Latest news with #RealIDActof
San Francisco Chronicle
08-05-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Real ID is finally required to fly. Here's how SFO is faring
Impatient travelers lined up Wednesday morning outside the United Airlines checkpoint at San Francisco International Airport, where crews had posted signs everywhere, warning that a key deadline had arrived. Starting Wednesday, federal officials require travelers to have security-enhanced Real IDs to board flights or enter certain government buildings. The change provoked widespread consternation, exacerbated after U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem told a Congressional panel that people without Real IDs would still be allowed to fly. But the first day of enforcement unfolded with relative ease. 'So far so good,' said Scott Brown, who had a Real ID in his wallet and planned to fly to Oklahoma that afternoon. 'No hassle,' Brown continued. 'No disruptions. It's not that busy.' Airport staff had done everything, it seemed, to convey the message. Real ID notifications winked from banners on the SFO website, and from digital screens throughout the terminals. Passengers who spoke with the Chronicle said they were ready, and brandished their identification cards, with an official Real ID star in the upper right hand corner, to prove it. 'Yes, I have my Real ID,' Matthew Ponce de Leon said, rummaging through his bag outside a checkpoint. He expressed surprise that everything had gone smoothly up to that point, though he was running late for a flight to Los Angeles. A few people stared at the Real ID signs with befuddled expressions. Some fished through their pockets as though to look for a card. Many carried passports, which under the Real ID Act are an acceptable alternative. 'I'm expecting really long security lines,' said Monica Naranjo, who sat on a bench propping her injured leg while she waited for a wheelchair. Though Naranjo has her Real ID, she anticipated that others would blow off the mandate. She got to the airport 2½ hours early. The law had a stumbling rollout. Many people had no idea how to interpret Noem's remarks, which suggested that the U.S. government might be waffling on its deadline, 20 years after passing the Real ID Act of 2005. By Wednesday morning, however, the Transportation Security Administration had devised a process for people who showed up without compliant identification. TSA agents handed these violators a red quarter-page flier with a QR code that explained the Real ID law. Authorities picked people at random for additional screenings. 'We're not turning anyone away,' said Lorie Dankers, a TSA spokesperson who observed the first day of enforcement at Los Angeles International Airport. 'I've seen an extremely high rate of compliance,' she said. 'I saw passports, I saw military IDs.' Staff at SFO who spoke with the Chronicle said they aim to wean people off of regular California IDs and driver's licenses, though no one had a timeline for harsher enforcement. Like Naranjo, other SFO travelers budgeted extra time on Wednesday, bracing for chaos that ultimately did not happen. Even so, tension was palpable on a San Francisco Airport-bound BART train that passed through Berkeley shortly after 9 a.m. Passengers gripped the handles of their roller suitcases and nervously checked their phones. Susan and Richard Landon boarded with their luggage in tow, four hours ahead of their scheduled flight to Connecticut. The pair said they had obtained Real IDs a long time ago and carried their passports on Wednesday as a backup. They didn't want to take any risks. 'I expect there's going to be confusion,' Susan said. 'Maybe they're going to shovel people off to the side,' she added, referring to those who would arrive without federally compliant identification. Yet, when they walked into Terminal 3, all appeared quiet.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Real ID two-month warning: What are the requirements and how to get one in Tennessee as deadline looms
Time is running out to get your Real ID; just two months are left before the long-delayed deadline arrives. Beginning May 7, 2025, everyone will need to have a Real ID or another approved federally-issued ID to board commercial flights, or to enter certain federal buildings, military bases or nuclear power plants within the United States. Here's what you need to know about the identification cards, including how to get yours - if you haven't already - so you don't miss your next flight. Real IDs are not a new idea. In fact, the idea been around for at least 20 years. The official concept of a Real ID was established by the Real ID Act of 2005. Since then, the enforcement deadline for Real IDs has been kicked down the road for decades, leading us to the May 2025 date when Real ID requirements actually go into effect. A Real ID is a driver's license or state-issued identification card denoted by a small star in the top right-hand corner. These cards have enhanced security standards including anti-counterfeiting technology, to prevent insider fraud, and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a person is who they claim to be, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Real IDs are issued in Tennessee and all other U.S. states, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. No, Real IDs are not mandatory unless you plan to take a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Tennessee drivers still can opt to get a traditional driver's license or ID with fewer required documents. However, the Real ID and normal driver's license cost exactly the same. Anyone age 18 or older will need a Real ID to get on a commercial flight starting in May. In order to get your Real ID in Tennessee, you'll need to present proof of citizenship or legal presence, proof of your Social Security number and two proofs of Tennessee residency. Anyone who has changed their name must provide certified legal documents supporting the name change. There are many different documents that could fulfill the requirements of proof of U.S. citizenship and/or Tennessee residency. A full list of acceptable documents to bring is available at Knox County Clerk Cedar Bluff Office, 1028 Old Cedar Bluff Road, Knoxville, open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday Knox County Clerk Downtown Office, 300 W. Main Street, Room 219, Knoxville, open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday Knox County Clerk East Town Office, 4734 Centerline Drive, Knoxville, open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday Knox County Clerk Halls Office, Crossroads Center, 7326 Norris Freeway, Knoxville, open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday Knoxville/Strawberry Plains Driver Services Center, 7320 Region Lane, Knoxville, TN 37914, open 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday Knoxville/Gore Road Driver Services and Reinstatement Center, 209 Gore Road, Knoxville, TN 37919, open 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday University of Tennessee Campus Kiosk, 1600 Phillip Fulmer Way, Knoxville, TN 37916, open 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday Find more locations and information at the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security website. Getting a Real ID costs around $28, the same rate as that of a standard Tennessee driver's license or photo ID. No, A Real ID will meet the identification requirement for voting, but voters also can use a standard state-issued driver's license or ID card to cast their ballots in Tennessee or any other state. Similarly, the traditional, non-Real-ID license or ID still will be accepted for purchasing alcohol or tobacco, applying for federal benefits or accessing hospitals, post offices, banks and federal courts, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Securitysaid in a news release. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How to get a Real ID in Tennessee? Consider this a two-month warning
