Pros and cons of having your doctoral degree on our ID

I did add the degree to the passport, and I can tell you that so far it only had disadvantages (though no severe ones).

1. I added my master degree, and did not need a new passport since. So now that I have my PhD, its not even accurate anymore.
2. In China, authorities looked at my passport and me very sceptically, when I did not add my degree to the train ticket, and thus the name differed between passport and ticket. They did not understand my explanation, but let me pass on the train anyway ;)
3. Most time I book a flight ticket, I can only select Mr/Mrs as title. So I have to think everytime, whether I should add the degree in the name field. Usually I don't do it, hence again the ticket and the passport show different names. It caused a strange look in America, but no serious problems.
4. My new colleagues (in a foreighn country) looked at me like i was crazy, when they saw it.

I have my “Dr.” degree in my German ID as well as in my passport. The process was very simple and I made these changes when I had to renew the documents anyway; therefore it did not mean any extra work for me.

(However, I do not have it on my doorbell or letterbox, since it might give potential burglars the wrong idea that I have many expensive things at home. I also wouldn’t like it if a sick person thinks that I would be a medical doctor and asks for help in the middle of the night.)

In my experience, it makes no significant difference whether you have it in your ID or not, neither in a positive nor in a negative way.

Typically, the degree can be noticed on international travels. Many employees working at a hotel reception, a car rental service, or an airline check-in (sometimes even on board a plane when you are flying in business or first class and the cabin crew has the time for such gimmicks) will happily address you with “Doctor”.

Passport checks by border officials have always been without any problems. In most cases, the officers don’t talk so much; thus, I don’t know if they even look at the degree in my passport. Only in one case upon leaving the Schengen Area in Frankfurt Airport, I was asked by a German Federal Police officer what kind of doctor I am (he seemed to be disappointed by my answer “chemistry”).

The only occasion when I had to explain that I am not a medical doctor was with locals in Tanzania. Nevertheless, they happily called my “Doctor” all the time.

In a professional setting where your degree would actually be relevant, you usually don’t have to show your ID. Therefore, the few people who might be genuinely interested in your qualifications don’t see it. You cannot use it to quietly remind contacts of your degree or to impress clients.

However, I sometimes have to visit nuclear facilities where I must hand over my ID at the entrance. The security guard is not really interested in my degree but uses a copy of my ID for a temporary visitor pass. This has to be signed by my contact in the facility, which gives that person the rare opportunity to actually see the degree in my ID.