REAL ID requirements in Louisiana

What is a REAL ID?

The REAL ID is a new type of Identification that sets more secure standards for the Issue of new Identification cards in every State, like for example the driver´s license. These new cards will be necessary for official purposes, and the Federal agencies will be obligated to request it in case of a person accessing any Federal Facilities, entering Nuclear Power Plants or even for boarding a commercial aircraft around the States.

The deadline to fully cover the new Identification cards is set to October 2021, from that date, every State will have to start issuing the new REAL ID for all the legal residents in the States to allow them to move around the States in a commercial aircraft.

As we said before, the deadline to get your REAL ID is October 1st, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will only accept this new Identification cards and Driving licenses that comply with the REAL ID standards and given by a REAL ID compliant State. The Department of Homeland Security is working really hard to help and assist all the american territories for them to be able to issue the new REAL ID cards before October.

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.

There are some States that already have set security standards on their regular Id cards and that are still acceptable, like the Enhanced Drivers licenses issued in 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.

All new REAL ID cards are distinguished from the regular ones because they have one of the following marks:

If you are not sure that your ID card complies with the REAL ID, just make an appointment and ask your agency before risking yourself to being denied to entrance any facility or in case you need to fly around the States. In this last case, if you still do not have ready your REAL ID for October 1st, you can still travel around using your passport; the Transportation Security Administration website offers some other interested information you may check before your flight.

Who can apply for a REAL ID in Louisiana?

Every American citizen must have a REAL ID card or an Identification card that is compliant with the REAL ID model.

Some States regularly issue some identification cards to non citizens or immigrants with no documentation, in this scenario, the REAL ID allows this States to issue driver's licenses and IDs to this group of people, always with some different characteristics and or another color. If this is your situation and you want to check if there is a chance to get a REAL ID for yourself, we recommend you to visit the DHS website to check what are your options.

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.

The REAL ID Act has been modified with some additions to it, so if you are not sure you are entitled to have this Identification card, we recommend you to ask for assistance to you local State Agency or to visit the DHS website.

WHAT IF I HAVE A FLIGHT BOOKED?

Every person planning to fly around the States after October 1 2021, must keep in mind that a REAL ID will be mandatory to go through the checkpoint at the airport, if someone is not in possession of the new REAL ID, this person may be allowed to board and Aircraft by using the passport as an alternative way to be identified. Otherwise, if you plan to fly before this date, the DHS and the TSA will allow you to travel with all the current driver's license and identification cards issued by your State.

If you are travelling with a minor under 18 years of age, the REAL ID is not required, and a regular ID will be enough to cross the security checkpoint.

The REAL ID card does not replace a passport in any case, we have to leave clear that if you are travelling internationally, i.e into Canada or Mexico, or if you are boarding an international cruise, a passport will be the document to present as a valid identification. The REAL ID card can only be used to travel inside the United States, not to cross the border.

Non compliant States with 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.

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.

COMPLIANCE in Louisiana