Real IDs will be required for commercial air travel starting October 21st of this year. The deadline was extended due to the pandemic, but it is back on the calendar and many travelers will need to take action.
A Real ID can be a state Driver’s License that has enhanced security protocols so it is less likely to be counterfeit or copied. The Real ID can also be a passport, a DHS Trusted Traveler Card, or an Enhanced ID. Michigan residents who have an Enhanced ID, which allows travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean without a passport, do not need a new ID.
Real ID cards will be distinguished with a gold star in the upper right corner, although those issued before 2017 may not have the star, but are still valid. To get the Real ID, several documents will need to be brought to a Secretary of State Branch. A government-issued birth certificate with raised seal or stamp, a valid, unexpired U.S. passport, or an approved citizenship or legal presence document.
A Real ID will also be needed to enter federal facilities, nuclear power plants, and military bases.
For more information:
https://www.michigan.gov/SOS?fbclid=IwAR1cPin_wkZjQzG4xI-M8h9Rtyo3hC17kRRUHnbLDJ-Ry0vyATl3mKOG2DY
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
