There is a deadline to get a Actual ID Some people, just a week away, are wary of making changes, and others have already done so, and others regret their decision.
For many people across the country, the short answer is yes. Many states continue to provide unrealistic ID forms identification formats that can be obtained when someone needs to update their ID.
However, this comes with important precautions that begin on May 7th. Only the actual ID– Identification forms of identification are accepted for federal purposes such as boarding domestic flights and accessing federal facilities.
It has been 20 years since Congress passed the Actual Identity Act, and the state is required to implement certain minimum security standards for issuing IDs. The actual ID is not a national identification card, but an ID issued by the state in accordance with certain federal standards.
Do you really need a real ID? What the authorities say
The national deadline for actual ID implementation is May 7th. (Getty Images)
After a series of delays in the implementation of the law, Ministry of Homeland Security Under the Trump administration, it finally set deadlines for all adults traveling by plane or accessing federal facilities to obtain an actual ID-compliant identification card by May 7th.
Trump administration He argued that the deadline had already been delayed long enough, and that travelers had enough time to collect the necessary documents for more rigorously verified forms of identification.
However, while some critics argue that Real ID poses a risk to citizens’ privacy, some people on the left have argued for additional documents to obtain cards, presenting undue difficulties for certain demographics, such as poor and minorities.
It varies from state to state, but if someone with an actual ID regrets it, all they have to do is then choose another form of identification for the next update.
Do you need an actual ID in a hurry? Here are some alternative options besides DMV
It varies from state to state, but if someone with an actual ID regrets it, all they have to do is then choose another form of identification for the next update. (Getty)
but, Senior Researcher Simon Hankinson At Heritage Foundation, I explained to Fox News Digital that “the difference between the actual ID version and the unconnected version is not that big.”
Hankinson explained that in order to get the actual ID, all you need is an additional format of documents beyond what is normally required for the identification card.
“Try applying for your regular driver’s license. A proof of residence is required. I have invoices from the electrical and cable companies and birth certificates. Well, that’s what I give to me to get my regular ID, then to get my actual ID, I need to add my passport or Social Security card,” he said.
With this in mind, for many, the expected benefits of opting out of your actual ID are probably not worth the drawback.
“We’re simply not ready”: Actual ID rollouts can cause national headaches, state lawmakers warn
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, in Troy, New York, signs hanging in the Automobile Division offices, providing an overview of the documents needed to obtain your actual ID. (Jim Franco/Albany Times Union via Getty Images))
Meanwhile, Hankinson said the real ID benefits for national security are important.
He pointed out the attack on September 11, 2001. Al-Qaeda terrorists Those involved have a valid state license, which was accepted to board their flights.
“They wrote a report for the 911 committee. They realized they made one of many mistakes. One of the many loopholes was two hijackers, at least two hijackers who managed to get a driver’s license in California,” he said. “As a national security issue, you cannot go to another country and get a driver’s license with a zero ID. In other words, it doesn’t work that way. So I think it’s time for us to catch up. ”
In response to security and privacy concerns, Hankinson said the government must be kept at the highest standards to support citizen privacy. Still, he compared the reward scenarios of risks raised to the nuclear power and the state by real-life IDs.
USAID reportedly bankrolled al-Qaeda terrorists’ university tuition fees.
(After May 7th, unrealistic ID driver licenses will not be accepted for commercial air travel. Passports remain an option for those without actual ID status identification.)
“If that’s done right, you can reduce the risk and, like France, you can have 80% of your electricity from a nuclear power plant,” he said. “If you cut corners, take on the wrong person and take risks, you’ll become Chernobyl.”
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Overall, Hankinson said, “I think this really adds something troublesome, but it gives us a lot. ”
Morgan Phillips of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
