Non Americans - Requirement To Show Passport When Purchasing Alcohol

Nope, my parents are in their late 70's. They can no longer travel the 2 hours it takes to get to my house, much less out of the country. At my age I think I've figured out if I'll need one or not. I know by this point in my life I'm in the not category.


This is what I was thinking. Even pockets are picked, not just purses/bags. So on your body isn't even immune. Anyway, everyone gets to do what they are comfortable with. Seeing how I'm comfortable sitting at home in the US it's something I'll never have to worry about.

They can break into a hotel safe just as easily, if not easier than getting a passport out of a crossbody chest pouch. And I guess if you ever have to leave the country, (as in there's a war, evacuation, etc) you're not planning to come back, so that's OK. We'd rather be safe than sorry, passports are simple to get, and they last 10 years. We have both versions - the book style and the plastic card - so we always have one on us. The plastic card version can get you into Canada or Mexico, no problem.

Im from Ireland and when I travel to USA I always have my passport with me. I feel safer with it, not only for proving my age for alcohol but just in general. It has my next of kin contact details and some important medical information listed in the back. So say if I was in attacked or in run over or other emergency, having a passport gives the emergency services and police access to important information about me. Having a passport in my possession also gives me access to the Irish Embassy if I should need their services. For example when I was stranded in New York during 9/11 as I had my passport in my bag I was able to walk in off the street and get help and advice from the Irish Embassy.

Oh and about alcohol. On my recent visit to California I bought alcohol in Target and was asked for ID. The cashier had to call for a Manager as I had a passport. In Target they scan the bar-code on USA Drivers Licences. The Manager had to override the scanning process for my passport. I'm assuming that Target will only accept USA drivers licence and not international drivers licences due to the scanning procedure.

This is an excellent example of why you should keep your passport with you in a foreign country - the world is not always safe. There's not one country where it is 100% safe. Your hotel could get hit by terrorists, have a fire, even close/go out of business while you have stuff locked inside (yeah, that happened to friends travelling in Mexico) so you should keep the important stuff on you.
 
They can break into a hotel safe just as easily, if not easier than getting a passport out of a crossbody chest pouch. And I guess if you ever have to leave the country, (as in there's a war, evacuation, etc) you're not planning to come back, so that's OK. We'd rather be safe than sorry, passports are simple to get, and they last 10 years. We have both versions - the book style and the plastic card - so we always have one on us. The plastic card version can get you into Canada or Mexico, no problem.
Sounds good. Since we are playing what it's, if I ever have to evacuate the US for any reason we'll just assume I'll not be returning.
 
As far as I could find the out of state ID is related to alcohol only. So it's still a valid form of ID for all other things-rental car, driving, form of ID for other reasons like matching with your CC, etc). It appears it's related to underage alcohol consumption that prompted MA to make rules on this.

Plus I found that it's actually not an across the state hard rule. From what I could find it's restaurants and bars stuff like that and they actually can choose to take out of state IDs as well as other forms of ID. If they choose to accept out of state IDs,however, then they are then not legally protected if they sell to minors and if they accept out of state IDs as well as other forms of ID (just not the forms of ID MA allows) then they have to take on the responsibility of making sure the IDs are valid. So it's not that a person cannot under no circumstances use their out of state ID to purchase alcohol in MA--it's that they may be denied based on how the decision the establishment has made. I'm sure the # of establishments willing to take on the liability are not in high numbers though.

*To the point about guessing if you look really old--from what I could find establishments if they choose to not take out of state IDs they cannot period no matter what you look like; so a 50 yr old would be treated the same as someone who is 30 years old and as someone who appear to be right around the drinking age*

How can you use a non-driving license form of ID for driving?????? And I'm almost 100% sure you can't use it for renting a car... And as I stated in my post, I noted the places that rarely, if ever, take out of state non-driving ID. As I live in this state, and have attended many events, gone to dozens of restaurants, I am only stating what I have seen with my own eyes. Synchro Worlds was in Boston in 2013, and there were college kids from out of state who were not served with their IDs, people from around the world who needed to show passports for alcohol, and a bit of a to-do about it because a lot of people were very unhappy about the policy. Boston is a college city, and has some really strict policies. But I haven't been carded there in two decades, so someone who is 50 is not treated the same as someone who looks younger. You could be in the city with only an out of state ID and be in your 50s, they will serve you. But if you are younger and they ask for ID, and that's all you have? Nope.
 
They can break into a hotel safe just as easily, if not easier than getting a passport out of a crossbody chest pouch. And I guess if you ever have to leave the country, (as in there's a war, evacuation, etc) you're not planning to come back, so that's OK. We'd rather be safe than sorry, passports are simple to get, and they last 10 years. We have both versions - the book style and the plastic card - so we always have one on us. The plastic card version can get you into Canada or Mexico, no problem.



This is an excellent example of why you should keep your passport with you in a foreign country - the world is not always safe. There's not one country where it is 100% safe. Your hotel could get hit by terrorists, have a fire, even close/go out of business while you have stuff locked inside (yeah, that happened to friends travelling in Mexico) so you should keep the important stuff on you.
Using that kind of "logic", you should always carry every single important paper you have with you everywhere, even in the US. Oops, can't go to the grocery store, I forgot my birth certificate. :rolleyes:
 
Sounds good. Since we are playing what it's, if I ever have to evacuate the US for any reason we'll just assume I'll not be returning.

Exactly - life is full of what if's, and we deal with them every day. I mean, that's what insurance is all about, what ifs, right? What if I get in an accident, what if I get sick, what if the house gets hit by lightning? Or saving for retirement, having a health proxy, a will, etc. Carrying a passport, having it available is just another way to deal with a what if. They're not hard to get, either.
 
Using that kind of "logic", you should always carry every single important paper you have with you everywhere, even in the US. Oops, can't go to the grocery store, I forgot my birth certificate. :rolleyes:

License has that, and is a valid form of proof of birthdate. I do carry my mini-passport with me at all times. It's the size of a credit card.
 
Just want to say in Chicago, my german DL was always good enough everywhere But I am obviously over 21.
 
It also doesn't hurt to leave a laminated copy behind with a family member. My Mom and her DH travel all over the world and are on the go all the time. We keep copies of theirs in our safety deposit box. If nothing else it provides numbers etc that we can instantly get to them. And it's suggested to leave copies with someone you trust.

Do you laminate each sheet of your passport or just the photo page? I will be traveling overseas in a couple years for the first time with kids. It's easy enough to keep track of one passport, but all 4 might be tricky lol.

Do you also put your laminated copy in the hotel safe? I would think leaving it out might make it susceptible for identity theft?

Thanks for letting me pick your brain a bit!

ETA: I was a bartender in a college town. We actually refused out of state ID's. College kids with their photoshop are professionals I tell ya. Plus we couldn't be familiar enough with all 50 states and their ID's to spot a fake. And the bars were too busy to bust out a book and take too long to compare.
 
If you're in a foreign country, you most certainly should carry your passport around.

I NEVER carry my passport around unless I'm crossing border. If I'm ever arrested, they can take me back to my hotel where my passport is in the safe. I carry my drivers license and that's enough. It's bad enough if I lose that but replacing a passport in a foreign country is a nightmare.
 
Believe me travel for example to Spain, notorious for pickt pockers and bag grabbers.. your passport is VERY much safer in a Hotel safe or just sitting in the room.

Sorry, but I have been to Spain, Italy, and plenty other countries/cities with pickpocket infamy. Still carry my passport on my body.

Only time I have experienced passport theft was actually in Victoria Station when a mother and daughter in my group failed to follow my instructions and carried their passports in their shoulder bag.

Petty theft does occur but being a smart traveler you can eliminate most of it and definitely use specific means to keep one's passport secure. We are not talking about carrying the passport in your back pocket here!
 
Exactly - life is full of what if's, and we deal with them every day. I mean, that's what insurance is all about, what ifs, right? What if I get in an accident, what if I get sick, what if the house gets hit by lightning? Or saving for retirement, having a health proxy, a will, etc. Carrying a passport, having it available is just another way to deal with a what if. They're not hard to get, either.
But in my what if game I don't want to come back. I'll be a happy ex-pat
 
Wow, learn something new all the time. Had no clue some foreign DL never expired. So once you learn to drive, you are good forever. No renewing? Heck, when I lived in HI we had to take the drivers test again every so many renewals. Been too long now I can't remember how many it was. Written had to be redone sometimes too. Could have changed by now.

Australian DLs don't expire as such, we don't have to get retested but every 5 years we have to get a new card with a new photo taken. I assume so we still look like the photo on our DL. We have to do a quite vision test at that time but that's all.
 
It's always been the case and even I knew it but never have understood it

Curious, because I really can't understand, why isn't a foreign DL valid as a form of ID? What about them makes them invalid but any of the 50 US states are? I realize they may be hard to read for some but heck, as US ID can be as hard for some to read too, so that is a pretty lame argument, if that's the reason given
I mean, I don't blame the foreign guests, I wouldn't dare carry my passport around either. Lucky for them Disney accepts a copy. Do other businesses in FL accept copies? Can they get a copy made at the resort, if they come unprepared?
Granted, none of these things impact me at all, I am from the US and I don't know anyone from outside the US that would ever come to the parks with me. I'm just being nosy because it amazes me this is so difficult for foreign guests.

I think it's for consistency. Faked drivers license are almost always out of state, and people are trained to see signs that it may not be legit. It would be impossible to keep track of foreign drivers licenses too.

I used to get handed a Chinese drivers license. I worked in a college town. I know that those kids were not 21- 3 different kids tried with the same license. My coworker called me to tip me off. Apparently they had tricked another cashier. But I knew the law and said I wasn't comfortable taking it- the only part I could read were the dates. If they wanted me to call my manager I could- and they ran out of there. They knew the law too!

I don't really see the big deal, honestly. Us Americans are supposed to carry our passports at all times in at least two countries I'm aware of. The copy doesn't cut it there, and you are incredibly unlikely to get your passport stolen at Wdw, or in the us in general. Pickpocketing is just not something often seen.
 
It's always been the case and even I knew it but never have understood it

Curious, because I really can't understand, why isn't a foreign DL valid as a form of ID? What about them makes them invalid but any of the 50 US states are? I realize they may be hard to read for some but heck, as US ID can be as hard for some to read too, so that is a pretty lame argument, if that's the reason given
I mean, I don't blame the foreign guests, I wouldn't dare carry my passport around either. Lucky for them Disney accepts a copy. Do other businesses in FL accept copies? Can they get a copy made at the resort, if they come unprepared?
Granted, none of these things impact me at all, I am from the US and I don't know anyone from outside the US that would ever come to the parks with me. I'm just being nosy because it amazes me this is so difficult for foreign guests.


I live in Manitoba, Canada our province does not deem US DL as valid id either for purchase of alcohol. I work in the industry and we have had to refuse service if all they have is state id. Too many to train our staff on I guess. We would get ones from ND, SD and MN often here, but probably very rarely see WY.
 
How can you use a non-driving license form of ID for driving?????? And I'm almost 100% sure you can't use it for renting a car... And as I stated in my post, I noted the places that rarely, if ever, take out of state non-driving ID.
I don't think you read my comment very well. I said: "So it's still a valid form of ID for all other things-rental car, driving, form of ID for other reasons like matching with your CC, etc)."....I mean really I guess you thought I was saying you can use a non-driver's license to rent a car...but I assure you I'm well aware a non-driver's license cannot be used to drive...however a non-driver's license can be used to match who you are with your CC.....and that was the part of my comment (see bold) and that is still the same in MA as it is in other places. The above comment more arose from the following comments:

A poster said: "A state ID is equal to a DL. They are literally the same thing, except one gives you permission to drive." You responded with: "Not in MA, not if it is from another state."..The above is where I was responded to that aspect.

ETA: I guess I should clarify and say that I was saying that an out of state driver's license can be used to rent a car and drive and a non-driver's license is still good as an ID just not to purchase alcohol unless the establisment has chosen to accept it. Your comment of "Not in MA, not if it is from another state." prompted me to comment about driving, renting a car, matching name on CC.

As I live in this state, and have attended many events, gone to dozens of restaurants, I am only stating what I have seen with my own eyes. Synchro Worlds was in Boston in 2013, and there were college kids from out of state who were not served with their IDs, people from around the world who needed to show passports for alcohol, and a bit of a to-do about it because a lot of people were very unhappy about the policy. Boston is a college city, and has some really strict policies. But I haven't been carded there in two decades, so someone who is 50 is not treated the same as someone who looks younger. You could be in the city with only an out of state ID and be in your 50s, they will serve you. But if you are younger and they ask for ID, and that's all you have? Nope.
Well I'll be darned as you live in the state you might want to tell the Boston Globe then that they got an article completely wrong from not even a month ago. In the article it says the following from one person: "Under current law, the safest course of action for a restaurant operator is to refuse service to any customer presenting out-of-state identification." As far as my comment regarding being treated the same it was aimed at Out of State DLs based on the rules regarding Out of State DLs not being acceptable forms of IDs to verify your age. We can go back and forth over 'safest course of action' aspect because we all know places don't always go with that in our day to day lives but still that's what I was basing my comment on.

I will say that I did read more in-depth into the Laws: "As of December 1, 2012, neither the state Liquor Control Act nor the regulations of the ABCC require identification to be checked as a condition to selling or delivering an alcoholic beverage to any person (except in the case of certain deliveries to consumers at their homes or offices). Each licensee is left to decide for itself what policy to establish on checking identification prior accepting orders for, selling and delivering alcoholic beverages. Some licensees adopt a conservative policy, as they may legally do under the Liquor Control Act and the ABCC regulations, and require proof of age from any person who appears to be younger than thirty years of age and accept as proof of age only the six pieces of identification that give a licensee a defense to any criminal conviction, civil liability and/or administrative prosecution." So in your own state if you appear to be younger than 30 years old and the establishment has decided to do so, as allowed by law, then you should be carded.
 
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While it is certainly possible to have your hotel safe broken into, that would be a pretty significant burglary in a reputable establishment.

Every day there are more pickpockets and purse snatchings, especially in general tourist areas, than break-ins to hotel safes. There are also more people who just accidentally leave things behind at restaurants, or have something fall out of their pocket when they go to pull out their phone, etc.

Therefore, if you absolutely feel safer carrying your passport, I would put it in a secured pocket or travel belt. Not one where you're constantly accessing things (like your phone or wallet), and not one that would attract the attention of a pickpocket. I don't think there are a lot of thieves at Disney World (at least not like NYC, Paris, Rio, or Phuket), though you should exercise reasonable precautions there. I'd also make a color photocopy of the passport and upload it to the cloud (have it in your email or on a service where you can access it anywhere).
 

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