REAL ID requirements in Minnesota

What is a REAL ID?

The REAL ID is a new type of Identification card that you will have to get before October 1st 2021. This card is issued with more secure standards in every State. You will need this new card when you need to identify yourself for official purposes, and the Federal agencies will be obligated to request it to you in case you need to access any Federal Facilities, enter Nuclear Power Plants or even if you are about to board a commercial aircraft around the States.

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.

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.

The REAL ID is not a national identification card, and it doesn't create a centralized federal database. We would like to leave clear that every State will keep issuing their own cards with its characteristics and will keep having their own records.

There are some Drivers licenses that are still acceptable, like the Enhanced Drivers licenses issued in Michigan, New York, Vermont, Minnesota 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.

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 IS ENTITLED TO HAVE THIS NEW REAL ID CARD in Minnesota?

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.

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.

Any person with an Employment Authorization Document can apply for a REAL ID card which will be temporary until its expiration date. (In this case you will also need to be in possession of a Social Security Number).

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.

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.

The REAL ID is not required by children under 18 years old travelling accompanied, in this case, a valid ID will be enough to cross the security at the airport.

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.

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:

One of the possible Options for you is to report your situation to the DHS: THere will be some States that already applied for an extension of time to comply with all this new security standards, that’s why, if you are not sure your State had been granted an extension, you can ask the DHS about the situation so they can help you and asses you ASAP.

You can apply for a regular ID card that does not comply with the REAL ID standards. If this becomes your case, you can make a good use of your ID, and it will be valid for certain purposes but NOT FOR OFFICIAL ONES. Check that your ID will have an inscription informing that the card is not valid for "Official purposes"), so in case you need to board an aircraft for a regional flight for example, you will have to bring your passport.

What is the Enhanced Driver's License:

These cards are acceptable as Border-crossing documents. Only the States of Washington, New York, Minnesota, Vermont and Michigan are the ones issuing this type of card. The Secretary of Homeland Security established this card as acceptable to enter the States by land and sea ports complying with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, this is because this particular card is issued in a secure process that includes new technologies like a Radio Frequency Identification Chip.

Compliance with the REAL ID in Minnesota