Want to be able to fly in the US after October 2020? You’ll need this ID, or a passport
REAL IDs, which will become one of the two forms of identification accepted in order to fly domestically, are now available from the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office.
The state put in these requirements in order to comply with a federal REAL ID law enacted in 2005.
When applying for a REAL ID, a person would need to bring several documents with them:
- One document proving identity such as a U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport, an employment authorization document, a permanent resident card or a foreign passport with an approved I-94 form. Name change documents, such as a marriage certificate, will be required if the applicant’s current name is different than the name that appears on the document used to prove identity.
- One document proving Social Security Number such as an SSN card, a W-2 or a pay stub with full social security number.
- Two documents proving residency with the applicant’s correct name and address such as a utility bill, rental agreement, deed/title or bank statement).
- One document proving signature such as a credit/debit card, a canceled check or a current Illinois driver’s license or ID.
“The federal government is saying ‘we want you to start from scratch and prove who you are,’” said Henry Haupt, a deputy press secretary for the Secretary of State’s Office.
The process while at the DMV will be longer than a standard ID because of the additional documentation required, Haupt said.
“We’re asking people to be patient, knowing that from other states where (REAL ID) has been launched, visits will be longer,” Haupt said.
Haupt added that in states with REAL ID already in place, 35 to 40 percent of people decided to make the switch from the standard ID.
Having a REAL ID is optional, Haupt said. People will have the option of a standard ID card. However, after Oct. 1, 2020, to be able to fly commercially, to go onto a military installation or other secure federal facility, people will need to present a REAL ID or a passport to go through security.
Also, those people who have driver’s licenses or ID cards that expire in more than a year, switching over to a REAL ID would cost $5.
Afterward the renewal fee for a REAL ID and a standards driver’s license will cost the same fee, which is $30.
Haupt added once you bring in the documents to obtain a REAL ID, the next time you renew, you won’t have to bring in the documents again.
Those who just want a standard ID can still bring in their current ID to the DMV and renew when their license expires.
As part of the state’s process of printing IDs through a central location, all people who go to a DMV to renew their licenses receive a paper version of their new ID and then receive their formal card in the mail within 15 business days.
The REAL IDs will have a gold star on them.
Standard IDs, that have not gone through the REAL process, now issued by the secretary of state will have the phrase “Federal Limits Apply.”
The secretary of state’s office reiterated there is no rush to update your ID cards because the federal government is accepting Illinois IDs until Oct. 1, 2020.
“I’m pleased to offer the REAL ID to Illinois residents who want one,” said Secretary of State Jess White in a news release. “I encourage residents to know their options and make the choice that is right for them by choosing between a standard driver’s license or ID card or a REAL ID card.”
The Secretary of State has set up a website to help people determine whether they need a REAL ID and what documents to bring to the drivers services office when applying for a REAL ID. For more information go to https://realid.ilsos.gov.
This story was originally published March 28, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
