ROANOKE, Va. – It’s been just over a month since the federal REAL ID deadline went into effect.
However, officials at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport say confusion has not yet cleared up. The airport continues to receive daily inquiries about the REAL ID and what counts as an acceptable form of identification.
Carter Langston, regional spokesperson for the TSA, stated, “REAL ID gives us much stronger security measures to know that the person standing in front of us is the person whose identified on that credential.”
While there is still room for improvement, the TSA reports that the majority of passengers are complying with the new requirements.
“At Roanoke, what we are seeing is that about 94 percent of the passengers we are seeing coming through do have the REAL ID or an acceptable alternative,” Langston added.
So, what are some of those alternatives? They include:
- REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
- State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) Adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint | Transportation Security Administration
The list of acceptable IDs is subject to change without notice.
Officials recommend double-checking identification requirements before traveling, especially with the busy summer season approaching.
“Summer travel season is expected to be a busy one, so we really do encourage that travelers who are planning trips during the summer go ahead and either get their REAL ID or be prepared to show up with an acceptable alternative form of ID, such as a passport,” Langston advised.
Passengers who possess the REAL ID have noted firsthand how being unprepared can impact their travel experience.
Asa Ruder, a flyer at ROA, remarked, “There were definitely people along the way who were getting pulled over. I know you have to do a little bit of extra screening if you don’t have the Real ID because I assume you don’t have the extra verification behind it, and that is definitely more of a hassle.”