Establishing Identity

There are few more frustrating experiences than knowing who you are and being unable to prove it. 

When it comes to your identity, having your proof available is critical to actually leveraging your identity.  There are always requirements to prove your identity for legal or government purposes.  And they often require the display of your documents.

Birth Certificates

There are some documents that every man, woman, and child should have been issued.  First and most important is the birth certificate.  It is usually the foundation document for the issuance of any other government document you may ever need or want anywhere in the world.  Different countries have different laws and processes for documenting and registering a birth, but there should always be some means to officially notify the government of a child’s birth and the issuance of a document confirming it.  If you do not know where your birth certificate is, find it, ask your parents, or contact the government that would have issued it for a replacement, also known as a duplicate.  If you have young children make sure you have their birth certificates as well.  If you have adult children make sure they have theirs in their possession.  In all cases, store the birth certificates in a safe location.  It can be a metal box, a home safe, or even a bank safety deposit box.

National Identification Cards

The second most important document is your national identification card, often referred to as a National I.D.  It is a government issued photo identification card.  It is used in so many critical ways that losing it or misplacing it is ill advised.  Take care to always know where it is and to keep it safe.  In many countries, you are required to have it on your person at all times, so it is frequently kept in a person’s wallet or purse.  The National I.D. can be used to establish your identity for the purposes of obtaining a driver’s license, opening a bank account, purchasing a vehicle, starting utility services, opening a post office box, renting an apartment, applying for a job, picking up a prescription, or getting a passport.  If residing in a country that issues National I.D.s, make sure you get one if required by law.  For example, a foreign national resident may need to be issued one, but not a tourist.  Note that not every country issues a national I.D.  The United States does not issue a National I.D.  There is no such document or card so do not be taken in by false advertisements for an American National I.D.  There is a federal government issued card called the Social Security card, but it is not a form of identification and cannot be used as such.

Passports

The third most important document in most countries is your passport.  It is a government issued photographic form of identification that allows you to enter and depart countries.  If you care about your global freedom of movement, or even freedom to visit relatives in the country next door, then you care about getting and keeping a passport.

Driver’s License

The fourth most important document in many countries is your driver’s license.  It is a government issued document that authorizes you to drive a vehicle.  It may or may not have your photograph on it depending on the issuing country.  If it does not have a photograph, then it was probably issued by a country that requires a national I.D.  If pulled over by law enforcement while driving, you would probably have to provide both your driver’s license (to prove you are authorized to drive) and your national I.D. card (to prove your identity).  If it has a photograph, then the driver’s license alone should be sufficient.

Special note on driver’s licenses in the United States

The United States is unusual in that since they have no National I.D. card, the driver’s license not only provides proof of authorization to drive but also serves as proof of identity.  Driver’s licenses in the United States are issued by a state in compliance with federal (national) law.  A federal law, REAL ID, affecting the issuance of driver’s licenses goes into effect on 1 October 2020.  While a non-REAL ID-compliant driver’s license will still be valid for driving after the law goes into effect, it will no longer be a valid form of identification for other purposes, such as boarding a commercial flight. If you live in the United States and have or need to obtain an American driver’s license, then you should comply with the REAL ID documentation requirements if at all possible.