Sixteen years after the initial deadline, Homeland Security announces that REAL ID will become mandatory next year. A REAL ID is a driver’s license that permits you to board domestic flights in the U.S.
To prepare, more people will need to visit the Secretary of State to obtain a REAL ID driver’s license. Alexi Giannoulias is launching a campaign to help people sign up.
Starting May 7, 2025, domestic travelers 18 and older must have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID card to board commercial flights. Alternatively, a U.S. passport, which is already REAL ID-compliant, will be accepted. A REAL ID will also be necessary to enter certain federal facilities like courthouses and military bases.
Applicants must apply for a REAL ID in person at an Illinois DMV, presenting either a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, Naturalization Certificate, Report of Birth Abroad, or Certificate of Citizenship. Non-U.S. citizens can use an employment authorization document, permanent resident card, or foreign passport with an approved I-94 form. Additionally, proof of a full Social Security number, two residency documents listing your full name, and proof of your signature are required.
The REAL ID deadline has been delayed multiple times, most recently in 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the state’s ability to issue licenses.
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