Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you have surely heard that on May 7 the Real ID Act became official, a law that establishes that you will not be able to enter federal buildings or board domestic flights within the country unless you have this documentation, the Real ID, in order.
Although the regulation was approved in 2005 and finally imposed this month of May, there are still some who have not processed their Real ID. What happens for them? Easy, they will not be able to board national flights until they have it. But, is it because you have not had time to issue it? You are going to be in luck if the date passed you by, because the DMV itself will add several more dates so you can issue or renew your license and thus obtain a Real ID. We tell you everything below.
What is the Real ID?
The Real ID is a type of federal identification that meets the country’s security standards. It was thought up after the 9/11 attacks as a measure to prevent it from happening again, and it has taken more than twenty years to become official, but finally, here it is. You will not be able to access a federal building, flights, military bases, or carry out national security procedures unless you have one of these identifications.
How do I know if I have a Real ID?
This is the easiest part. Look closely at your driver’s license or your identification: if it has a star in the upper right corner, it is a Real ID. If it does not have it, run to your nearest DMV to request and renew it as soon as possible.
California for the most delayed
California will issue an extra day for the most delayed, on May 10 it opened its doors in 11 of its offices throughout the morning (from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM) for those who urgently needed to process their Real ID (of course, always by appointment).
Those offices were the following:
- Concord – 2070 Diamond Blvd.
- Fullerton – 909 W. Valencia Drive.
- Glendale – 1335 W. Glenoaks Blvd.
- Oakland – 5300 Claremont Ave.
- Poway – 13461 Community Road.
- Riverside East – 6425 Sycamore Canyon Blvd.
- Roseville – 7200 Galilee Road.
- San Clemente – 2727 Via Cascadita
- San José – 111 W. Alma Ave.
- Thousand Oaks – 1810 E. Avenida De Los Arboles
- West Covina – 800 S. Glendora Ave.
How do I make an appointment at my DMV?
Very easy, access the official DMV website of California and request your appointment.
What do I have to bring?
You will have to have three documents in order:
- A document that proves your identity as an American (a passport, birth certificate, or similar)
- Proof that you are a resident in the state of California (a utility bill, a rental contract…)
- Your Social Security number.
What is the Real ID Act?
The federal law approved in 2005 was a package of security measures that the government at that time imposed after the 2001 attacks, with the objective of establishing greater security measures for travellers, ensuring that the user’s residence and all their data are verified in several ways.
The change of law can be a bit chaotic at first, but we have to remember that they are doing it to make our country much safer, and above all, to reduce the number of document forgeries. Do not stay behind, it is better to have it as soon as possible and avoid future problems!