How can someone get help with no photo ID?

[UncleSepp]

I met a guy here in Seattle who has no place to live. He's trying to get food, shelter, and a way back to Austin, TX. His wallet is gone, and with it, all his ID. He told me that without any ID, he can't get into the shelter. Getting home will be hard too - even on the bus. Greyhound does random photo ID checks last I looked, and Amtrak requires ID.

How can my friend get a replacement ID with no address to send the ID to? How can he get home with no ID? Does anyone know?

[CornField]

1. Does Washington offer ID cards?

Here in Iowa, anyone can go into the Department of Transportation offices and have a photo ID card made. I think it costs under $20. I'm not sure how they would work the address line. Maybe "at large?"

If worse comes to worse, look in the phone book for the local ministerial alliance. They may not be able to help directly, but they should be able to point you in the right direction.

[barackmyworld]

2. I had to bring postal mail to get an ID

in illinois

[UncleSepp]

4. Unfortunately, the ID card is recursive in WA

In order to obtain identification, you must first present identification. You have to be able to prove who you are with another state ID, US passport, foreign passport, something like that. Either that, or you have to have a birth certificate and a bunch of other stuff :-(

Ministerial alliance is a good idea, though!

[serryjw]

3. He can order a new birth certificate online

(he can probably get CC # from bank or a bank receipt....bank probably has a way to prove he is himself) order BC and he is on the way to getting a state picture ID

[haele]

5. Does he have any correspondance where he's a signatory?

Bank card, check book, old bill, bus pass, disability paperwork, release paperwork, tax returns, old paycheck stub? Does he remember his Social Security number? Is there a group he is a regular member of, a church, an AA location? Does he have a former employer that has recent employment records for him?

I know several people and organizations who let SSI recipients use their address as a maildrop while they're getting on their feet; perhaps he can use them as a reference source while he's waiting for his ID.

He's not the first person to lose all his ID in an unfriendly city - there are various sources for replacement ID; the Red Cross and the United Way may have some processes he might be able to use to reconstruct what he lost.

The Department of Licensing issues photo identification cards to non-drivers for a fee of $15.00 for an original. Identification cards can be issued at any age and are valid for 5 years. Duplicate identification cards are $15.00. Renewal identification cards are also $15.00. You must show the same identification as required for a driver license.

If he's gotten a WA state licence before, there may be something on file for them to use as baseline. Most states have some sort of photo/id on computer that he can use to replace a lost card.

The requirements for establishing identity for a Washington State ID or Driver's licence are in the following website:
http://www.dol.wa.gov/ds/id.htm

If he's got a Texas Licence, he can get a replacement if he knows his TX licence number and his Social Security number.
It will probably help if he has family or friends in TX that will be willing to do some digging for him.
see the following TX website:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/driver_licensing_control/dlindex.htm

It will take a bit to get to where he may need to go; he'll probably have to call the DMV location he got his licence from originally, so he may need some telephone and online help.

As for shelters, surely there's one or two shelters other than the main ones that will take him in for a night or so? I hate to ask if he's a regular at a church or synagoge, but many times, a minister/priest/rabbi will be willing to vouch for someone to get them into a shelter until they get their ID situation taken care of.

Good luck to him and to you, for trying to help.

Haele

[UncleSepp]

7. Thank you, thank you very much!

Those are a lot of good ideas. There are answers and there will be help, there's a way to make this right. Thanks again!

[miss_kitty]

6. You know this won't be all that helpful

but there are at least two asshat mofos running around Seattle with passable fake washington driver's licenses with my name on them.

I am assuming that since fucking banks here in Seattle are accepting them as ID to cash checks, they must be good. Or good enough.

good luck. He'll need his birth certificate and another piece of ID to get ID. Call the DOL. They issue WA ID cards here.

[AlienGirl]

8. Geez, I don't know!

Is there anything I can do to help?

Tucker

[UncleSepp]

9. Maybe so, if he makes contact or if I see him again

If you know of someone with an extra room, or someone who knows the system, that would be very helpful.