Originally Posted by
ralfp
If non-citizens always have to carry their passports, can a judge legally demand the passport from them as a condition of bail? Handing the judge your passport would put you in violation of that law.
AFAIK Permanent residents don't have to have their passports, but do need their green card on their person.
Here's the relevant section of the Immigration and Nationality Act:
http://www.uscis.gov/propub/ProPubVA...b0686648558dbe
(d) Every alien in the United States who has been registered and fingerprinted under the provisions of the Alien Registration Act, 1940, or under the provisions of this Act shall be issued a certificate of alien registration or an alien registration receipt card in such form and manner and at such time as shall be prescribed under regulations issued by the Attorney General.
(e) Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.
So I guess you don't actually need your passport--those flimsy I-94 slips of paper seem to fulfill this requirement (which is sort of funny). (Or the 'Green Card' form I-551 for permanent residents.)
Originally Posted by
L-1011
Not even the older Green Cards are allowed. So you have to fork out $300 to get a new card first, then you can apply for a license.
$370, to be precise.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/usc...0045f3d6a1RCRD