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-   Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/practical-travel-safety-security-issues-686/)
-   -   Does the TSA accept foreign driver licences? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/practical-travel-safety-security-issues/782294-does-tsa-accept-foreign-driver-licences.html)

HeHateY Jan 26, 2008 10:52 pm

Of course you cn always get one of these:

http://www.freebooter.com/camouflage-passports.asp

//Goes off to look for his Legoland Driver's License...

mkt Jan 27, 2008 3:47 am


Originally Posted by FlyingHoustonian (Post 9139166)
Plenty of states issues licenses to people here in B or J or K visa.

I have UK and German citizen friends who have gotten Florida licenses (that are still valid) while in the US on visa waivers :eek:

mkt Jan 27, 2008 3:51 am


Originally Posted by goback (Post 9118377)
I don't like the way the id checkers like to flick through the passport to see where you have been

I tried something new yesterday at SJU and MIA... put paper clips in my passport so the only page that could be accessed without removing the paper clips would be my picture page. I used the oversized ones, put in carefully so as to not damage any pages/visas. One paper clip for every 15 pages, overlapping one page each time.

It worked, no thumbing through pages, no secondary, not even a second look.

wesmills Jan 27, 2008 4:16 am


Originally Posted by CLELOSER (Post 9137826)
Only US citizens may use US drivers licenses. Now if I get one from Ontario Canada, or Australia(where my wife originates), I will accept it because I know what they look like. Everyone else needs to show a passport. No i don't check if everyone with American drivers licenses are American citizens. It also keeps someone out of selectee status if they have a "BAD" passport, but has a "good" American drivers license.

Whoops; guess I should let my wife know she's going away for a very long time, being a non-citizen and all.

On an unrelated note, anyone know of a way to maximize the miles earned for flying to Guantanamo Bay? Just curious... :cool:

jplus Jan 27, 2008 8:30 pm


Originally Posted by wesmills (Post 9141993)
Whoops; guess I should let my wife know she's going away for a very long time, being a non-citizen and all.

On an unrelated note, anyone know of a way to maximize the miles earned for flying to Guantanamo Bay? Just curious... :cool:

Not sure about miles, but I heard food and board are free.

GUWonder Jan 27, 2008 9:28 pm


Originally Posted by mkt (Post 9141931)
I have UK and German citizen friends who have gotten Florida licenses (that are still valid) while in the US on visa waivers :eek:

It was quite the popular request in Miami from what I hear -- including back when there were more South American countries good for the visa waiver program to enter the US.

SDF_Traveler Jan 28, 2008 6:19 am


Originally Posted by CLELOSER (Post 9137826)
Only US citizens may use US drivers licenses. Now if I get one from Ontario Canada, or Australia(where my wife originates), I will accept it because I know what they look like. Everyone else needs to show

So you know what a drivers license from VIC or WA looks like? Current ones/older ones? How about NSW, SA .. or QLD or NT?

SDF_Traveler Jan 28, 2008 6:30 am


Originally Posted by mkt (Post 9141939)
I tried something new yesterday at SJU and MIA... put paper clips in my passport so the only page that could be accessed without removing the paper clips would be my picture page. I used the oversized ones, put in carefully so as to not damage any pages/visas. One paper clip for every 15 pages, overlapping one page each time.

It worked, no thumbing through pages, no secondary, not even a second look.

I think I'll borrow your idea clipping the pages so that only the cover page can be seen. My original passport is full, I have an extra pages insert, and even that is starting to get filled up.

Too often a TSA screener will start flipping through the pages looking for the cover and then starts looking at the stamps. I've had other TSO's sit and flip through all of the stamps and one even remarked, "Gee, what are those postage stamp looking things in your passport?" ....

A small paperclip it is...

LonLH Jan 28, 2008 8:04 am


Originally Posted by SDF_Traveler (Post 9147477)
I think I'll borrow your idea clipping the pages so that only the cover page can be seen. My original passport is full, I have an extra pages insert, and even that is starting to get filled up.

A small paperclip it is...

Might be a good idea- I was sent to the secondary screening once when the TSA bloke at PHX flipping through my passport found one of those stamps with "something Arabish (sic)" in it (visa got at CAI immigration). Was given a thorough search, asked lots of questions about what I do, why I am in the US and why I went to an Arab country.

Jenbel Jan 28, 2008 9:25 am


Originally Posted by soitgoes (Post 9139228)
The new ones (EU format) do...
still no expiration date, though, so I guess that could get the TSA bent out of shape

Actually, the UK one does on the paper part... mine is valid until 2043!

icarius Jan 28, 2008 9:55 am


Originally Posted by goback (Post 9118377)
I am not sure if anyone knows whether I can use my Australian licence to pass through the TSA check point or not.
The reason is that my passport is deteriorating from being over handled (both by immigration officials and by TSA) and also I don't like the way the id checkers like to flick through the passport to see where you have been - for me it is always a problem because some of the visas invariably mean I get a secondary.
I'd be grateful for any insight or experiences.

TSA, AA and United all accept NSW and (i suspect) VIC licences as they carry the Australian government name and symbols. I have not had any issue with TSA when using NSW licences.

PhlyingRPh Jan 28, 2008 10:22 am


Originally Posted by CLELOSER (Post 9137826)
Only US citizens may use US drivers licenses.


I don't think so buddy.

PhlyingRPh Jan 28, 2008 10:28 am


Originally Posted by mkt (Post 9141931)
I have UK and German citizen friends who have gotten Florida licenses (that are still valid) while in the US on visa waivers :eek:

One more tiny hole in the old security blanket, eh?

For some odd reason, most americans think foreign visitors cannot get USDL's. The first thing I do whenever a friend/relative/etc comes to visit is send them down to DPS/DMV with the "required" documents. Guess what comes in the mail a couple of weeks later?

leaveamessage Jan 28, 2008 11:30 am


Originally Posted by PhlyingRPh (Post 9148548)
One more tiny hole in the old security blanket, eh?

For some odd reason, most americans think foreign visitors cannot get USDL's. The first thing I do whenever a friend/relative/etc comes to visit is send them down to DPS/DMV with the "required" documents. Guess what comes in the mail a couple of weeks later?

Any chance you could you elaborate on this?
I thought you needed a US social security # and some other stuff to get a drivers license?

PM me if you would rather not post it publicly....would be appreciated.

Savage25 Jan 28, 2008 11:52 am


Originally Posted by linenbasket (Post 9148918)
Any chance you could you elaborate on this?
I thought you needed a US social security # and some other stuff to get a drivers license?

PM me if you would rather not post it publicly....would be appreciated.

Although they just recently changed the rules (in the last few days, I think), I got my Michigan DL last year before I had a SSN. All I needed was my foreign passport, and a couple of other documents (which could be a DL from another country, birth certificate, US immigrant or non-immigrant Visa, marriage license, School ID, etc).


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