I don’t carry my green card with me except when I’m travelling internationally. Technically I should, but it can take up to a year to replace if lost and I don’t want to lose it.
I’ve never once been asked for it in 30 years (except when travelling internationally of course). I suspect that might have been different if i were not a white person with an “i love your accent” accent! My drivers license does not in any way identify that I am or am not a citizen.
I’m pretty sure some US citizens in the small city I live in have never possessed a passport. Our neighbor had never left the state when we first met.
@swimcatsmom we could be neighbors as we have a similar history…
I’ve been a green card holder for 27 years and have never been asked for it other than for travel, but I am scared now that mine was stolen and I don’t have proof of my legality. Until I have a physical card I can’t even apply for citizenship.
I was a victim of a crime and because of that my future life here is uncertain.
What is also very disappointing is we’ve been planning a good vacation for my sons graduation gift, He graduates in May and we’ve had to cancel this trip and lose the deposits (as I can’t re enter the country) All this heartache, lost time, lost memories and money all due to a thief.
But the star (gold or black) does indicate that they checked your credentials that you are legally in the US - citizenship, green card, student visa, birth certificate, military ID - before issuing the license.
Isn’t it more like that they checked your credentials that you were legally in the US at the time of the check?
Also, at least some states issue both types of driver’s licenses. Someone may be legally in the US but not get the “star” one because s/he did not bother or was unable to show all of the needed documentation at the DMV, so having a non-“star” one does not mean that the holder is an unauthorized immigrant.
No, i DID show all the required documents or they would NOT have issued my RealID license. It gas NO star if any color on it and was just issued this month.
It was a real hassle because I hadn’t read the postcard I was send from DMV, only skinned it and H had to go back to our house to get my SS card. My passport and old license and utility bill and bank statement weren’t enough. You HAD to present also a SS or Medicare card!
The Govt website I cited says the states did NOT have to have a gold or any star on the real ID licenses and approved our HI version. Nonetheless, I’m glad to posses my Global Entry Card and passport, tho I do not regularly carry either of those and only have my license if I have my wallet.
I can see how all these different licenses will be VERY confusing to authorities.
I lived overseas for many years and had to carry my passport everywhere I went. It was not that difficult and I did not object to doing it as it was the requirement for me living/working in those countries.
@Nrdsb4 I was pick pocketed on a train. The thieves took all the money in my purse plus my husband and I’s green card. So far we are out $2500 to replace these cards. When I do get replacement cards I will not be carrying them with me. They are too hard and disruptive to replace.
Yes, ubcalum, the documents were up to date when you got your license. They also check your eyesight at the time you applied and that doesn’t mean you still have 20/20 when your license is 6 years old. Maybe if the underlying documents (visa) expire in under 10 years or 5 years, the license expires early too?
Himom, I said above that Hawaii and Utah are not putting the stars on the licenses. Don’t know why. There are also 5 states that put the star on them but those states are NOT Real ID compliant. Those states either have to fix the problem or those licenses won’t be valid for federal purposes once the extensions expire.
I think some states do not issue any other type of ID or license. I was not given a choice in Florida to show other ID and not get the gold star. I had a federal ID so didn’t need a license that got me into federal buildings. Some do issue an ID to undocumented person. It can say “Not valid for Federal Identification” on it and you can’t use it to get into federal buildings or on transportation.
Here’s an interesting case of a white male doctor, a legal US resident for 35+ years who came to the US as a child, detained and will probably be deported. He thinks (ICE isn’t saying) it’s because of an offense he committed as a juvenile. An offense that was sealed, but sealing juvenile records doesn’t apply to ICE.
Anyway, apparently green card holders shouldn’t assume they’re safe from ICE if they’ve ever committed a crime at any point. Now I understand deporting people who’ve committed serious felonies, but you would like to think somebody, somewhere is using a little discretion. Apparently not.
I got my license out to look for a star and just saw that it will expire in the middle of an international trip I’m taking this spring (during which I plan to rent a car). So thanks for starting this thread @ucbalumnus - I’ll make sure to renew before i leave the country
I read that the Polish doctor has had 18 contacts with law enforcement including a DUI and several crimes of ‘moral turpitude’. If he had applied for citizenship, which he could have under his wife, he may not have received it.
His wife did not have to petition for him. He could have applied on his own if he was a green card holder for 5 or more years. Most green card holders I know don’t bother to go through the process not because they would be denied citizenship but because it is an expensive PITA process and then you get the benefit of being summoned to serve on a jury. A DUI does not automatically make someone ineligible for citizenship. It has to be something really nasty. My suspicion is that it is possible that he did not disclose something when he applied for green card or did not follow a formality (like did not report an address change) that opened the door for ICE to go after him. But this is just a speculation as we don’t know all the facts.
W got her citizenship through me and it was indeed a huge, expensive PITA. A lot of our requests for updates were met with “your fingerprints are expired, come in and redo them”. The process should’ve only taken a couple years but IIRC took almost 10.
One memorable stage involved lining up outside a court building in Phoenix on a summer day when it was 110F to get some paperwork done by a guy manning an ice cream cart out front. With cops yelling at people in line who were sitting down on the sidewalk, telling them they had to remain standing.
It was a pain and expensive to get citizenship for my daughter, but I did it. If you don’t want to be a citizen, don’t do it (my nephew-in-law isn’t planning to do it as he’s happy being Canadian) but then don’t ■■■■■ that you have to follow rules for non-citizens like having your green card with you at all times or it being expensive to replace green cards when lost or stolen. It is your choice not to be a citizen because you don’t want to do jury duty.*
*I, a citizen since birth, have NEVER been called for jury duty. I’ve always had a DL, I have always registered my cars, I’ve owned houses. Never called.
My state does not make it easy to get the Real ID. The state does not currently comply with federal guidelines.
Gripe 1:
It is possible to get an Enhanced DL. It would be a pain in the butt. There are at best 10-15 offices that can process it. Our local one cannot. I would have to drive at least an hour. Other parts of the state would have to drive up to three hours to get to an office.
Gripe 2:
Why would I have to bring more than a passport to get one. There is a huge list of documents to bring. If a passport is good enough to enter the country, why not good enough for the D L?
^^Maybe something that shows your home address and that you live in that state? Anyone could show up with a passport to get a license in your state when they do not live there.
I do think I had to have one piece of mail to get my new license.
This was the 1st time I had to bring so many different docs to get my DL, as explained upthread AND all were scanned. If I had known, would NOT have brought bank statement with account #. Argh!
It did slow our lines which were very long and was a hassle but I’m glad I got it 6 months early in case there was a snag.
Being annoyed at the docs required was and is counterproductive—probably some mandate from somewhere. I listed all I was required to bring above. H had to retrieve my SS card or they wouldn’t have completed my DL.
