New Drivers Licenses Required For Air Travel

[Keith1010]

I know this has been discussed previously on this board but wanted to post a recent article from the New York Time on the subject.  It is relevant to those in the USA.

Hopefully most will be able to open this.  A few won't be able to.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/travel/real-id-license.html

 

My former license didn't come up for renewal until after this goes into effect on 10/1/20.   My city notified me and I gave me the option to renew quite early and the new license would

not expire any earlier than if I renewed it close to the former expiration date so I did that and have in hand the new license which compiles with the new rules.

 

Keith

 

 

[dogs4fun]

5 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

My former license didn't come up for renewal until after this goes into effect on 10/1/20.

Same here - I will use my passport for flights and renew license when it expires.

Edited October 6, 2019 by dogs4fun

[CruiserBruce]

Keith...your city issues driver's licenses?

[GeezerCouple]

For those with passports, isn't this a bit of a non-issue?

 

Our state will still allow "regular" drivers licenses, which does not require the same documentation or in-person visit.

 

Is there anything that the new REAL ID licenses allows where a passport would not suffice?

 

GC

[the mice]

Recently got mine - in NYS I got the Enhanced (paid $35 and they scan your passport) which allows entry into Canada without a passport - since we can drive into Canada, this is a lot easier, esp. since we have the "fat" passports with the extra pages.   My DH's comes up for renewal in March, so he will do the same.  

[thinfool]

3 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

Is there anything that the new REAL ID licenses allows where a passport would not suffice?

 

GC

"We're leaving for Minneapolis (or LA, NYC, etc) and I don't remember where I put the passports...in a safe place for sure, but no time to find them....oh, wait...I have my RealID drivers license, so I can get on the plane!  Whew!"

[TruckerDave]

1 hour ago, GeezerCouple said:

For those with passports, isn't this a bit of a non-issue?

 

Our state will still allow "regular" drivers licenses, which does not require the same documentation or in-person visit.

 

Is there anything that the new REAL ID licenses allows where a passport would not suffice?

 

GC

Correct, if you have a passport, passport card or Global entry card this is a NON ISSUE for flying domestically (USA).

 

[GeezerCouple]

4 minutes ago, TruckerDave said:

Correct, if you have a passport, passport card or Global entry card this is a NON ISSUE for flying domestically (USA).

 

 

But is there some sort of problem having a passport and not a Real ID for flying internationally!?

What would that problem be?

 

I'm still not sure why I need to dredge up some of those very old docs, or write to courthouses across the country to get a copy  of something from 50 years ago.  DH had enough aggravation getting his Real ID docs together, and mine would be more difficult.

 

Given there will still be a regular DL, why bother?

 

As for "where are the passports!??", I travel more by air internationally than domestically these days, and most of the domestic flights are to connect to an international flight anyway.  Back when I traveled a lot for business, that wasn't the case, but now it definitely is.

So those passports are always in a very easy to locate and frequently used place.

 

Am I missing something about why I should bother with a Real ID DL?

 

GC

[Shorex]

Totally personal choice. For domestic travel, I choose to use my real ID drivers license and leave the passport at home. Others choose differently. It matters not to me what others do.

[hallux]

If I'm flying domestically and staying within the US I'd rather just have my Enhanced DL with me than risk losing my passport somewhere along the way.  Though it seems like the lines are blurring more and more, including the cost to replace which was a bigger factor.

 

I had the EDL before I got my passport (which I've had for about 6 years now), when I renewed the EDL last I just got the same...

[slidergirl]

If you want to travel domestically with your passport, you are OK to have the non-REAL ID license.   

 

There is another piece of the REAL ID puzzle that no one has mentioned.  I remember seeing that, if you want to enter any Federal facilities where they do id checks, like courthouses, you are going to have to have a REAL ID license or carry your passport, passport card, or GE card.  (I already carry my GE card as my form of ID everywhere).  It's not just for flying...

 

My state is going to send out new licenses to those of us who already submitted the necessary documents the last time we renewed - UT refused to do the "REAL ID" identifier, but they made the qualifications for a license the same as REAL ID (stupid anti-federal regulation white men in our legislature).  

[CruiserBruce]

Just did a 12 day land trip. Flew SFO-IAD, then train to NYC and BOS. Flew home from BOS. If this were after Oct 2020, why would I want to carry my passport for that trip? Why not a REAL ID DL, as you need a DL anyway for rental cars, and a form of ID for a number of other purposes.

 

Resisting getting a REAL ID (and then having to carry a passport even for a domestic flight) seems kind of silly. But it is personal choice to carry two forms of ID (passport and DL), when one would do just fine.

[purduemom1]

My question is: why is it necessary to provide so much documentation for aReal Id that isn’t also required in order to get a passport yet these two are interchangeable when flying ?

The state I live in has had one issue after another issuing  the Real Id. The DMV Is not adequately staffed to handle the additional requests.  Very difficult to get an appointment, confusion about the required documentation, delays in issuing the aReal Id, notifying some that the documentation that was initially accepted now doesn’t suffice which means another appointment and a long wait even with that appointment. Recently someone reported that they had the required certified copy of their birth certificate but  the DMV told them it was too old-they needed a more recent one! My DL expires next August and I am not looking forward to dealing with all of this. Neither do I want to carry my passport when traveling domestically or, as has been mentioned, accessing government buildings. 

[sumiandkage]

2 hours ago, purduemom1 said:

My question is: why is it necessary to provide so much documentation for aReal Id that isn’t also required in order to get a passport yet these two are interchangeable when flying ?

 

 

I suspect that it's because passports are inherently all-ages and it's not like a 3 year old child is going to have their name on the family water bill in order to prove they live where their parents claim the child lives.  If there was a way of forcing the same level of information in order to get a passport, some legislator or government entity would have likely tried for that too, never mind that one of the most common reasons to get a passport for the first time is a college kid doing a semester study abroad, and said college kid often doesn't really have a fixed address in a Real ID-compliant sense either. 

[hallux]

3 hours ago, purduemom1 said:

My question is: why is it necessary to provide so much documentation for aReal Id that isn’t also required in order to get a passport yet these two are interchangeable when flying ?

Maybe because the passport proves citizenship and the RealID proves residency?  The RealID (and EDL in addition to being a more basic proof of citizenship than a passport) asks for proof that you live where you say you live because it has your address on it.  The passport is not tied to your address, just your citizenship.

[CruiserBruce]

3 hours ago, purduemom1 said:

My question is: why is it necessary to provide so much documentation for aReal Id that isn’t also required in order to get a passport yet these two are interchangeable when flying ?

 

Couple of possible reasons. First, the passport rules are international law, not US.

 

Second, passport rules were made perhaps well over a century ago. REAL ID is far more recent, and perhaps created by a different agency, as opposed to the Passport Agency, which regulates passport issuance.

 

Does it matter? The rules are there.

[bbtondo]

"My question is: why is it necessary to provide so much documentation for aReal Id that isn’t also required in order to get a passport yet these two are interchangeable when flying ? "

 

Perhaps they are asking for more documentation for a Real Id for reasons other than airline travel.  One reason may be that the Real ID's are harder to fake which cuts down on people having fake driver's licenses.  Just a thought?

[purduemom1]

All good answers. Perhaps a passport should only be used to prove citizen ship when needed and the Real Id should be required in order to board all aircraft, domestic as well as international since it proves who we are. Perhaps this is yet to come? Just a thought. 

Edited October 7, 2019 by purduemom1

[FlyerTalker]

How about it all comes down to:

 

There are a number of different forms of identification that can be used to pass through TSA screening.

 

Use whichever one you feel most comfortable with, knowing that you have to use one of a limited number of choices.

[Keith1010]

Let me add some information.

 

All states will need to issue these by the new date.

 

My state has been issuing them for awhile now.  

 

In my state we alternate on renewal.  After you get your license for the first time where you go in person the next time you can renew on line and without taking a new eye test.  The following time you go in again.  We can renew our licenses on line starting one year before the expiration date of the license and the expiration date on the renewal will be based on when the expiration of the existing license comes up so no penalty there.

 

In my case since my expiration was coming up after this new requirement goes into affect I received notification that I could renew which was close to 18 months before the expiration of my drivers license so I went ahead it did it.  

 

CruiserBruce, it is a state license.  Sorry for any confusion.  The notification letter came from our state capital which happens to be in a city right near us so I accidentally said city.  Oops.  LOL.

 

All, my purpose of this was just to make you aware of this.  You certainly can use your passport (if you have one) as some people don't.  Or some had one and let it expire.  This is your personal choice.

 

Some of you might be in a situation like mine which was a no brainer.  I could renew on line.  There was no penalty for renewing as the expiration was the same.  With that said speaking for myself I would want the new drivers license regardless if there was some type of penalty because if I was flying domestically I would not care to carry my passport with me to use as proof at the airport.  

 

Again the choice is yours and really this was meant to be informational.

 

Keith

[waterbug123]

19 hours ago, thinfool said:

"We're leaving for Minneapolis (or LA, NYC, etc) and I don't remember where I put the passports...in a safe place for sure, but no time to find them....oh, wait...I have my RealID drivers license, so I can get on the plane!  Whew!"

 

That may be a problem for some people, but the issue of keeping up with your stuff is a separate issue from determining what is needed or what will work for airline embarkation/government building entry.

 

16 hours ago, Shorex said:

Totally personal choice. For domestic travel, I choose to use my real ID drivers license and leave the passport at home. Others choose differently. It matters not to me what others do.

 

A passport card, which is only a few dollars if ordered at the same time as a passport book, works well too as it can be carried inside a wallet the same as a drivers license.

 

15 hours ago, hallux said:

If I'm flying domestically and staying within the US I'd rather just have my Enhanced DL with me than risk losing my passport somewhere along the way. 

 

To each his own.  Chances are, if I lose my passport I don't need it the next day so the time to get a replacement is ok, whereas I drive almost every day and like knowing I can go straight to the DMV and get a replacment license on the spot if needed. 

 

14 hours ago, purduemom1 said:

My question is: why is it necessary to provide so much documentation for aReal Id that isn’t also required in order to get a passport yet these two are interchangeable when flying ?

 

 

Because a REAL ID is issued by the state, and your state wants to make sure you live where you say you live.  Hence, needing to prove street address residency.  A passport is much broader because you only prove that you are a US citizen; what state you live in and what street address you occupy is irrelevant for a passport so doesn't need to be proven.

[phillyguy31]

Just requested my RealID Friday, I don't truly don't see what all the fuss is about (except the extra cost). If you have a passport and a drivers license you are 1/2 way there. You need your Social Security card and proof you live where you say you live. The only additional documentation is if your names don't match on you documents and if that is the case you should have already corrected before now. FYI these are the requirements in PA, I can't speak for any other state.

[TruckerDave]

23 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

But is there some sort of problem having a passport and not a Real ID for flying internationally!?

What would that problem be?

 

I'm still not sure why I need to dredge up some of those very old docs, or write to courthouses across the country to get a copy  of something from 50 years ago.  DH had enough aggravation getting his Real ID docs together, and mine would be more difficult.

 

Given there will still be a regular DL, why bother?

 

As for "where are the passports!??", I travel more by air internationally than domestically these days, and most of the domestic flights are to connect to an international flight anyway.  Back when I traveled a lot for business, that wasn't the case, but now it definitely is.

So those passports are always in a very easy to locate and frequently used place.

 

Am I missing something about why I should bother with a Real ID DL?

 

GC

Nope, no issue at all.  Spain, Italy, Russia, Japan etc etc etc could not care any less if you have a Real ID......They (and the airline) only care about if you have a valid passport and any required visa's. 

[rkacruiser]

All of the previous posts provide very good information and reasons for why this new requirement is going to be in effect.

 

As a cynic of governmental regulations, proposing such a change and getting it improved helps to justify the continued employment of how many bureaucrats? 

[FlyerTalker]

21 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

As a cynic of governmental regulations, proposing such a change and getting it improved helps to justify the continued employment of how many bureaucrats? 

 

Not quite sure that it is an "improvement".

 

But it definitely has been approved.

 

🙂