11

My girlfriend has a work permit. It doesn't expire for 4 more months. I told her to get an additional ID but she never did, so all she has is her work permit.

She's not a citizen of the US but she lives here. She pays about 500 dollars every few years to obtain a US government issued work permit which allows her to be employed but I don't fully understand it so I don't know if she can use that to fly.

I don't even know if she has a passport. She keeps saying she doesn't have one. She's stranded in LA. She lives in Missouri. I'm trying to buy her a plane ticket to come back home. If she has a passport, she didn't bring it. I asked her and she said well I have my work permit with me. No mention of a passport.

Will she still be able to get on a plane and fly within the us?

She does not have a visa (as stated previously). She kept calling her work permit a visa. She has a work permit that doesn't expire until next year.

Improve this question
22
  • 2
    Maybe you can post a picture of what she claims she does have, after blurring out any personal info. I think it would help you get better answers if we can stop second guessing what she does or does not have. You can ask her to scan the document(s) or use the webcam through Skype, for example.
    – CompuChip
    Commented Aug 16, 2016 at 11:32
  • 10
    Bachtoven: how well do you know this woman? The story sounds rather reminiscent of a scam. I unaware of any US residence document that costs $500 every few years. Also, is impossible to get a visa inside the US unless you're a diplomat -- and diplomatic visas are free of charge.
    – phoog
    Commented Aug 16, 2016 at 11:51
  • 8
    @phoog Interesting. Thanks for letting me know. I think we can rule out the possibility that OPs girlfriend is the Queen of England, but the other options seem possible. In either case, OP needs to clarify :)
    – Fiksdal
    Commented Aug 16, 2016 at 11:54
  • 4
    Beethoven: the employment authorization document (EAD, work permit) costs $465. She could be talking about that. If so, it is acceptable ID for boarding a plane, according to the TSA.
    – phoog
    Commented Aug 16, 2016 at 12:16
  • 8
    Bachtoven: Sorry for calling you 'beethoven'; my phone made me do it.
    – phoog
    Commented Aug 16, 2016 at 15:55

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
15

Now that we've cleared up the fact that the document is a work permit, I'll assume it's an I-766 Employment Authorization Document (image searches indicate that the card itself says "Employment Authorization Card," and that the indication "Form I-766" is found on the back of the card).

According to the TSA, this document can be used to board a flight. The list is at https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification, and the last entry, as of this writing, is

Immigration and Naturalization Service Employment Authorization Card (I-766)

Improve this answer
9

This page lists the forms of ID that are accepted by the US Transportation Security Administration for a domestic flight. A visa is not on the list. However:

Foreign government-issued passport

Is acceptable. Assuming she has a valid passport (presumably the one containing the visa), she can use that as ID.

Also note that a "Immigration and Naturalization Service Employment Authorization Card (I-766)" is an acceptable form of ID, if this is the document she possesses. It is hard to tell exactly what kind of "visa" she has (assuming she has not been taken by a scam). If you can update your question with a picture of it (with her personal information blacked out), we should be able to help you better.

Improve this answer
4
  • 1
    She may be using "visa" to refer to an employment authorisation document, which doesn't require a passport ("visa which allows her to be employed"). Or maybe it's a scam.
    – phoog
    Commented Aug 16, 2016 at 12:01
  • Of course, is the "visa" really is an EAD, she can use it to fly.
    – phoog
    Commented Aug 16, 2016 at 12:08
  • Why the downvote?
    – Zach Lipton
    Commented Aug 17, 2016 at 4:09
  • I certainly didn't downvote, but it may be because the answer no longer reflects the clarified question.
    – phoog
    Commented Aug 17, 2016 at 13:56
1

I have that same permit also. Obama made it possible for us who came at a young age illegally to be able to stay in this country legally to work and get a driver's lisence . Only thing is, it expires every two years and have to get it renwed for $475 , prices went up. Yes she can board the plane with it, I have before.

Improve this answer
1
  • You can also use your foreign passport, if you have one.
    – phoog
    Commented Jun 17, 2017 at 19:34

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .