- The Real ID Act was passed more than 10 years ago to crack down on fake IDs
- Stricter standards are soon to be required before state-issued IDs are provided
- Several states still haven’t been deemed as compliant with the new standards
Residents of some US states will soon require additional ID, such as passports, if they wish to embark on air travel – even if just domestically
They were previously allowed to use mere driving licences.
But residents of some US states will soon require additional ID, such as passports, if they wish to embark on air travel – even if just domestically.
That’s the new procedure on the horizon for people from states that have not yet introduced the standards required by the 2005 Real ID Act, which demands stricter regulations for state-issued IDs.
The states that haven’t yet fallen into line each now have a grace period of three months to meet the revised criteria.
This deadline expires on 22 January 2018.
Beyond then, travellers without ID risk being detained at airport security and prevented from boarding flights.
This includes both international and domestic journeys.
Those without passports can alternatively present green cards, border crossing cards or military IDs, which are similarly deemed Transportation Security Administration-approved forms of identification.
According to the Department of Homeland Security’s website, only 27 US states are currently listed as compliant of the Read ID Act.
Many are listed as being under review.
The legislation, which was established after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, makes it harder to obtain a driver’s license with counterfeit records.
This map issued by the TSA reveals which states are compliant with the new ID rules
According to the Department of Homeland Security’s website, only 27 US states are currently listed as compliant of the Read ID Act
US congress passed the act 10 years ago, but it wasn’t enforced until 2013.
By October 2020 the entire country will need to meet the revised standards, or face strict travel limitations.
The US Department of State recommends allowing up to six weeks for passports to be completed and returned, although people can pay for faster turn-around of 21 days.