Using US passport card - field reports

[Dashinka 26,109]

On 7/2/2025 at 3:09 PM, OldUser said:

No way, we need something similar to the Darwin Award for people shooting their own leg immigration wise.

 

This idea of shredding docs or evidence after naturalizing is somewhat popular amount some immigrants. I don't fully understand why. It's literally proof of how you became a citizen if you ever need to explain it to authorities. I can understand shredding easily available docs such as bank statements etc, but shredding notices etc... Not sure I'm a fan. I'm keeping all I-797 notices I received through AOS to naturalization and digital copies of those. Hopefully will never need it

 

 

I still have the files for all the steps in my wife’s process from the I129F through the N400.  Her CoN is in a safe along with a copy of it just in case.  Sometimes I actually reference some of the files when answering questions here on VJ even though the forms have long since been updated multiple times, but most of the content is still relevant.  I cannot image what would possess someone to shred their CoN.

[OldUser 10,383]

MM/YYYY: July 2025

Location: California, US

Business / organization: Hospital

Check type: Identity verification

Reason: Needed to see a doctor

 

Result: Success

 

Details: Had to use passport card to verify my identity at the reception. Nobody was suprised to see it. It was pretty smooth.

Edited July 27 by OldUser

[TBoneTX 47,912]

11 hours ago, OldUser said:

Reason: Needed to see a doctor

"Doctor, the Invisible Man wants an appointment with you!"

"Well, tell him I can't see him."

[Kica 28]

I've got a passport card few weeks ago for several reasons. It can be used as a form of identification, it is much easier to carry than a passport(you never know), and I live in Michigan.

This weekend I used it for the first time, went to Windsor, Canada with friends and two of us used passport cards and one had enhanced DL. It was a breeze on the both sides, literally less than a two minutes to cross. I also carry in a case when we are on the lake boating, just in case becase it half US and half Canadian jurisdiction. 

I would definietly recommend getting one, especially now when we can hear and read stories about people being targeted based on their color, ethnicity and accent. Better safe than sorry!

[OldUser 10,383]

MM/YYYY: July 2025

Location: California, US

Business / organization: Walgreens

Check type: Identity verification

Reason: Return

 

Result: Success

 

Details: Had to use passport card to verify my identity for item return. The senior person assisting with return had to ask for my home address as it's not printed on PC. Otherwise, it was smooth.

[TBoneTX 47,912]

This is a cool and fun thread!

[OldUser 10,383]

20 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

This is a cool and fun thread!

Thank you, I'm sure it's somewhat pointless, as PC should be accepted everywhere. But who knows, maybe some place will reject it. Then I'll pull Palau digital resident ID out of my wallet 😃

[TBoneTX 47,912]

Well, it's an interesting observational study (that needs a control group, a far larger study group, and Institutional Review Board approval).   

[OldUser 10,383]

MM/YYYY: August 2025

Location: California, US

Business / organization: Walgreens

Check type: Identity verification

Reason: Return

 

Result: Failure

 

Details: Had to use passport card to verify my identity for item return. I guess it depends on Walgreens location and what I was returning (more expensive item). The check out person denied PC, asked for "ID". I said it's federally accepted ID, but he said "it's hard to scan". Considering big line after me, I just showed DL. I'm pretty sure I could have made him accept it, but just didn't have patience to deal with it this time around.

[Fr8dog 472]

On 8/2/2025 at 2:15 PM, OldUser said:

MM/YYYY: August 2025

Location: California, US

Business / organization: Walgreens

Check type: Identity verification

Reason: Return

 

Result: Failure

 

Details: Had to use passport card to verify my identity for item return. I guess it depends on Walgreens location and what I was returning (more expensive item). The check out person denied PC, asked for "ID". I said it's federally accepted ID, but he said "it's hard to scan". Considering big line after me, I just showed DL. I'm pretty sure I could have made him accept it, but just didn't have patience to deal with it this time around.

 

You let Walgreens scan your ID? Yeah that's a "hard no" for me. No way any shop scans my ID. Check with your DMV what all is included in the barcode they provide. The Virginia one provides way too much info for my liking. They can hand enter or I'll go somewhere else.

[OldUser 10,383]

4 minutes ago, Fr8dog said:

 

You let Walgreens scan your ID? Yeah that's a "hard no" for me. No way any shop scans my ID. Check with your DMV what all is included in the barcode they provide. The Virginia one provides way too much info for my liking. They can hand enter or I'll go somewhere else.

Yes, I let them scan my ID. They used it to fill my name and address (I saw the screen populating after sales person scanned it).

 

I wasn't ready / had desire to fight over this and this was the third store I went to return the item because the other two rejected the item for other reasons than ID. If I had all the time in the world and nothing to do, I bet I would argue more with them. Just wasn't the day.

Edited August 6 by OldUser

[OldUser 10,383]

MM/YYYY: August 2025

Location: California, US

Business / organization: Medical building

Check type: Identity verification

Reason: Doctor visit

 

Result: Success

 

Details: Had to get second opinion from different doctor. The receptionist was super excited about PPC and never seen it before. Was accepted easily as proof of identity.

[TBoneTX 47,912]

10 hours ago, OldUser said:

The receptionist was super excited about PPC

Some people are easy to delight, it seems...   

[top_secret 2,744]

MM/YYYY: 2012

Location: North Jakarta, Indonesia

Business / organization: Indonesian National Police

Check type: Police Checkpoint

Reason: Police were trying to extort money from me.

Result: Success

 

Details: 

The taxi I was riding in hit a police checkpoint in North Jakarta.  In Indonesia there is some law that foreigners must carry their passport at all times.  Police commonly use it as an excuse to extort bribes out of foreigners if they do not have their passport in their possession.  I knew all this but had become complacent and my book passport was in the safe back in the hotel.  After the usual insinuations that I would be arrested, go to jail, bla bla bla, they started the bidding on the extorted bribe at 500k Rupia which is ridiculous.  I countered with 50k, thinking I could probably get the bribe down to more like 100k rupia with a little negotiation. 150k max.  By this time the whole incident had dragged out 30 minutes or more.  I then offered my passport card having zero expectations it would do anything to resolve the situation.  The one cop took it, walked over to his police partners in crime.  They passed it around and had a little confab.  One of them returned it to me and with maximum respect and politeness said I could go.  The night and day shift in their attitude from a few minutes earlier was very pronounced and confusing.  I think they had no idea what the passport card was.  They noticed it prominently said UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE on the front and back, couldn't read English otherwise, and concluded it might be some kind of diplomatic credential or something.  They became uncertain about exactly who they were trying to extort and decided it wasn’t worth risking their profitable checkpoint operation if somehow it escalated.  So in North Jakarta, in 2012, the US Passport card made me a diplomat for the evening.  They may be more savvy these days though.

[OldUser 10,383]

24 minutes ago, top_secret said:

MM/YYYY: 2012

Location: North Jakarta, Indonesia

Business / organization: Indonesian National Police

Check type: Police Checkpoint

Reason: Police were trying to extort money from me.

Result: Success

 

Details: 

The taxi I was riding in hit a police checkpoint in North Jakarta.  In Indonesia there is some law that foreigners must carry their passport at all times.  Police commonly use it as an excuse to extort bribes out of foreigners if they do not have their passport in their possession.  I knew all this but had become complacent and my book passport was in the safe back in the hotel.  After the usual insinuations that I would be arrested, go to jail, bla bla bla, they started the bidding on the extorted bribe at 500k Rupia which is ridiculous.  I countered with 50k, thinking I could probably get the bribe down to more like 100k rupia with a little negotiation. 150k max.  By this time the whole incident had dragged out 30 minutes or more.  I then offered my passport card having zero expectations it would do anything to resolve the situation.  The one cop took it, walked over to his police partners in crime.  They passed it around and had a little confab.  One of them returned it to me and with maximum respect and politeness said I could go.  The night and day shift in their attitude from a few minutes earlier was very pronounced and confusing.  I think they had no idea what the passport card was.  They noticed it prominently said UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE on the front and back, couldn't read English otherwise, and concluded it might be some kind of diplomatic credential or something.  They became uncertain about exactly who they were trying to extort and decided it wasn’t worth risking their profitable checkpoint operation if somehow it escalated.  So in North Jakarta, in 2012, the US Passport card made me a diplomat for the evening.  They may be more savvy these days though.

What a cool story! The card does look official 😃