If you’re considering air travel in the near future, you’ll want to know that the federal government has extended the Real IID deadline – again! The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended the requirement to have a Real ID as identification for domestic travel from October 1, 2021, to May 3, 2023. Due to the pandemic, many state driver’s license facilities are backlogged. DHS said this has “significantly limited states’ capacity to issue Real ID-compliant drivers licenses and identification cards.” The extended deadline will allow people who were not able to get a new compliant driver’s license due to COVID closure to be able to travel again.
Real ID and TSA Pre-Check are two of the 9/11 Commission’s travel safety recommendations to the federal government. Many US travelers use their driver’s licenses as their form of identification. To see if your state driver’s license or identification card is Real ID-compliant check if there is a gold star in the upper right-hand corner. Some state departments of motor vehicles confirm Real ID status online.
To get a Real ID-compliant state driver’s license, DHS requires applicants to provide documentation that shows their full legal name, their date of birth, their Social Security Number, two proofs of address of principal residence and lawful status. Each state may impose additional identification requirements.
According to the TSA website, all of these are Real ID travel-compliant:
TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States.
If you have a question about immigration, contact Mario Godoy and the immigration attorneys at Godoy Law Office at 630-912-0322.
AREAS WE SERVE: Godoy Law Office serves the entire Chicago, Illinois area including DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will, and Lake Counties
