From a professional identification man's point of view, a thumb print is a far better method of establishing an identity than a photograph. But for the shopkeeper who doesn't have the time or technical ability to compare prints, the photograph is the best basis for swapping his merchandise for a piece of paper. In fact, the drivers license is such a popular piece of ID that many states issue non-drivers licenses. While it really isn't a "license" at all, since it doesn't permit the holder to do anything, it is useful and readily accepted as a form of personal identification.
As far as ruses go, there are many more reasons for not having a drivers license late in life than a social security number. Many people simply don't have the money together to buy a car until they get up in their years. Another very rational explanation is that you've been living in New York, where a person would have to be insane to drive regularly. If you really want to do it up right, you could enroll in drivers education through one of the many schools that offer this service. When you finish the course, most schools will hand you a diploma to show the DMV people. Some schools will even have someone accompany you personally through your tests, or the DMV will send out an officer to test all the graduates at the school.
Along with your birth certificate you will want to bring a couple letters addressed to you as proof of your residence. It should be easy enough to arrange for them to show your mail drop address rather than your actual residence. But if you're like most disappearees, you won't have much use for your drivers license other than as identification, at least immediately. That's because it's foolish to take your old car with you into your new identity, as previously explained. Also, traffic violations are the downfall of many an identity changer not yet comfortable in their new life and ill-prepared for the probing questions of the traffic cop.
Passports
And now for the granddaddy of all forms of personal identification: the U.S. passport. Impressive as this document may sound, it is relatively easy to get as long as you have the proper back-up ID, and as long as you know a bit about the procedure involved before you start out.
Passports are issued primarily by the U.S. Passport Office division of the State Department. There are U.S. Passport Offices in most major cities. If there is no passport office in your area, they may be issued by the Clerk of the Federal Court. In some instances they are even handled by local U.S. Post Offices.
For the identity switcher, far and away the best place to go is the Passport Office. The Clerk of the Court and especially the Post Office people are not likely to have much experience with passports and they will want all the "i"s dotted and "t"s crossed, twice. At the Passport Office your application will be handled by a bunch of bored civil servants who are so used to the routine that they won't remember you seven seconds after you walk out the door.
The Passport Clerk will ask you for your birth certificate and some form of supporting photo ID, like your drivers license. They will then give you a form to fill out and return with a couple of passport photos and the fee, currently $35. Passport photos are fairly special, and must be taken according to specific regulations which change from time to time. It's best to use one of the passport photo places that are often located right near the passport office. They know the requirements and they generally can have your pictures ready while you wait. It's best to get several sets of extra copies if you plan to travel outside the U.S. much. Many countries require the same kind of photos for travel documents they issue to foreigners, and you don't want to have to find some advanced country where you can get your pictures taken properly before resuming your travels.
The best time of year to get your passport is during the winter months, if you want to have it mailed to you in a reasonable period of time. Thousands of tourists trot down to the local Passport Office about two weeks before their 21-country summer cruise is due to depart. Even if they planned well in advance to take their trip, they forget about the passport until the last minute. It can take several months for your passport to arrive if you apply at the peak travel times.
A passport is now good for ten years. When you turn in your application, photos and fee, you should ask for the larger, 48-page booklet. The standard 24-page passport gets filled up quickly if you travel extensively outside the United States. When your passport expires, renewing it is easy. You simply go to the Passport Office with your old passport, a new set of pictures and the fee, and you're on your way again.
There is one odd facet to the passport application process. For some reason, the clerks always ask you for the exact countries you intend to visit. This makes absolutely no sense at all, since once the passport is issued you are free to go anywhere you like, and this regardless of the crap printed in the front of the document about not being able to go to Cuba, North Korea, etc. It really doesn't matter what you tell them, just so long as you don't say you're on a business trip to Libya or some other place currently
