REAL ID requirements in Kansas

What is a REAL ID?

From the last quarter of this year, every State will have to start issuing a new identification card called REAL ID, which is a new type of identification with more secure standards on its issue process. Whenever a person needs to identify him/herself with official purposes, like i.e. if someone needs to enter a federal facility, board a commercial aircraft or enter a Nuclear power plant, he or she will have to present a REAL ID card.

The deadline to get your brand new REAL ID card is the first of October 2021, it is set that by this time, all the different States will be able to issue them. If you are an american citizen or an american legal resident, you will have to apply for this new type of identification to be able to move around the United States.

Please bear in mind that from October 1st, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will only accept the Identification cards and Driving licenses that comply with the REAL ID standards and are issued by a REAL ID compliant State. The Department of Homeland Security is working really hard to help and assist all the different territories for them to be able to issue the new REAL ID cards by the deadline.

These new REAL ID cards are not a national identification card, and in any case create a centralized federal database. You will have to know clearly that every State will keep issuing their own cards with their own characteristics and will keep having their own records.

In some States, the security Standards are already set up to the REAL ID ones, so in this States, the card issue will work as a REAL ID. These States are: New York, Vermont, Minnesota, Michigan and Washington.

The process to obtaining your REAL ID is very similar to the one you go through when applying to a regular ID, in most of the States you will have to make an appointment and present enough evidence of your american citizenship or legal residence in america, apart from the documentation with your full name, date of birth, Social Security Number, address and legal Status.

If your card has one of the following marks (Check Image below), it may comply with the REAL ID standards, but if you are not sure that your ID is compliant with the REAL ID Identification card please look for assistance.

Keep in mind that, if you have any doubts it is better to ask your State agency than to risk yourself having any problem because of not having a Valid ID.

In the case you need to travel, The Transportation Security Administration also accepts other identification documents, like the passport for example, but we recommend you that just to be sure, before you have to use your ID visit the TSA website to check your valid options.

Who can apply for a REAL ID in Kansas?

These REAL ID cards are designed to improve the way Every American citizen is identified. All american people must have a REAL ID card or an Identification card.

The Department of Homeland Security, in some cases, will allow some Special REAL IDs to non citizens or immigrants with no documentation, always with the difference that these cards will be marked with some other characteristics, symbols or color. If you are interested in this kind of cards, please visit the DHS website to check if you are allowed to apply for one of these REAL ID cards.

The REAL ID card can also be requested for those people who have an Employment Authorization Document and a Social Security NUmber. These kinds of cards are temporary, and expire when the EAD expires.

There are a lot of different scenarios that can ar cannot apply for a person to be able to request a REAL ID, to be sure of your options, we recommend you to ask for assistance to your local state agency or to visit the DHS website.

Flying in a commercial aircraft after/before October 1st 2021.

ccording to the DHS and TSA, before October 1st, all American citizens and residents will be allowed to board a flight with their current ID card or driver's license. After October 1st 2021, if you plan to fight and you don't have a passport (which may be another valid way to identify yourself to the authorities), keep in mind that the boarding will be denied and you will not be able to pass through the checkpoint at the airport, as the regular ID card will not longer be accepted and a REAL ID will be mandatory to be able to board.

If you are travelling with children under 18 years of age, The REAL ID is not required, in this case, the minor current ID will be enough to cross the security at the airport.

Please bear in mind that the REAL ID does not allow people to cross the border into Canada or Mexico, nor even to travel in an International cruise, a passport instead will be the necessary document to make this international travel. REAL ID will be only used in this case to travel around the United States.

WHAT OPTION DO I HAVE IF MY STATE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REAL ID?

In the case you find out that by the time when October comes your States does not issue this new type of identification, you will have two options:

Report the situation to the DHS - In some scenarios there is the possibility that the jurisdiction will be granted with an extension, in which case the DHS will closely work with their officials to comply with this new rule ASAP.

You can apply for a regular ID, the one can be used for certain purposes except for the official ones. In this case, your ID will have some inscription establishing that your ID "Is not valid for official purposes", so it will have to be replaced in some cases for example by the passport.

The Enhanced Driver's License:

If you live in New York, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan or Vermont, you may already have your enhanced driver's license. These kinds of cards are acceptable as Border-crossing documents and are only issued by the States of Washington, New York, Minnesota, Vermont and Michigan. The Secretary of Homeland Security established these cards as acceptable to enter the States by land and sea ports complying with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, this is due to the fact that this particular card is issued in a secure process, like the REAL ID ones, and that includes new technologies like a Radio Frequency Identification Chip.

REAL ID COMPLIANCE in Kansas