Quote:
Originally Posted by pwalker8
There is no such thing as a national ID in the US, but most people have some form of ID, either a driver's license or a government ID card. Pretty much, the only time I need to show ID is when I vote, get pulled over by the police or buy booze at the grocery store.
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OP,
Although there is no federal (national) ID in the US, the federal government has been pushing states to adopt a common look, feel, and function for driver's licenses and state ID cards. (State ID cards are for those who don't drive but wish to have some form of official ID.) The federal government does issue Social Security cards for those needing them to work. But I don't think any of the states or territories require us to have an ID card, although as pwalker states we need one to vote, drive a vehicle, get a job, etc. So having an ID card(s) is to our advantage. As citizens we are tracked via various state systems and federal systems so we can also be identified through things like birth certificates. A birth certificate is sometimes accepted as proof of who we are, but not always. But as far as having to carry or have official federal paperwork/IDs to prove who we are, that is not a requirement.
Non-citizens are under different rules though. I'm not exactly sure what paperwork they need to have. I think they probably do need a drivers license ID to drive a vehicle, and proof of a valid travel visa or immigration status.