Yes, New Mexico is a state. NM couple asked for passport when applying for marriage license

Employee told couple 'We cannot accept international driver's licenses'

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A New Mexico couple says they were nearly denied a marriage license in our nation's capital last week because the employees at the Washington D.C. Marriage Bureau didn't realize New Mexico was a state.

"You know you are from flyover country when you are applying for a marriage license, give them your New Mexico driver's license, and they come back and say "My supervisor says we cannot accept international driver's licenses. Do you have a New Mexico passport?'" Gavin Clarkson posted on his Facebook page.

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Clarkson said the employee checked with the supervisor twice about the issue.

"The most hilarious part was when the clerk complemented (SIC) me on my English," Clarkson posted.

Some of his fellow New Mexico residents commented on the post said they have had similar experiences of store employees refusing to accept "foreign" credit cards and checks.

The couple was eventually granted a license and were married several days later.

The Las Cruces Sun News contacted the D.C. courts system and was given the following statement in an email from Leah H. Gurowitz, the director of media and public relations for D.C. courts:

"We understand that a clerk in our Marriage Bureau made a mistake regarding New Mexico's 106-year history as a state. We very much regret the error and the slight delay it caused a New Mexico resident in applying for a DC marriage license."

 

You know you are from flyover country when you are applying for a marriage license, give them your New Mexico driver's...

Posted by Gavin Clarkson on Tuesday, November 20, 2018

About the Author:

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.