Disability Travel - Guardianship/photo ID question

Not sure if anyone here knows the answer to this question but I have full guardianship for my 19 year old son. We are flying Southwest next month from PVD to MCO and back and this is our first time flying with him since he passed 18. He is totally unable to sign his name and wheelchair bound. I don't have a photo id for him as yet but we are going to attempt a state photo ID tomorrow. Getting him to produce an acceptable pic is our possible issue, he won't always look up, especially if he doesn't feel like it. lol...:rolleyes: If we are unable to obtain his photo ID are there other ways to clear him for boarding? I do travel with an official, original copy of the guardianship judgment which has a raised, state seal on it, his birth cert and his ss card. Thank you in advance for any insight anyone may be able to provide for us. BTW, we are MA residents and that is where our guardianship order lies if that makes any difference, T.F. Green is just a nicer quieter airport to us than Logan. Thanks again.

Michele:)

Welcome to the Disability Travel forum, Michele.

I think getting a Massachusetts non-driver ID sounds like a good plan. Hopefully the staff at your local office will be considerate and will work with you and your son to get an acceptable photo. I was unable to find anything concrete about this on the Massachusetts state website, but it is extremely common for a second person to sign for an individual with a disability who is unable to sign his own name. PM me if you'd like me to start helping you hunt for someone who knows about how Massachusetts handles issuing IDs to citizens who cannot write.

Posters in the Travel Safety/Security (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security-222/) forum will tell you that your son can, in fact, travel without official photo ID, but that you will need to allow more time and expect more invasive questioning and searching. Since you have the backup documentation (birth certificate; I don't think a Social Security card is going to get you much of anything), you should be fine.

Is it possible to get his photo taken by a photographer when he is in a good mood and then use those photos for the ID? I assume not, but just wondering.

Welcome to the Disability Travel forum, Michele.

I think getting a Massachusetts non-driver ID sounds like a good plan. Hopefully the staff at your local office will be considerate and will work with you and your son to get an acceptable photo. I was unable to find anything concrete about this on the Massachusetts state website, but it is extremely common for a second person to sign for an individual with a disability who is unable to sign his own name. PM me if you'd like me to start helping you hunt for someone who knows about how Massachusetts handles issuing IDs to citizens who cannot write.

Posters in the Travel Safety/Security (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security-222/) forum will tell you that your son can, in fact, travel without official photo ID, but that you will need to allow more time and expect more invasive questioning and searching. Since you have the backup documentation (birth certificate; I don't think a Social Security card is going to get you much of anything), you should be fine.

Hi Katja,

Thanks so much for the welcome.

Well, we spent 3 hours at our local DMV on Friday. 2 1/2 hours just waiting to reach the window. Son cooperates like a champ, looks right up, right into the camera, we get an ID that everyone agrees on, they run my debit card to pay for the transaction and the entire registry system crashes....:(:mad:. There is a half hour til the registry closes so I say to the woman, what do we do now? "Wait..." A very uncomfortable half hour later her supervisor comes along, closes her window informing me that there is nothing he can do but I am more than welcome to return Monday morning....:rolleyes:. Some days just aren't my day.

Going back Monday morning and hoping for the best. I'll keep you all updated. Thanks again!

Michele

Hi DeafFlyer,

That is a great idea unfortunately the photo has to be the one taken by their camera in the DMV office. Thanks for the idea though, much appreciated.

Michele

Welcome to the Disability Travel forum, Michele.

I think getting a Massachusetts non-driver ID sounds like a good plan. Hopefully the staff at your local office will be considerate and will work with you and your son to get an acceptable photo. I was unable to find anything concrete about this on the Massachusetts state website, but it is extremely common for a second person to sign for an individual with a disability who is unable to sign his own name. PM me if you'd like me to start helping you hunt for someone who knows about how Massachusetts handles issuing IDs to citizens who cannot write.

Posters in the Travel Safety/Security (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security-222/) forum will tell you that your son can, in fact, travel without official photo ID, but that you will need to allow more time and expect more invasive questioning and searching. Since you have the backup documentation (birth certificate; I don't think a Social Security card is going to get you much of anything), you should be fine.

Katja,

Thank you so much for your input. The suggestion to check out the bunch on the travel safety/security board was a great one. They are a really helpful group.

After five hours put in at the DMV I'm happy to report that we finally do have a photo ID for him to fly with. I appreciate your time and effort helping me to figure this out. :)

Michele

Congratulations - sounds like you had to really put in some extra time and patience, but I'm glad you persevered and succeeded. I hope you and your son enjoy your trip next month!

Congratulations - sounds like you had to really put in some extra time and patience, but I'm glad you persevered and succeeded. I hope you and your son enjoy your trip next month!

LOL...know what is sad...that delay was just because of budget cuts in my state and several DMV offices being closed recently. Everyone doing any transactions on either of those dates enjoyed the same PIA. :mad:

LOL...know what is sad...that delay was just because of budget cuts in my state and several DMV offices being closed recently. Everyone doing any transactions on either of those dates enjoyed the same PIA. :mad:

Just think of the positive, for once he had equal access to something. :D