As the May 7 deadline for the REAL ID requirement approaches, many Americans are exploring alternatives to meet the new identification standards for domestic air travel. Under this federal mandate, airline passengers must show a REAL ID-compliant identification to fly domestically. This simple requirement has sparked a firestorm of response from the public. Many have simply decided not to get the REAL ID, using their valid passports or awaiting the expiration of their current driver’s licenses instead.
Kelsey, of Bloomington, IL and Victoria, of Phoenix, AZ have a lot in common. Neither of them have a REAL ID, so we have planned their trips accordingly. As Kelsey noted, her journey will conclude before the August deadline. With no deadline to meet, she had no urgency to make a trip to her local DMV. She expressed, “I do not have a REAL ID yet because I have not made it to the DMV and our trip ends before May 7th, so I didn’t feel an urgency to do so.” ID renewal Kelsey looks to renew her ID when it expires in November.
Lisa from Oregon Another reader who has delayed getting a REAL ID, Lisa named financial reasons as her top reason. “It was a financial decision at this time,” she stated. Rather than getting a REAL ID, Lisa would rather travel with her valid passport. She remarked, “When I’m traveling later, I’ll have to bring my passport, and I may not want to do that for stateside travel.”
Like Lisa, millions of Americans are excited about the possibility of using passports as an alternative. Nick, another traveler, mentioned, “I travel with my passport, so I normally don’t even use my ID.” He further added, “I would love to look into [REAL ID] more. I don’t know enough about it.”
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has found that REAL ID costs can be wildly inconsistent. This distinction depends on if a given individual is a first-time applicant or renewing their current driver’s license. In some circumstances, the application fee is waived or lowered. There is a free senior citizen ID card available through California’s Department of Motor Vehicles for seniors 62 and older.
Acknowledging the convoluted REAL ID process, some states are working to ensure more accessible options. New Jersey recently created “emergency” appointments for those requiring a REAL ID. This announcement follows a major push by airlines to warn travelers well in advance of the new requirement. This proactive, creative initiative is aimed at reducing the cost burden on residents. It gives them more time to prepare their IDs ahead of the expected return of travel.
The switch to REAL IDs is not without challenges. Married women, for instance, have encountered obstacles in the application process because of mismatches in identification papers. Kelsey recounted her experience: “She didn’t have the REAL ID, so she had to go and see them [the DMV] and get the REAL ID, and it was about like a two-to-four-hour wait … It was in California.”
As Americans begin to prepare for the upcoming REAL ID deadline, they are still considering their options more than ever. Others only plan to replace IDs when their current ones run out. Still others are intentionally seizing upon other opportunities offered by their state’s alternatives.
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