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Thursday, March 03, 2005

But what if you're NOT a terrorist?

Current Mood:

Okay, I get it. Security is tougher now because of 9-11. I understand. The Patriot Act is supposed to protect the country from terrorists. I applaud the fact that there's a system in place for situations like that.

But goshdarn it, I just want to open a bank account. But I CAN'T because I don't have a U.S. driver's license. The Patriot Act requires a U.S. driver's license for someone to be able to open a bank account.

Solution's simple, right? Apply for a driver's license. I thought that was the answer, too.

Turns out I can't do THAT either because I haven't gotten my green card yet. To apply for a driver's license, you have to prove three things:
First two I can prove just fine. However, the only documents they'll accept for the third category are things like U.S. birth certificates, U.S. passports, a green card, things like that. Since I don't have a green card yet because it's still being processed, I'm ineligible to apply for a driver's license.

Oh I can drive, though. I got a "Certificate for Driving" instead, which allows me to drive. But it's not good enough as a form of identification.

So because I don't have a driver's license, I can't open a bank account. I can't even be added to Steve's bank account either because you need a driver's license for THAT to happen, too.

So many other things depend on having a driver's license, and it's a domino effect. I can't get a bank account, and that means I probably can't get a credit card, which helps me establish a credit history, which determines how I rent an apartment (which ALSO probably needs a driver's license anyway). Anything that involves me owning property and investments, I can't do because I don't have a driver's license because I don't have a green card because INS is still processing it.

{sighs} This wouldn't suck as much if INS wasn't three years behind in processing green cards. That's right, they're only on 2002.

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