{"id":2902,"date":"2023-10-22T01:02:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-22T01:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/?p=2902"},"modified":"2023-11-28T02:47:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T02:47:17","slug":"how-to-apply-for-bc-id-card-in-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/how-to-apply-for-bc-id-card-in-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Apply for BC ID Card in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Congratulations! You finally arrive in Canada and settle down for work, study or residence. In many cases, you have to show proof of identification to access certain services and buy designated products. Passports are acceptable. However, losing passports is a big hassle because it would take a long time to replace them. Therefore, foreign visitors residing in Canada are suggested to apply for a <strong>BC ID card<\/strong>. In this passage, we are going to explore what it is, how to apply for it and other related issues about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is BC ID Card?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>BC ID card<\/strong>, or <strong>BC identity card<\/strong>, refers to British Columbia identification card (BCID). It carries information like full name, date of birth, gender identity, and personal health number. As an alternative to passports, work permits, study permits or working holiday permits, this photo ID is recognized in places and situations that require a Government ID, such as accessing government services online, buying liquors, creating bank accounts, accessing health services, etc. After obtaining the card, you can take this portable certificate along with you and leave your passport at home to keep it safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Apply for BC ID Card in Canada<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Applicants aged 12 and older are eligible for a <strong>BC identity card<\/strong>. It is quite easy to apply through the following steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prepare Required Documents<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Official documents include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2 acceptable pieces of ID including one primary ID and one secondary ID. Examples are listed as follows.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BC Services Card (if any)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CareCard (if any)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Primary ID<\/td><td>Secondary ID (valid or within one year after expiration)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u25cf B.C driver&#8217;s license or learner&#8217;s license (with photo and within the validity period or 3 years after expiration)<br>\u25cf BC Services Card (with photo and within 3 years after expiration)<br>\u25cf Combined driver&#8217;s license and BC services card (within 3 years after expiration)<br>\u25cf Canadian birth certificate<br>\u25cf Canadian citizenship card\/certificate<br>\u25cf <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-applying-for-canada-passport\/\" title=\"Everything You Need to Know about Applying for Canada Passport\">Valid Canadian passport<\/a><br>\u25cf Valid Canadian immigration identification record<br>\u25cf Valid identity card<br>\u25cf Valid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/insiders-guide-on-canada-pr-card-renewal-for-minors\/\" title=\"Insider\u2019s Guide on Canada PR Card Renewal for Minors\">permanent resident card<\/a><br>\u25cf Valid secure certificate of Indian Status<br>\u25cf Student, work, visitor, or temporary resident permit<\/td><td>\u25cf Debit or credit (name and signature visible)<br>\u25cf Birth certificate from a foreign country<br>\u25cf Canadian Forces ID<br>\u25cf Certificate of Indian Status<br>\u25cf Correctional Service conditional release card<br>\u25cf Department of National Defence 404 driver&#8217;s license<br>\u25cf Canadian or US driver&#8217;s license<br>\u25cf Photo employment ID card<br>\u25cf Foreign Affairs Canada or consular ID<br>\u25cf <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/definitive-guide-on-canadian-health-card-photo\/\" title=\"Definitive Guide on Canadian Health Card Photo\">Canadian health card<\/a> (card with signature for organ donation is unacceptable)<br>\u25cf MNBC identification<br>\u25cf Nexus card<br>\u25cf Parole certificate ID<br>\u25cf Valid Canadian or U.S. passport card<br>\u25cf Canadian boating license<br>\u25cf Police identification<br>\u25cf <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/how-to-apply-for-or-renew-firearms-license-in-canada\/\" title=\"How to Apply for or Renew Firearms\u00a0 License in Canada\">Firearms Possession and Acquisition Licence<\/a><br>\u25cf Social insurance card with a signature strip<br>\u25cf School ID card<br>\u25cf Tla&#8217;amin Nation identification<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Make a BC ID Appointment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You are supposed to request the <strong>BC ID card<\/strong> in the driver licensing office which can be found on this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icbc.com\/locators\/Pages\/default.aspx\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"\">service locator<\/a>. After finding an office near you, you should book an appointment online or by phone before visiting. If you don&#8217;t, visit there during walk-in hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Attend the Appointment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Visit the driver licensing office at the scheduled time with all required documents. The officers will verify whether you are a resident of British Columbia and take your photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Alternative to BC ID Card<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In February 2013, the British Columbia government issued <strong>BC Service card<\/strong> to replace the CareCard which can also be applied in a driver&#8217;s license office. It is more versatile by carrying a personal health number. Moreover, it is free of charge unless you combine it with a driver\u2019s license. There are three types of it listed as follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/governments\/government-id\/bc-services-card\/types-of-cards\/photo\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"\"><strong>Photo BC Service Card<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is a <strong>BC service card<\/strong> only. You can apply for it as long as you have registered in the Medical Services Plan (MSP). On the front of the card, there is a head-and-shoulder photo, the holder\u2019s name, card issued date, card expiry date, and date of birth. On the back of it, there is a magnetic stripe, personal health number, barcode, and card serial number. Please note that it is not a driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"375\" height=\"234\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/BC-ID-card.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2924\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/BC-ID-card.png 375w, https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/BC-ID-card-300x187.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>image resource: gov.bc.ca<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/governments\/government-id\/bc-services-card\/types-of-cards\/non-photo\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"\"><strong>Non-Photo BC Service Card<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This type is only eligible to some residents, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>children and youth aged 19 or younger<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>adults with temporary immigration status<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>adults who fail to finish the identification at an ICBC driver licensing office<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>adults aged 75 or older.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"375\" height=\"235\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/non-photo-bc-id-card.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2926\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/non-photo-bc-id-card.png 375w, https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/non-photo-bc-id-card-300x188.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>image resource: gov.bc.ca<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no photo on this BC services card. For temporary permit holders below 19 years old, there is an MSP expiry date on the back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Minors cannot get the non-photo BC Services Card at the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) driver licensing office. It would be automatically issued when the adult on the Health Insurance BC account asks it to do or applies for their own <strong>BC service card<\/strong> at an ICBC driver licensing office<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Combined <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/gov\/content\/governments\/government-id\/bc-services-card\/types-of-cards\/combined\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"\"><strong>BC Driver&#8217;s Licence and Services Card<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is a combination of a driver&#8217;s license and a BC services card. You can apply for it when:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>you are at least 19 years old.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>you have enrolled in MSP<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>you are eligible to apply for a driver&#8217;s license<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Please note that Enhanced Driver&#8217;s Licence (EDL) holders must not combine it with a <strong>BC service Card<\/strong>. Apply for a photo <strong>BC service card<\/strong> instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>FAQs:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Q: How much does it cost to apply for a <strong>BC ID card<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: It costs $35 and it should be paid at the ICBC offices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Q: How long does it take to receive my BCID?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: It takes 4-6 weeks to mail the card to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Q: Is a <strong>BC identity card<\/strong> mandatory?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: No, it aims to offer convenience to those who don\u2019t have a driver\u2019s license or are looking for a convenient government ID.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Q: Should I obtain a <strong>BC ID card<\/strong> if I just stay in BC temporarily?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: It&#8217;s optional, but please note that your work or study permit must have at least six months when applying for BCID.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Q: Will the <strong>BC ID card<\/strong> expire?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: Yes, it has a 5-year validity. You should renew it once it expires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you can see a <strong>BC ID card<\/strong> is a great invention for temporary residents. As an alternative to passports, this government-issued photo identification is quite easy to apply by taking the necessary documents to a driver&#8217;s licensing office after a <strong>BC ID appointment<\/strong>. If you already have a CareCard or are enrolled in MSP, a <strong>BC service card<\/strong> is also a good choice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Congratulations! You finally arrive in Canada and settle down for work, study or residence. In&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2927,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[398,2,52],"tags":[316],"class_list":["post-2902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-canada","category-how-to","category-id-card","tag-bc-id-card"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2902"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2902\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2928,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2902\/revisions\/2928"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipassportphotos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}