REAL ID requirements in Vermont

WHAT IS THE REAL ID, AND WHEN IS MY DEADLINE TO GET MINE in Vermont?

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 get your REAL ID card is set to October 1st 2021, by this time it is set that all the different States will be issuing them, and every legal resident in the United States would have to have 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.

Please bear in mind that the REAL ID is not the same for all States, this doesn’t mean that from now the ID card will be a National one for all americans, this actually means that all States will keep using their own cards and keeping their own records, but now with the REAL ID, the security of the card will be improved.

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 Vermont?

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.

You may find that some States can issue some identification cards to non citizens or Undocumented immigrants,if this is your case, the REAL ID allows some States to issue driver's licenses and IDs for you, always with some different characteristics and or another color. If you want to check if there is a chance for you 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?

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.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY STATE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REAL ID STANDARDS?

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:

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 Vermont