Using a passport to buy gun?

How did he get his passport without ID?

Yes, you are leary, and unjustfiably.
A passport is better than a DL. It shows his identity and nationality.

Trying to remember if I showed like a drivers license when I get my passport.
But you do need to give them your birth certificate.

Brion

I would think as long as it is a valid passport and got a local address on it, you are good to go.

Brion

A passport is perfectly fine as proof of identity and citizenship, but it is not a proof of residence. IIRC, address information is not even printed in the ID page. I would not accept this because, for a FTF to be kosher, you need to establish that he is a resident of your state.

i'd bet a passport is more than acceptable as ID for a private gun sale. i myself went several years with only my US passport and FM-3 ( mexcian work visa) as my only forms of ID. well, i did have my scuba instructors card and ( for a while) a mexican drivers license, but LOL, niether of those count as real ID !

Passport doesn't establish residency - the only spot on it for an address is a place to pencil it in for emergency contact.

Whether you can use ID without an address, I don't know.

To get a US passport, all you need is your birth certificate, 2 photos and the appropriate fee. It is actually better ID than a DL, as many states don't even ask for proof of citizenship or permanent residency. As far as this goes, many states issue DL's to any one who asks under a don't ask don't tell policy (NC, SC, etc...), and woe be any employee who actually tries to ask.

Anyone who has a valid US passport and is not a US citizen, is acutally comitting a whole host of federal felonies. As opposed to holders of certain state DLs that were issued legally and are actually valid. Proof of residency can be established by utility bills.

A combination of the 2 may be sufficient for the state, and to cover yourself.

Be Safe.

ps. I live in a big city in the NE and around here, many people don't even own a car, but take the subway instead.

If you don't know the person, it ain't "friend to friend."

This might shed some light on what might keep BATFE happy:

(D5) Is a Social Security card a proper means of identification for purchasing a firearm from an FFL? [Back]

No. A Social Security card, alien registration card, or military identification alone does not contain sufficient information to identify a firearms purchaser. However, a purchaser may be identified by any combination of government-issued documents which together establish all of the required information: Name, residence address, date of birth, and photograph of the holder.

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#d5

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I bet that the reason that he wants to only show you his passport is due to the fact that he isn't a resident of your state. As has been stated, the only address on the passport is the one that you pencil in for travel notification purposes.

As a ffl I can accept the passport as goverment issued photo ID, but he's going to need another gov issued document to establish residence. a utility bill would not do unless it was from the goverment.

The moment he suggested having a "friend" deliver it to him I'd have immediately said "forget it".

Would a property tax bill or a water bill work with the passport to establish identity and residence?

Kharn

The example that the NICS booklet gives is a tax bill as a second ID to establish the street address.

I have 2 passports, 1 UK, 1 Canadian... I've never used them in the USA for a firearms purchase, I have used my Green Card, Drivers License and carry permit though. No problems.

Trying to remember if I showed like a drivers license when I get my passport.
But you do need to give them your birth certificate.

Click to expand...

The only form of identification asked for or accepted for a passport is an original birth certificate.