drinking and ID in the USA

petek

hey, i did a search but i couldn't find anything, so sorry if this comes up a lot.
i'm on my way to nyc soon and even though i am 24 i still get asked for ID a lot here in Ireland (even when buying cigarettes!). so needless to say i am nervous about getting asked for ID everywhere i go in the states. i know the obvious answer is to show my passport, but i really really do not want to end up losing it. SO... someone mentioned to me a while ago that it is pretty easy to get a US ID to show you are over 21, like you could just go in to any police station with your passport, is this true? does anyone have any experience with the same situation?
when i'm in ireland and i get asked i just laugh and show them a couple of old student IDs i have and explain that i'm actually 24 and thank them for the compliment. but i doubt that will work over there with my ****ty looking irish rail ID and 5 year old USIT ID....

Neamhshuntasach

No they won't accept your Irish rail ID or USIT ID over there. Won't even accept an Irish drivers license.

I worked as a bouncer and the only ID's we could accept were passports, drivers license, military ID, Student ID along with a secondary ID and State ID's.

The only ID's we could basically accept were ones with your height, weight, eye color, etc on it regardless of whether they were American.

You should be able to apply for a state ID while over there. Just go to the local DMV (department of local vehicles) and ask them how to do it. I got one and as far as i remember you would bring your passport, social security number, your visa, proof of employment and proof of address.

petek

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

No they won't accept your Irish rail ID or USIT ID over there. Won't even accept an Irish drivers license.

I worked as a bouncer and the only ID's we could accept were passports, drivers license, military ID, Student ID along with a secondary ID and State ID's.

The only ID's we could basically accept were ones with your height, weight, eye color, etc on it regardless of whether they were American.

You should be able to apply for a state ID while over there. Just go to the local DMV (department of local vehicles) and ask them how to do it. I got one and as far as i remember you would bring your passport, social security number, your visa, proof of employment and proof of address.

social security no. and proof of employment and address?? i'm only going to be there for 6 weeks as a tourist, so i wont have anything like that. unless u mean my p.p.s. number from ireland and proof of address there?
am i going to end up not being able to get in to bars and gigs??

Neamhshuntasach

petek wrote: »

social security no. and proof of employment and address?? i'm only going to be there for 6 weeks as a tourist, so i wont have anything like that. unless u mean my p.p.s. number from ireland and proof of address there?
am i going to end up not being able to get in to bars and gigs??

I just assumed you were going on a J1 in which case you would be renting accommodation and also eligible to obtain a social security number. Your PPS number and proof of address in Ireland will be no good for them over there. It looks like you'll just have to use your passport. 99% of the time you won't have problems using your passport depending on where your going. Some places insist that the ID must have your description included on the ID. I couldn't use my Irish passport in a supermarket in California last November for that reason. But i didn't have problems in bars. The minute you show your passport just stick it into your pocket and don't touch it for the night. I've never lost my passport in years of traveling around with it.

the whole year inn

What a friend of mine did was photocopied the passport and said to the bouncer that he did not want to lose it, We hardly ever got asked for id and my mate with the photocopy looked young,hell he was only 19 lol but we got in everywhere NEVER refused even in Manhattan.

At the end of the day if your going somewhere that you have to get in bring the passport.

TeletextPear

i got in with a passport, but a friend of mine had a drivers licence and never had any trouble getting in anywhere with that

sharkDawg

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

Won't even accept an Irish drivers license.

I spent all last summer in NYC, used my Irish driving license all the time and wasn't turned away from one bar or club, and believe me we visited a few . You'll have to explain to the majority of the bouncers that it is an Irish driving license, as most have never seen one before and lets face it they look awful fake, but it will do the job. You will be asked everywhere for ID as if you look under 30 they are obliged to check. Have fun.

sharkDawg

If you want bring a photocopy of your passport as back up

Neamhshuntasach

sharkDawg wrote: »

I spent all last summer in NYC, used my Irish driving license all the time and wasn't turned away from one bar or club, and believe me we visited a few . You'll have to explain to the majority of the bouncers that it is an Irish driving license, as most have never seen one before and lets face it they look awful fake, but it will do the job. You will be asked everywhere for ID as if you look under 30 they are obliged to check. Have fun.

It differs with each state and bar. In a majority of states you will not be able to enter a bar with ID that does not have a description of you on it. eye color, height, etc. But a foreign passport without those details will work 99% of the time. I find NYC to be the most lax place in the US with regards to asking for ID so i wouldn't base the rest of the US on experiences there.

The only reason an Irish drivers license is rejected in some places is because as you said, it looks fake and is different from theirs. Most countries drivers license is a card.

When i lived in Cali i had a few mates visit me and one of them lost his passport. He had his drivers license with him but could not get in anywhere for the remaining 4 weeks with it. And we were driving across the US stopping in the likes of Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Kansas city, New Orleans, Atlanta, Miami and some small towns along the way. If the original poster is sticking to the North East he may be okay with it. Outside that region they are a lot more conservative when it comes to alcohol. Not to say it ain't worth chancing it.

And i can't believe a photocopy works. I worked in a few dive bars and you'd be even laughed away from there if you showed that.

sharkDawg

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

It differs with each state and bar. In a majority of states you will not be able to enter a bar with ID that does not have a description of you on it. eye color, height, etc. But a foreign passport without those details will work 99% of the time. I find NYC to be the most lax place in the US with regards to asking for ID so i wouldn't base the rest of the US on experiences there.

The only reason an Irish drivers license is rejected in some places is because as you said, it looks fake and is different from theirs. Most countries drivers license is a card.

When i lived in Cali i had a few mates visit me and one of them lost his passport. He had his drivers license with him but could not get in anywhere for the remaining 4 weeks with it. And we were driving across the US stopping in the likes of Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Kansas city, New Orleans, Atlanta, Miami and some small towns along the way. If the original poster is sticking to the North East he may be okay with it. Outside that region they are a lot more conservative when it comes to alcohol. Not to say it ain't worth chancing it.

And i can't believe a photocopy works. I worked in a few dive bars and you'd be even laughed away from there if you showed that.

Ive gotten into clubs in Las Vegas with my Irish drivers licences, both times bouncers were hesitant at first and wanted passports etc but we explained we couldn't bring out our passports for fear of loosing them with our visa intact. They gave in and let us in, but said to bring a passport photocopy to back up the licenses next time we came. I'm not saying use a photocopy on its own that would be crazy. :eek:

I was also in San fran, Boston, and Philli and had no problems either. This might have more to do with luck than anything, but its just my experience. I know cali is ment to be very strict but i don't think New york is the same kettle of fish, too many different nationalities and tourists about to only be accepting US IDs.

PeakOutput

iv been here for 2/3 weeks and have had no problem with my irish provisional licence

also i know my mates have been in cali for the last two years and they also have had no problem with irish driving licences

petek

ok.. heres my stupid conundrum.. i don't even have an irish drivers licence!
i had an age card that got stolen and can't get a new one now because i'm too old. even if that would work over there.
over here i get stopped by bouncers EVERYwhere. i get asked in centra buying smokes. its not just because i look under 23 or whatever the limit is, its that i look under 18 to some people. but once i talk to them its fine because they can tell i'm the age i say i am and we can have a bit of a laugh about it. i'm just freaked out about things being really strict over in the states. especially if i their age limit is 21, and i don't pass for 18 sometimes.
so, ****. i'm ****ed. what a drag. if i was a guy at least i could just grow a beard or something.

snubbleste

You are never too old to get an age card.

Garthicus

Suck it up and bring your passport to bars etc, if needs be, just buy a travel belt for wearing under your clothes to keep it in after you've shown it to the bouncer/bar

When are you going? You might have time to apply for a provisional licence and get it in the meantime