New York City Municipal ID Cards To Remain Free In 2016
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York City's municipal ID card will continue to be free to eligible New Yorkers in 2016.
The IDNYC card program provides documentation for people living in the city who do not have another form of identification. This includes the elderly, homeless and thousands of immigrants who live in the United States without documentation.
Even Pope Francis is a member. In September, Mayor Bill de Blasio presented the pontiff with his own IDNYC card, making him an 'honorary New Yorker.'
In addition, the IDNYC card holders are also eligible for free one-year memberships to several local cultural institutions who are in partnership with the program. Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced Monday that seven more cultural institutions are offering free one-year memberships to card holders, including the the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art.
The partnerships with museums, theater companies and other institutions have made the ID card attractive to many New York City residents who already have other forms of identification.
All New Yorkers age 14 and older are eligible. The card is available to anyone who can prove their identity and New York City residency. Applicants do not have to reveal their immigration status to receive one.
De Blasio said there are now 670,000 IDNYC card holders and so far 160,000 cultural memberships have been redeemed.
Anyone interested in the ID cards can sign up online at nyc.gov or call 311 to schedule an appointment.
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