For NYC Residents - the NYC ID Card - link at bottom of post

I wrongly assumed this card was geared toward illegal immigrants only. It's actually for them and NYC residents in general and cardholders are entitled to some freebies e.g., free memberships in participating museums. The card is free for NYC residents who apply in the first year, and is good for 5 years - expiration date will be on the card. Since DiBlasio's admin. grossly underestimated how popular this card would be, you now need an appointment to apply for the card. I just went online and got an appointment in a couple of minutes.

This is the appointment scheduling routine: A dropdown menu shows the dozen or so sites where you go to apply for the card with required proof of residence (see website). Choose a site, then a date from what appears on the calendar when you click over to the right. The date shown is the first one available. You can choose that date or a later one. Then you choose an available time from another dropdown menu.

Tip - if you would prefer a date earlier than the one shown for your choice of location, don't finalize the appointment process but click on the dropdown menu again and choose somewhere else. An earlier one may be available at a different location. I first chose the Mid-Manhattan Library but the first date available was October 5. I tried two more times: the Flushing Library (first appt available Aug. 26) then LaGuardia CC - first date avail. in April. I decided that was good enouh and chose Sat. April 18. Then I got to choose from available times on that date starting with some time around 3:00 p.m.

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/index.page