# What ID do I need to fly internationally? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 2009, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554 "2009-07-01T05:32:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/1 "2009-07-01T05:32:40Z")
So, long story - I’ll explain if anyone really enjoys being bored - but I’ve got an “AKA” on my passport that they forgot to add when I got it renewed (it even says “See Page 27” in my passport book, but they left it blank), so basically the name on my driver’s license doesn’t match my the name on my passport. I’m going on a trip to Hong Kong (from San Francisco) and don’t want to have to pay for expedited service to have the mistake corrected - I can just barely afford the trip - so is it OK if I just bring my passport as my ID and leave my DL at home? I checked the SFO site and the NTSA site, and they both say that a passport is sufficient identification, which would save me a lot of hassle, since the tickets were purchased under my passport name. But the last few times I’ve flown out of the country, I seen to remember them asking for a driver’s license as well, so I don’t want to not be able to board the plane. Anybody fly recently from the U.S. that can confirm that all they’ll ask me for is a passport? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/2 "2009-07-01T05:34:01Z")
All you need is a passport. Cite: trip to Europe in April 2009. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/3 "2009-07-01T05:36:17Z")
Excellent! Thanks. It’s been about six years since I last went to Europe, so either my memory’s faulty or they changed the requirements. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/4 "2009-07-01T05:42:22Z")
Not only is it all you need to fly internationally, it is the \*\*only \*\*thing you can use to fly internationally. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/5 "2009-07-01T05:51:58Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > But the last few times I’ve flown out of the country, I seen to remember them asking for a driver’s license as well, so I don’t want to not be able to board the plane. > [@](#): > > Effective June 21, 2008, adult passengers (18 and over) are required to show a U.S. federal or state-issued photo ID that contains the following: name, date of birth, gender, expiration date and a tamper-resistant feature in order to be allowed to go through the checkpoint and onto their flight. > > Acceptable IDs include: > [ul] > [li]U.S. passport[/li][/ul] [http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable\_documents.shtm](http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm) ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/6 "2009-07-01T05:56:03Z")
Perfect. As I said, I saw that on the TSA site, but just wanted to be sure (you know how bureaucracies are. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/7 "2009-07-01T10:03:33Z")
The DL is needed for driving, but not as ID. Your passport is your primary ID; otoh, if you need to drive the rental place won’t ask for the passport (they know the people at Customs already checked it). > [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > Not only is it all you need to fly internationally, it is the \*\*only \*\*thing you can use to fly internationally. This is not always true, though: many nations have smaller national IDs which are accepted by other countries as per multilateral treaties. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/8 "2009-07-01T10:23:35Z")
^ If your country has an agreement with the other. Thus always a good idea to keep ur passport. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/9 "2009-07-01T10:32:13Z")
I’m amazed that anyone would think they could fly internationally _without_ a passport. That’s what they’re for! Not only that, but in most places the authorities have made the repatriation of people without the correct ID the responsibility of the airline, so you wouldn’t even get on the outgoing plane in the US without a passport. I know there are some countries with reciprocal agreements about other ID, but they’re a very small minority. Enjoy Hong Kong - it’s the greatest place on earth! ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/10 "2009-07-01T11:11:09Z")
Airlines won’t even take a driver’s license as ID. Passport is the normal international travel document. It’s the most common and hassle free one. There are some other travel documents that aren’t worth going into that some people travel under. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/11 "2009-07-01T12:29:17Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The DL is needed for driving, but not as ID. Your passport is your primary ID; otoh, if you need to drive the rental place won’t ask for the passport (they know the people at Customs already checked it). > > This is not always true, though: many nations have smaller national IDs which are accepted by other countries as per multilateral treaties. My Dutch IDcard is acceptable for travel to all EU countries as well as ‘Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaca, Norway, San Marino, Turkey, Iceland and Switzerland’. I think this is mostly an EU thing, I don’t think, for instance, that the US would have an agreement with any country that anything other than a passport would be acceptable. And I have never heard of a driver’s license counting as ID for international travel. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/12 "2009-07-01T12:29:16Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I’m amazed that anyone would think they could fly internationally _without_ a passport. That’s what they’re for! The OP does not appear to think that. He/she is asking whether, in order to leave the U.S., a citizen must present a driving licence as well as a passport. It’s true that a U.S. driving licence is pretty useless as ID outside of the U.S. The use of the driving licence as a de facto ID/proof-of-age card is a bit of an American thing. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/13 "2009-07-01T12:53:35Z")
As mentioned, a passport is the only piece of ID you would need. BUT! The passenger name on your air ticket has to exactly match the name in the passport. If you get your ticket in the name on your DL you’re in for problems. ETA: I just re-read the OP and see that your ticket matches the passport. But nonetheless this statement of fact stands as advice to anyone else who happens upon it. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/14 "2009-07-01T15:11:08Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > I don’t think, for instance, that the US would have an agreement with any country that anything other than a passport would be acceptable. Yes it does, but not for air travel. > **[U.S. Passports](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html)** > > How to apply for or renew your U.S. passport if you live in United States > [@](#): > > We began production of the U.S. Passport Card on July 14, 2008. … [T]he U.S. Passport Card cannot be used for international air travel. This new travel document can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/15 "2009-07-01T15:33:37Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > The OP does not appear to think that. He/she is asking whether, in order to leave the U.S., a citizen must present a driving licence as well as a passport. Precisely. As I said, I’ve traveled overseas before - I just thought that the last time I did it, they asked me for my driver’s license as well as my passport at the (U.S.) gate. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-do-i-need-to-fly-internationally/501554/16 "2009-07-01T15:41:00Z")
While it is presumably true for the OP that he needs only his passport to travel in and out of the US, some of us need more. For example, as a permanent resident I also need to present my green card (permanent resident card). However, I don’t need to present my driver’s license, and from time to time I use my green card as the form of ID to travel on domestic flights: it works just as well as a driver’s license.