Released: October 17, 2018

Help Desk FAQ

How are consular ID cards used?

Consular ID cards are accepted by many local governments, police departments, financial institutions and some other entities and businesses as a valid form of identification. Among other things, you can use your consular ID card to open an account at a bank or credit union or to make other financial transactions such as cashing a check or sending money to your home country.

Under the Patriot Act, financial institutions must verify the identity of their customers who open accounts. They are allowed to accept consular ID cards as a valid form of identification—there are currently no laws that prohibit them from doing so—but it is up to each financial institution to determine its own policy regarding the acceptance of consular IDs.

A consular ID cannot be used to obtain immigration or citizenship benefits such as work authorization or public benefits.