Remember when government bureaucrats threatened if you didn’t pay a fee and switch to a “REAL ID” compliant driver’s license you wouldn’t be able to board your flight?
Well – the “looming deadline” which was extended to May 2023 has been extended yet again.
And if you’re wondering how long you have to be a “good citizen” and get your REAL ID – here’s everything you need to know.
To start – the goalpost has been moved quite a few times.
After 9/11 – Congress went into high alert and passed a bunch of regulations to make travel “safer.”
Of course – we know having the TSA snatch our bottle of water or tube of toothpaste does nothing to stop terrorists.
Neither do excessive patdowns or continued face identification systems which erode our civil liberties and privacy.
But… bureaucrats are going to do what they are going to.
And now they think forcing all Americans to comply with the REAL ID Act will make flying safer – even though the REAL ID Act passed in 2005… and it’s been over 15 years since Americans continue to fly with their regular driver’s license with no problems.
So what’s so special about this new ID?
The Department of Homeland Security claims the REAL ID Act “Establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. Security standards include incorporating anti-counterfeiting technology, preventing insider fraud, and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a person is who they claim to be.”
Ha!
The irony is – travelers can still get “gender neutral” U.S. passports under President Biden… meaning a biological male can travel under the guise of a “female” if he desires.
But the “REAL ID” is supposed to keep us safe?
Not likely.
And the amount of paperwork needed to get this ID is insane – and a massive headache.
As Proud American Traveler writer Kirsten Kameron reported years ago – it’s especially difficult for ladies who have been married or divorced.
Kameron wrote:
“And this one’s for us, ladies — as if this wasn’t already enough of a pain. If you’re married, you’ll need a copy of your marriage certificate to prove you took your hubby’s name.
If you’re divorced and keep your ex-husband’s name, you’ll need your marriage certificate and your divorce papers.
And if you’re divorced and remarried, like yours truly, you’ll need those plus your second marriage certificate to prove you went from your maiden name to Hubby #1’s name to Hubby #2’s name.
Basically, proof of any name change over the course of your life is required. This will be bad news for those Hollywood celebs with five or six marriages under their belts.”
However – love it or hate it – this is going to be the new norm if you want to travel domestically and show your driver’s license to board your flight.
COVID-19 pushed back the deadline again and again – and while it was set for May 2023 – it looks like we all have another 2 years to comply.
The New York Times reported:
“The 2005 Real ID Act, which mandates that U.S. travelers must carry more than a standard driver’s license to board a domestic flight, was set to go into effect on May 3, 2023.
But on Monday, after some 15 years of delays, the Department of Homeland Security pushed the deadline for enforcement by an additional 24 months.
Travelers now have until May 7, 2025, to update their documents.”
So rest assured fellow traveler, if you’ve been protesting the economic and privacy disaster of the REAL ID putting you into yet another database – you’ve still got two more years.
What are your thoughts on the REAL ID?
Do you think it’s a bad idea?
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