+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Ontario photo ID

bongoman

VIP Member
Dec 3, 2014
4,174
812
Just say you don't have one. Went to one office they asked me to surrender my driving licence cause I said I had one, said f that walked to the next office and they didn't even ask. I think they are confusing the requirements for driving license and photo ID.
 

Ponty

Newbie
Aug 26, 2021
1
0
Same and worse. Went to get an Ontario's ID card (just got a residence permit), was asked to give up not only my european DL but also European residence permit card (im not european citizen but have a residency there). For me it would mean that i can't go back to Europe anymore. Im not planning to stay in Canada for now but thought to get an ID, bank account, insurance. For all these things you need registration in Ontario, which i wont get until i give up my all european cards. About lying - you sign there a paper, that you don't have other jurisdiction IDs which should be given up, and it will be marked in data base. Next time you will try to use them (changing your DL to canadian) - questions will be asked.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,253
8,870
what happens if we keep both photo ID and driver lic at same time in ontario
You cannot keep an Ontario photo card and a driver's license. They'll make you surrender it (and if you don't have it, they'll cancel it anyway).

Adult child recently went through this. They will however issue you a temporary (non-photo) driver's license on the spot, and you'll get the photo version in a few weeks.
 

shivaa

Full Member
Oct 11, 2019
20
0
Hello,

I just applied for the Ontario photo ID.
I read somewhere in this forum, someone said "you will get a temporary paper id to use while you wait for your card to get sent."

But nobody gave me any paper id, they gave me just the receipt & photocopy of the form that I filled out.
Should I have asked the people in Ontario Service to give me the paper ID? Or they forgot to give?

I really appreciate it if you let me know about it because I need it ASAP.

Thanks!!
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,253
8,870
But nobody gave me any paper id, they gave me just the receipt & photocopy of the form that I filled out.
Should I have asked the people in Ontario Service to give me the paper ID? Or they forgot to give?

I really appreciate it if you let me know about it because I need it ASAP.

Thanks!!
Call Service Ontario.
 

shivaa

Full Member
Oct 11, 2019
20
0
Call Service Ontario.
Thanks!
Sure, I will.

They only told me that the card will be sent to me between 2-6 weeks.
My question is whether this is true that they give a paper card to have until the actual card arrives.

If that is true then, did people in Service Ontario forget to give it?

Or was it my responsibility to ask them?
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,253
8,870
My question is whether this is true that they give a paper card to have until the actual card arrives.

If that is true then, did people in Service Ontario forget to give it?
I am the poster that said we got one. That's why I said: call Service Ontario. I cannot explain why you did not get one.

If I can ask: what did/do you need it for?
 

shivaa

Full Member
Oct 11, 2019
20
0
I am the poster that said we got one. That's why I said: call Service Ontario. I cannot explain why you did not get one.

If I can ask: what did/do you need it for?
Ohh okay!
I will call. But because a few days ago, before I go to Service Ontario I called them, it was constantly on a machine & never connected to a human. That's why I was thinking if this is true I will go to the center again.

Sure, you can ask.
I want to provide it to the company I work for. They asked for a Canadian ID.

Also, I haven't got my PR card yet, & don't have a DL yet either. So I have to carry my home country passport with me everywhere which is not a good idea.

p.s.
I asked the lady in Service Ontario if they have an expedited service or something simial so I can get my card faster but she said no and did not say that paper ID exists. That's why I doubted if the rules have changed.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,253
8,870
I want to provide it to the company I work for. They asked for a Canadian ID.

Also, I haven't got my PR card yet, & don't have a DL yet either. So I have to carry my home country passport with me everywhere which is not a good idea.
Okay, so first: you should get the ontario photo card in a couple or three weeks (sorry, don't recall exactly how long it took). I can't imagine ANY employer being picky about being shown the COPR (which is proof you are a PR) and eg receipt for Ontario Photo Card and being told it'll take a few weeks.

If you qualified for the Ontario Photo Card, you should also have qualified (and applied for) OHIP - which also gives something which can be used temporarily. Show that too if you want.

And while carrying around your passport isn't convenient, it's not the end of the world (and you can take a photocopy or a picture for many uses anyway). This is really not that urgent.

It'll all happen in due course. And did you get a SIN number letter? Show that too if you need to.
 

shivaa

Full Member
Oct 11, 2019
20
0
Okay, so first: you should get the ontario photo card in a couple or three weeks (sorry, don't recall exactly how long it took). I can't imagine ANY employer being picky about being shown the COPR (which is proof you are a PR) and eg receipt for Ontario Photo Card and being told it'll take a few weeks.

If you qualified for the Ontario Photo Card, you should also have qualified (and applied for) OHIP - which also gives something which can be used temporarily. Show that too if you want.

And while carrying around your passport isn't convenient, it's not the end of the world (and you can take a photocopy or a picture for many uses anyway). This is really not that urgent.

It'll all happen in due course. And did you get a SIN number letter? Show that too if you need to.
You are right with all these! Thank you for your help!

My company is an international company. They accept only one of these three: PR card, DL, or photo card.
Since the OHIP card doesn't show the address on it, it is not acceptable.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,253
8,870
Since the OHIP card doesn't show the address on it, it is not acceptable.
That requirement is absurd, since the other two don't show address either. No, this is just some arbitrary thing some wanker in HR has invented. (And to be honest, I'm not sure that they can require one of only those specific documents, legally - but you'd have to talk to a labour lawyer and probably wouldn't be a great conversation to have before starting).

That said: the easy route is just to show them that you have applied, that you have the other documents, and that it will indeed be mailed from Service Ontario in due course.

And sure, go to Service Ontario or call them, don't know what else to say. But so far (or at least in my limited interactions with them) they've more or less kept to timelines.
 
  • Like
Reactions: YVR123

shivaa

Full Member
Oct 11, 2019
20
0
That requirement is absurd, since the other two don't show address either. No, this is just some arbitrary thing some wanker in HR has invented. (And to be honest, I'm not sure that they can require one of only those specific documents, legally - but you'd have to talk to a labour lawyer and probably wouldn't be a great conversation to have before starting).

That said: the easy route is just to show them that you have applied, that you have the other documents, and that it will indeed be mailed from Service Ontario in due course.

And sure, go to Service Ontario or call them, don't know what else to say. But so far (or at least in my limited interactions with them) they've more or less kept to timelines.
Yes, I get what you're saying.

Thank you for taking the time to respond and sharing your experience with me!

Have a great day!
 

DesiPikachu

Hero Member
Jan 13, 2021
346
161
they'll cancel it anyway
They can't cancel another country's DL. It's a weird requirement to give up even your foreign DL and very inconcenient for newcommers who will be traveling back and forth between Canada and their homeland and don't have the time to apply for a Canadian DL. Pretty much incentivizes lying.
 

bellaluna

VIP Member
May 23, 2014
7,405
1,781
They can't cancel another country's DL. It's a weird requirement to give up even your foreign DL and very inconcenient for newcommers who will be traveling back and forth between Canada and their homeland and don't have the time to apply for a Canadian DL. Pretty much incentivizes lying.
I mean the point of immigrating to Canada is to settle here, so that’s the assumption the provincial government is operating on. Canadian DLs would also be accepted for short visits to any country.