It has always been that you need a passport to travel internationally but effective Jan 22, 2018, passengers from specific states may be required to present a passport to pass through TSA airport security.
This is regarding the REAL ID act that has actually been around since 2005 and kept getting postponed later and later. Well this time, it’s for real and 2 dozen states are yet to update their state ID’s to comply with the ruling.
Because of this, residents in those states may need to present a valid passport instead of their non compliant Driver’s Licenses.
Which states are effected?
- Alaska
- California
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (got an extension until 10/10/18)
- New York
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- Washington
Residents of Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands could also be affected.
If your driver’s licenses are not compliant, these are the other acceptable forms of ID that will be accepted:
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. military ID (active duty or retired military and their dependents, and DoD civilians)
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- DHS-designated enhanced driver’s license
- Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- Transportation worker identification credential
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
My Vacation Lady always recommends having a current passport.
