REAL ID requirements in West Virginia

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 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.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will give all States until October 1st 2021 to start to issue this new Identification cards according to the REAL ID standards, for that reason, the Department of Homeland Security is working really hard with all States to help them to comply the standards by the deadline.

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.

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.

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 West Virginia?

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

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 it to the DHS - THere is a lot of bureaucracy in this aspect, and the DHS has the last word. In some scenarios exists 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 in West Virginia