N-400 and lack of state ID

[rkidd17 1]

I sponsored by parents several years ago for their permanent residency. They have lived in my care as dependents for their entire residency. They're both unemployed/retired, and therefore do not work or earn any income.

 

Since being here, they have never had a need for a state ID. They also don't have any bills in their name (maybe my dad received on for a dental appointment). Everything is in my name. I imagine this is going to be an issue at their N-400 interview, where they need to establish residency in the state/district. Does anyone have any advice? Can I provide a document explaining that they have resided with me and been in my care for the last six years? 

[Crazy Cat 41,803]

I'm not sure you will need it, but the letter is a good idea, imo....along with a couple affidavits of anyone else (outside family)

[Crazy Cat 41,803]

Do they get any kind of government benefits or ANYTHING showing their address?

[yuna628 9,669]

24 minutes ago, rkidd17 said:

I sponsored by parents several years ago for their permanent residency. They have lived in my care as dependents for their entire residency. They're both unemployed/retired, and therefore do not work or earn any income.

 

Since being here, they have never had a need for a state ID. They also don't have any bills in their name (maybe my dad received on for a dental appointment). Everything is in my name. I imagine this is going to be an issue at their N-400 interview, where they need to establish residency in the state/district. Does anyone have any advice? Can I provide a document explaining that they have resided with me and been in my care for the last six years? 

Well, can you not help them obtain a state ID?

[rkidd17 1]

9 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Do they get any kind of government benefits or ANYTHING showing their address?

No government benefits. I am essentially sole provider. 

 

 

1 minute ago, yuna628 said:

Well, can you not help them obtain a state ID?

My state requires two documents establishing residency (same as bills, etc), which they do not have. Also for proof of identity, if they provide a foreign passport, it must be accompanied by either: I-94, Employment auth card, I-571. Their permanent residency card does not seem to could as a proof of ID, only proof of legal presence. 

So obtaining a State ID does not seem possible. 

[yuna628 9,669]

8 minutes ago, rkidd17 said:

No government benefits. I am essentially sole provider. 

 

 

My state requires two documents establishing residency (same as bills, etc), which they do not have. Also for proof of identity, if they provide a foreign passport, it must be accompanied by either: I-94, Employment auth card, I-571. Their permanent residency card does not seem to could as a proof of ID, only proof of legal presence. 

So obtaining a State ID does not seem possible. 

I don't know what state they reside but certainly a green card would work, as it normally does in any state. I say this not to be snarky, but I know how difficult and archaic it can be to obtain IDs for the elderly with a lack of documents (my mom was a housewife with nothing in her name that needed an ID for medication and needed a birth certificate to get an ID but needed an ID to get a birth certificate!) in trying to work around state laws that don't necessarily fit into a box. Have you asked someone directly?

 

Do they have a bank account? Could you get them one? Is there a way to add them to a bill? Or set up some kind of a bill with mail in their name?

[Scandi 4,166]

I would strongly suggest you add them to a couple of bills so they can go get their ID cards. Many pharmacies don't take greencards as IDs since they don't have an address on them, and once they become citizens the greencards will be taken away anyway. So definitely add them to your utility bills and bank accounts (I'm in CA and needed two documents proving my address and used one utility bill and one bank statement). You can still keep paying the bills, they just need to have their names on them. 

Edited August 14 by Scandi

[rkidd17 1]

45 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

I don't know what state they reside but certainly a green card would work, as it normally does in any state. I say this not to be snarky, but I know how difficult and archaic it can be to obtain IDs for the elderly with a lack of documents (my mom was a housewife with nothing in her name that needed an ID for medication and needed a birth certificate to get an ID but needed an ID to get a birth certificate!) in trying to work around state laws that don't necessarily fit into a box. Have you asked someone directly?

 

Do they have a bank account? Could you get them one? Is there a way to add them to a bill? Or set up some kind of a bill with mail in their name?

 

Michigan is the state. We had tried before and I just confirmed the major issue is the Proof of ID section requires documentation which are not the same as Legal Presence document provided (so cannot use green card for both purposes). If they use a foreign passport, they require another document. It's really a lot of hoops to jump to try and obtain a state ID, and the agents/managers were not helpful or able to do anything.
 

They are listed as joint owners on one of my bank accounts. 

 

44 minutes ago, Scandi said:

I would strongly suggest you add them to a couple of bills so they can go get their ID cards. Many pharmacies don't take greencards as IDs since they don't have an address on them, and once they become citizens the greencards will be taken away anyway. So definitely add them to your utility bills and bank accounts (I'm in CA and needed two documents proving my address and used one utility bill and one bank statement). You can still keep paying the bills, they just need to have their names on them. 

 

So my electric and gas bill cannot be amended to add them (the company confirmed that). Our phones are prepaid. Internet provider has stated I would need to cancel my account and start a new one (which I wouldn't mind doing, but I will be forfeiting my contract price and pay x2 more). 

 

I guess we should abandon the N-400 and evaluate options...

[Vickys_Mom 223]

I wanted my mother-in-law to have a state ID so she could carry a photocopy of her green card instead of the original.  (It's cheaper and faster to replace a lost State ID.)

 

I made a donation to a local charity in her name and asked for a paper receipt.  She's on their mailing list now and gets mail from them all the time.

 

I also wrote out two envelopes (nothing inside of them) addressed to my MIL at our address and sent those.  When they got back to us, I saved them.

 

We presented the three pieces of mail when my MIL applied for her state ID card.  No problem.

 

Regards,

Vicky's Mom

[Moda25 48]

The envelopes with which they received their green cards and social security cards should work. Also, haven’t they ever received any mails from either their care giver or any other company before? For my mom’s state ID, I only used two first class mail envelopes, her green card and social security card to get it.

Edited August 14 by Moda25

[yuna628 9,669]

45 minutes ago, rkidd17 said:

 

Michigan is the state. We had tried before and I just confirmed the major issue is the Proof of ID section requires documentation which are not the same as Legal Presence document provided (so cannot use green card for both purposes). If they use a foreign passport, they require another document. It's really a lot of hoops to jump to try and obtain a state ID, and the agents/managers were not helpful or able to do anything.
 

They are listed as joint owners on one of my bank accounts. 

 

 

So my electric and gas bill cannot be amended to add them (the company confirmed that). Our phones are prepaid. Internet provider has stated I would need to cancel my account and start a new one (which I wouldn't mind doing, but I will be forfeiting my contract price and pay x2 more). 

 

I guess we should abandon the N-400 and evaluate options...

Let's say you use the green card as one purpose, am I correct (and this is from memory) that the DMV will request at least two other mail items: so a bill, a bank statement, ssn card, official mail from government agency, insurance card. Will they accept any of that, or is it a bill only? For my husband I used our joint bank statement and an official piece of mail from the USCIS, but I could have also used envelope/mail his SSN came in, or health insurance card. For my mom it was very difficult but eventually successful. 

 

My other suggestion would be that you do have their name on a bank account so in theory you could set up a secured credit card for them. Alternatively you could just buy a cheap cellphone service on a new cheap phone from a different provider, a club membership, or life insurance policy. Where do your parents live? Could you draw up a rental/living agreement if they live with you?

[OldUser 6,600]

2 hours ago, rkidd17 said:

 

My state requires two documents establishing residency (same as bills, etc),

This is typical

 

2 hours ago, rkidd17 said:

 

So obtaining a State ID does not seem possible. 

It is possible, just requires a bit of effort.

 

1) Have you thought of online savings / checking accounts? Many of them don't have maintenance fees. Think of Capital One, Discover, Amex. Can open them online and receive letter which can be used for proof of residency.

2) Secured credit cards? Sometimes you can open one by giving $200-300 to the bank to secure it.

[rkidd17 1]

14 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

Let's say you use the green card as one purpose, am I correct (and this is from memory) that the DMV will request at least two other mail items: so a bill, a bank statement, ssn card, official mail from government agency, insurance card. Will they accept any of that, or is it a bill only? For my husband I used our joint bank statement and an official piece of mail from the USCIS, but I could have also used envelope/mail his SSN came in, or health insurance card. For my mom it was very difficult but eventually successful. 

 

My other suggestion would be that you do have their name on a bank account so in theory you could set up a secured credit card for them. Alternatively you could just buy a cheap cellphone service on a new cheap phone from a different provider, a club membership, or life insurance policy. Where do your parents live? Could you draw up a rental/living agreement if they live with you?

 

For State ID, it appears the biggest limiting factor would be proof of identity. I can piece together mail or something for residency (bank account statement and maybe mail from their home country embassy). But, if you look here below, the proof of ID options are limited. When we tried, the foreign passport required another document, none of which they had. And the green card couldn't be use for both legal presence and proof of ID. 

 

 

I think what I'll do is at least generate some mail in their name, or use old mail from consulate and whatever random thing showed up, and add a document stating they've resided in my care and I've unfortunately handled all billing independently. If that doesn't satisfy the interviewing officer and they do need a state ID before being naturalized, we'll re-evaluate the effort. 

[RauLia 3]

What about the stamp on their passport entering the US? Not really sure about this but for future if anyone wants to bring their parents and Once they are here living with you. I suggest to go DMV and apply for State ID. That’s what I did when I came here as K1 Visa. 

[Crazy Cat 41,803]

6 minutes ago, RauLia said:

What about the stamp on their passport entering the US?

That does not show where they live inside the US.  For state ID, you need to show residency inside the state for a specific time, too.

Edited August 14 by Crazy Cat