The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and the Department of Social Services (DSS) today announced that the IDNYC program will launch an online renewal portal for New Yorkers who enrolled in the program in 2015. The new online portal will become available to cardholders on December 2nd, 2019, when the opportunity to renew will officially begin.
IDNYC cards expire after five years, and with the fifth anniversary of the IDNYC program approaching, the program has created a streamlined and flexible renewal process.
Beginning on December 2nd, 2019, New Yorkers whose IDNYC is expiring in less than 60 days, or whose card has been expired for less than 6 months, will be eligible to renew their IDNYC through the online portal. They may also choose to renew in-person at an Enrollment Center. Most card changes will be able to be updated through the online portal, including change of address and adding a gender designation. For change of address, cardholders may be asked to upload and submit scanned residency documents. For changes to a cardholder’s name, height, or eye color, renewals must be completed in-person at an Enrollment Center.
“The IDNYC card is proof you live in the greatest city in the world and can be used for everything from opening a bank account, to receiving vital health documents, to gaining free access to world-class cultural institutions,” said J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives. “The online renewal portal will now make it easier than ever for card-carrying New Yorkers to continue to reap the benefits and services solely reserved for those who call this place home.”
“We are excited to announce that IDNYC will launch an online renewal platform making cardholder renewal easy and accessible. Over the last five years, IDNYC has become a model for other cities, states, and countries to expand access to opportunity for all, regardless of immigration status,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “We want each and every New York City resident to know that if you live in New York City, you are a New Yorker and IDNYC is for you!”
“IDNYC is the most successful municipal ID program in the nation for one simple reason: it guarantees all New Yorkers can access essential services, regardless of where they come from,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “We are proud to make it even easier for families and individuals to apply for and renew their cards, anytime, anywhere, through our new online portal, so that even more New Yorkers can enjoy everything our city has to offer, from services to entertainment and culture.”
Since the City launched IDNYC in January 2015, IDNYC has become a tool that every New Yorker can use to open up access to the City – from City services to free and reduced-cost access to cultural institutions. As of April of this year, New Yorkers have saved nearly $55 million in membership and other fees through IDNYC.
In January 2017, IDNYC launched an online application portal to allow New Yorkers applying for the card for the first time to begin their applications through IDNYC’s website. In addition, cardholders can also check their immunization records online with My Vaccine Record.
IDNYC’s innovations have helped cities across the country and around the world develop their own municipal identification programs. The latest announcement of an online renewal portal for current IDNYC cardholders will make the process more streamlined and efficient.
Having an IDNYC card can also help New Yorkers – including immigrant, young adult, homeless, and transgender New Yorkers – provide proof of ID or residence across all city agencies, including with the NYPD. IDNYC is a card for all New Yorkers, from all backgrounds, and from all five boroughs.
IDNYC has a wide array of benefit partners. All City residents ages 10 and above are eligible to get a municipal ID card, and enrollment is free. All first-time IDNYC applicants must have documentation that proves their identity and residency in New York City. The City will protect the confidentiality of all IDNYC card applications and never asks applicants about their immigration status. For more information on eligibility criteria, benefits, enrollment centers across the five boroughs, and the online renewal portal, visit nyc.gov/idnyc.
“It’s hard to believe we are already at the IDNYC Renewal period! What a milestone for such an innovative and intrinsically ‘New York’ program. This card is evidence of a great partnership between the Council, the Mayor, and local advocates, and we are proud that in 2019, there are more than 1.3 million cardholders. We hope each and every one of those individuals will take the opportunity to re-enroll in the upcoming months,” said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson.
“IDNYC has served a very valuable and useful service for New Yorkers in need of a government identification card. Online renewal will make it easier for cardholders to maintain their registration and to be able to continue to use their cards. With the need for proper identification to conduct business and to travel, IDNYC has proven itself as a successful program. My constituents are grateful for it,” said Assembly Assistant Speaker Felix W. Ortiz.
“I believe it is important to make governmental programs as accessible to as possible to New Yorkers, and with the advent of internet technologies, accessibility is becoming easier and more practical. I would like to recognize the hard work from the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the New York City Department of Social Services in making the renewal process for IDNYC cards more efficient,” said Assembly Member Michael DenDekker.
“The IDNYC program has been an outlet to many New Yorkers who have no other form of identification. A smooth and easy process encouraged many to sign up for this card supported by its many Citywide benefits. The launching of this platform will expand this program even further by promoting participation and providing cardholders some peace of mind despite the purposely inflicted fear of exclusion provided by our federal government. I commend the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Department of Social Services for making the renewal process convenient and reliable for its beneficiaries,” said Assembly Member Carmen De La Rosa.
“The story of the immigrant has been intertwined in the fabric of New York City’s historical foundation. Since its implementation, IDNYC has become a cornerstone and tool of liberation for all New Yorkers – including immigrants, young adults, the homeless, and transgender New Yorkers of all backgrounds, and from all five boroughs. I would like to commend Mayor de Blasio and the Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Department of Social Services for launching an online renewal portal that will continue to keep open opportunities and access to all our city residents. It is crucial, now more than ever, that we continue to support our immigrant communities who have and continue to make contributions to our city at every level,” said Assembly Member Walter T. Mosley.
“The IDNYC is one of the most successful programs the City of New York ever implemented. It has ensured that every New Yorker, regardless of status, can partake in the City’s civic life. The launch of an online renewal platform is a no-brainer and a welcome achievement. This is your card, just as it is your City,” said City Council Member Carlos Menchaca, Chair of the Committee on Immigration.
“Renewing your IDNYC is fast, easy and free thanks to this new online renewal platform,” said NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm. “There are so many reasons to sign up for an IDNYC card. The ID grants cardholders access to many programs and services that would otherwise be inaccessible to them, and grants free memberships to dozens of our city’s premier cultural institutions. As lead sponsor of the legislation that created IDNYC, I urge all New Yorkers to sign up for and renew their card as soon as possible.”
“The IDNYC provides all New Yorkers with a form of identification, even the ones that cannot receive a state-issued ID,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. “This ID opens many doors to underserved communities so that they can continue taking advantage of the many benefits the city has to offer. Online renewing will make it simpler for many working-class New Yorkers to renew their ID’s without having to take a day off work.”
“With a simple and convenient renewal process for IDNYC, the most New Yorkers can continue to use them,” said Council Member Keith Powers. “These cards offer direct access to all of New York City’s culture and resources, to all of our residents, which is more valuable than ever. I commend MOIA for this work.”
The NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs promotes the well-being of NYC’s immigrant communities by recommending policies and managing programs that help to successfully integrate immigrant New Yorkers into the civic, economic, and cultural life of the City. For more information on all MOIA services, go to nyc.gov/immigrants, call 311, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Department of Social Services, comprised of the Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), serves more than three million New Yorkers annually through a broad range of services that aim to address poverty, income inequality, and prevent homelessness. In April 2016, following a comprehensive review of the City’s homelessness policies, Mayor de Blasio announced a major restructuring of homeless services in New York City and appointed Commissioner Steven Banks to lead the Department of Social Services, which integrated HRA and the Department of Homeless Services under a joint management structure. HRA serves over 3 million New Yorkers through the administration of more than 12 major public assistance programs with 15,000 employees. DHS oversees a broad network of shelters and services with 2,000 employees, and is dedicated to helping New Yorkers experiencing homelessness get back on their feet as quickly as possible. DSS is central in implementing Mayor de Blasio’s agenda to expand opportunity for more New Yorkers, help homeless New Yorkers secure stable housing, address income inequality, and ensure that New Yorkers receive the benefits and assistance to which they are entitled.
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