What is the IDNYC card?
All New York City residents, ages ten and up, regardless of their immigration status, can apply for a Government-issued IDNYC card. This identification program, launched in 2015, is the largest in the country.
It allows access to opening a bank account at selected financial institutions, entering buildings, such as schools, and can be presented as proof of identification to interact with the police and other agencies.
Among other benefits, it provides free one-year memberships or discounted tickets at a number of participating institutions, including American Museum of Natural History, Central Park Zoo, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art for a full list, visit this link. It can also be used in the New York, Brooklyn and Queens library system.
Documented spoke to Emili Prado, the service referral coordinator at La Colmena, a community job center on Staten Island, and compiled everything you need to know about how and where to apply for the IDNYC.
How do I make an appointment to get my IDNYC card?
Applicants can schedule an appointment on the IDNYC website or call 311 and say ‘IDNYC.’ They can also walk into a center at certain locations:
- East New York (2400 Fulton Street, 5th Floor) – Tuesdays
- Bronx Monterey – Wednesdays
- Manhattan Union Square – Thursdays
- Queens Public Library at Central (89-11 Merrick Boulevard) – Fridays
**Asylum seekers can also get help with the application process at the city’s Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Center at 520 West 49th Street.
To schedule an appointment click here.
To see IDNYC locations click here.
Please bring all the required identity and residency documents with you to the appointment. You can use the IDNYC Document Calculator to find out what documents are required.
What documents are required?
IDNYC works in a point-based system. Prado explains that applicants will need “at least four points of documents, with at least three points that can prove your identity and one point proving your residency.”
To prove identity, you can bring a foreign birth certificate or a passport, and documents to verify residency can include a phone or electricity bill. You can see the full list of acceptable documents by using IDNYC’s document calculator.
For migrants that are living in shelters or with other family members in a shared household, proof of residency could include mail at their current address with their name printed on it, Prado said.
She said people can also ask their family members to write a letter stating that they are currently living in their household.
If applicants don’t have original copies of their documents, they can also use an I-94 form issued by the US Department of Homeland Security, which includes a photo, fingerprint, and date of birth.
What benefits does the IDNYC card offer?
As well as being an ID card, you can also link your IDNYC card to a public library card. There are also a lot of new benefits added to the card — here’s a list of the features.
Housing: IDNYC is the only ID card you need for affordable housing through Housing Connect. You don’t need to bring your birth certificate, Social Security number, or driver’s license. Click here to learn more.
Banking: You can open a bank account with your IDNYC card throughout New York City. Visit the Banks and Credit Unions page to find out more about the Banks and Credit Unions
Health: You can also use your IDNYC to check your own and your loved ones’ health and immunisation records. Visit the health page to find out more.
Supermarket: Receive 5% off all weekday purchases at Food Bazaar in NYC. Some exceptions apply. Simply present your card at the checkout to receive your discount.
Entertainment: IDNYC cardholders can enjoy discounts on movie tickets, with savings of up to 25% at AMC Theatres and 28% at Regal Cinemas. Log in to your membership account to see many more discounts on theme parks such as Six Flags, LEGOLAND, Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studio, and Disney Parks.
Museum and Cultural Institutions: Simply show your IDNYC at the admission desk to receive a free one-year membership at over 35 participating institutions. Including:
- American Museum of Natural History
- Central Park Zoo (Enrollment is available at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, and New York Aquarium)
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
- Carnegie Hall
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Museum of Modern Art
Visit the Museums and Cultural Institutions page to see the full list of places.
When should I renew my IDNYC card?
Check your card’s expiration date, located at the bottom of the front, to determine when you should renew it.
You can renew your card up to 90 days before it expires, or up to 1 year after it expires. You could renew your ID card through the IDNYC online portal. If your card expired more than 1 year ago you will need to order a new card at an IDNYC enrollment center.
There are two ways to renew an ID card: online or in person. To renew online, visit the online portal and start your application. To renew in person, you can make an online appointment or call 311. You can see a list of enrollment centers here.
