Passport used as ID

[stairwaytoheaven]

Going on holiday shortly with DD just seen the state of her passport she's been using it for ID for a couple of years and it's been crammed into handbags and pockets etc.Any idea how new a passport should look? Easily readable but crumpled. We're going to Spain if it makes a difference.

[mrsmortis]

I lived in the US for 3 years and then in Germany for 5. In both cases my passport was my only legal ID. For a long time it lived in my back pocket (in the US it's illegal to be out without ID). Now I fly every week for work. As you can imagine my passports get fairly battered.

I'd lay odds that however bad it is the immigration officials have seen worse. As long as the strip is still readable and the photo is still her you should be OK.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

It is not illegal to be out with ID in the US; its not a legal requirement at all.

The only times I've been asked for ID in the US is in bars (carded to prove age), at some stores when paying by credit card and at airports (Americans without passports use their state driving licence to fly within the US).

[mrsmortis]

Thank you for triggering me to go and read some case notes. When I was in the US it was mid discussion of what the 'stop and identify' laws meant. I've just been and read what the supreme court said on the subject. I like the fact that in Nevada it's just giving your full name now.

[noramum]

DH flies for business a lot. His last passport had to be rescued with gaffer tape.

As long as the main pages and the photo page are still in decent condition I would think they are legal.

[stairwaytoheaven]

Thanks it's reassuring to know that we should be OK. Was having visions of having to get an emergency appointment to get a new one.

[AgentProvocateur]

DS uses his for ID too and it looks like it's falling to bits, and the chip no longer works now. Spain will be fine ( they never look at passports there ) - the U.S. might be a problem.