How do I prove that I am a US citizen INSIDE the US without a passport?

I am a naturalized US citizen. I reside in the US, and I typically do not carry my passport with me when traveling within the US.

I am especially concerned that if I ever need to travel to locations within 100 miles of a US coastline or border with Canada or Mexico, I can be easily stopped by an immigration officer because I undoubtedly look foreign.

I have a driver's license that I carry with me at all times issued by a state not in the 100-mile border zone. From first-hand experience (at least my state's) driver's license numbers are coded in such a way that an officer (in my case, US Army guard at a military facility) can tell citizenship. They were able to tell that I'm a US citizen but the person I was with isn't, and we have driver's licenses from the same state. They asked to see my friend's foreign passport (Luckily, we had a photocopy of it in the car, and they accepted it).

I am concerned that if I get stopped by border police these days, they will not accept my driver's license as proof of US citizenship. Can they deport me just like that (even to a country I wasn't born in) if I cannot supply documentation they're requesting at that moment? What are my rights in this situation? How do I tell if they're asking (illegally) for more documentation than necessary, and how do I approach the officer if I think they're asking for more than required?

Will it be necessary, then, to always carry my passport with me at all times in the US, along with proof of employment, proof of real estate ownership, proof of not owing any income tax, etc.?

For those that it may apply, I know that even an expired US passport IS proof of US citizenship, and it's best not to travel out of and into the US when it is expired. However, what would one need to do if a border patrol officer insists that a naturalized US citizen is subject to deportation if that person presents an expired US passport?

passports us-citizens

Best Answer

If you don't want to carry a passport book, then you can carry a passport card in your wallet. According to Passport Card from the Department of State:

The passport book and passport card are both U.S. passports. If issued for the full validity, they are both proof of your U.S. citizenship and identity.

The advantage of a passport card is you can stick it in your wallet (which you're already carrying for your driver's license) and forget about it until that day you need it.

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Quick Answer about "How do I prove that I am a US citizen INSIDE the US without a passport?"

Birth certificate showing birth in the United States;

Form N-550, Certificate of Naturalization;

Form N-560, Certificate of Citizenship;

Form FS-240, Report of Birth Abroad of United States Citizen; or.

Valid unexpired U.S. passport.

Can a US citizen enter the US without a passport?

A passport is not required. Citizens of Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda must present a valid passport from their country to travel to the U.S. by air. When traveling by land or sea, they must provide the necessary travel documents outlined by the Department of Homeland Security.

How Do I Prove I am Already a US Citizen Through My Parents?

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