone ask to see my card.

We never carry around our birth certificates, dang, had to get a copy of mine for immigration, first time in years. Only recall showing it for my very first drivers license, application for my first SS card, and when I was drafted. Sure didn't ask for it for our marriage license, guess I looked like I was over 18. But I do have to show my drivers' license when opening a new bank account , picking up an airline ticket, or cashing a personal check. Rarely if never do the latter, a credit card requires no form of ID. But carry that if I know I am going to drive, if not, just leave that at home as well.

Everything a LPR gets from state or federal agencies is based on their green card as both an ID and as proof they are legal here. Just seems that a USCIS field office is requesting a secondary form of ID that was based strictly on their green card is weird. Can only wonder if their office manager is smoking crack. But can't argue, just do it.

[tweety 1]

I don't know if there is anything special about NY state IDs, but I don't see why you shouldn't be able to get a new one by your interview date.

Just take the required documentation to your local DMV or whichever office is relevant in your case(as if you were to get a first ID issued), explain the situation: ID lost/ stolen and you need a replacement card. Shouldn't be a problem. I've lost my driver's license once, just went to DMV/driver's instructor and they had all my info of the old card in the system. Didn't take me but an hour to get a replacement card. Just make sure you take the required documents with you.

[aleful 1,905]

I don't know if there is anything special about NY state IDs, but I don't see why you shouldn't be able to get a new one by your interview date.

Just take the required documentation to your local DMV or whichever office is relevant in your case(as if you were to get a first ID issued), explain the situation: ID lost/ stolen and you need a replacement card. Shouldn't be a problem. I've lost my driver's license once, just went to DMV/driver's instructor and they had all my info of the old card in the system. Didn't take me but an hour to get a replacement card. Just make sure you take the required documents with you.

It depends on the city and state, every place is different. I thought it would't take that much time in Miami and at the DMV once I applied for the State ID, they told me it would take a month. I applied 3 weeks before my interview. Sure enough, it took 27 or 28 days. I received it in the mail almost a week after my interview.

[NickD 203]

For a drivers' license renewal, our DMV has a machine that accepts all of your information after you verify it, stand in front of a white wall, snaps your photo, and 20 seconds later, a laminated card pops out. For a first time applicant, you are hand entered into that database. But for scheduling a drivers test, terrible, can be full for the next six months. But we have the option on the internet to check schedules of all the state's DMV offices. Found one for my daughter 80 miles away that had an opening the next day. Whether NY has this, I don't know, could be at another office those delays aren't that long. Especially in smaller towns.

Still doesn't make sense to me why NY requires a state ID when that is based on your green card, that is all we need here to get into the USCIS office and that is all besides your appointment letter you need to get in. You still have to bring in a ton of original evidence if you want to be successful.

[Dana-Mića 51]

Just to update everyone for future references. I took my Neutralization exam on Thursday the 24th and passed. They didn't even ask me for my ID or anything of that sort. All they wanted was the interview letter thing, my passport, green card, and the 2 pictures (i forgot to send with the application).