REAL ID requirements in South Carolina

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.

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 you are not sure that your ID is compliant with the REAL ID Identification card, you can check if your card has one of these 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 IS ENTITLED TO HAVE THIS NEW REAL ID CARD in South Carolina?

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.

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 have been some modifications and additions to the REAL ID Act, 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.

FLYING AROUND THE STATES AFTER/BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 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.

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.

Non compliant States with REAL ID.

There will be possible solutions for you if by the time October comes your State doesn’t comply with the Standards of the new REAL ID - Please bear in mind that all States are now working really closely with the DHS to issue REAL ID cards by the deadline.

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 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.

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 South Carolina