Kokua Line

By June Watanabe

Thursday, February 27, 1997

Only Hawaii residents
can get state ID cards

I want to get a state ID because I am visiting Hawaii for an extended period. However, they won't accept my valid U.S. passport with a photo, my Michigan drivers license with a photo, my Social Security card, etc. They say I must have my original birth certificate, naturalization papers, marriage certificate, etc. Why is there such a bureaucracy to go through?

Right off the bat, you probably won't get an I.D. because you are not a permanent resident of Hawaii. State law now requires you to have a permanent Hawaii address to qualify for a state identification card, said Liane Moriyama, ID program administrator.

The law was changed a couple of years ago, after officials found that busloads of tourists would show up at the office, seeking the state IDs to get kamaaina rates, Moriyama said.

"It was such a hassle. Many were using their hotel address."

Beyond that, it's written into the law exactly what documents are needed to get the state I.D. card. Passports aren't acceptable, for example, because it's used to establish citizenship, not to verify identity, Moriyama said. If it's any consolation to you, the office doesn't even accept Hawaii drivers licenses as proof of identity, Moriyama said.

"We are an identification card, foremost, and at a minimum, we need birth certificates and social security cards," she said.

On top of that there are many extenuating circumstances that would require other documents, she said. In your case, since you were naturalized, you need proof of naturalization. Since you remarried, you need to show your marriage license.

Generally, no exceptions are made, Moriyama said, although decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. The office processes 40,000 applications a year and the number is increasing, Moriyama said. Applications went up significantly when airports started requiring picture I.D.s for security, she said, while the large number of immigrants here also is a factor.

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