Traveling without a real ID, especially on air travel, is possible, but you must have a few other documents to fulfill this need. According to the Real ID Act, which Congress passed in 2005, all passengers 18 years of age and above must carry Real IDs to travel within the US.
Suppose you need a Real ID. In that case, you must have proper alternative identification documents, including a state-issued passport, standard driver’s license, identification cards, permanent resident card, and other federal-approved documents. If you have any of these documents, you are good to go and can navigate the skies without a Real ID.
If you don’t have a Real ID, don’t worry—you can still travel. However, you need other alternative documents to fly domestically within the US. It is essential to travel with IDs, but this freedom of showing alternative documents, such as passports and military IDs, in case you don’t carry a Real ID, is constructive as your travel doesn’t get postponed. Several countries offer non-compliant IDs, but they are not valid for federal identification, especially air travel.
One should be adequately informed about their ID compliance status. For up-to-date information, check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or visit the Transportation Security Administration’s official website (TSA). Extensive screening and questioning are very typical for travelers who carry non-compliant IDs.
Can I Fly Without A Real ID In The US?
You can travel domestically within the US without a Real ID, but you must keep a few other documents to fulfill the requirements. The Real ID Act of 2005 allowed people 18 years of age and above to travel with proper Real IDs within the US. If people don’t have these IDs, they must carry other state-issued documents, including standard driver’s licenses and passports, to board the respective flight.
Even if you don’t have any Real ID, you can still fly domestically just by carrying an alternative identification ID, including a valid passport, passport card, DHS cards like NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST, and GLOBAL, US military ID, or an identification card issued by the airline under the TSA-approved security plan. All these are alternatives; you need a proper Transportation Security Administration (TSA) verification to board the aircraft.
Properly checking and verifying all these documents is crucial because every airline has different requirements. To meet those requirements, you should be very well aware of the verification requirements, which must be done with the prospective airline and the TSA before your travel date to avoid last-minute confusion.
If you don’t have any of the IDs mentioned above, you can still fly but need some non-compliant IDs that fulfill the requirements of the airliners and don’t breach the policies of the TSA. The boarding is not that in such a case, and you need to rough a lot of screening and multiple check-ins. It may result in delays; sometimes, the boarding gets canceled if you fail to meet the requirements. So, you should check your documents with the airlines and TSA beforehand.
Can I Fly To Florida And Puerto Rico Without A Real ID?
You can travel to Florida and Puerto Rico using a Real ID or any other approved Transportation Security Administration(TSA) document. Air travel within the United States is not that hectic as you can travel with valid Real IDs. If you don’t have these IDs, you can carry other TSA-approved alternatives, including US Military Cards, Standard Driver’s licenses, Permanent Resident Cards, US Passports, and DHS trusted traveler cards like PreCheck, NEXUS, and Global Entry Cards.
Suppose you don’t have any of the documents mentioned above. In that case, you must go through many screening processes before boarding a flight or showing additional identifications, which may sometimes result in delays and cancellations.
It is best to check all the airline requirements beforehand and visit the TSA’s modern website to avoid last-minute hassles, cancellations, or boarding delays.
Can I Fly Internationally Without A Real ID?
To travel internationally, you need a proper passport, and you won’t be allowed to board the aircraft with it. Real IDs are allowed when you want to travel domestically within the US. If you don’t have these IDs, you can still travel by carrying alternative forms of identification that fulfill the policies and requirements of the respective airline and Transportation Security Administration.
Real IDs are not accessible for international travel, so don’t get confused. Carry a government-issued passport, the most essential travel document, and bring your visa to fulfill your travel dreams.
In a nutshell, you can travel without Real ID, but only within the US. If you don’t have a Real ID, you can carry an alternative form of identification approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to travel. However, you must have a valid passport to fly internationally; the real IDs will not work here.
FAQs
Yes, you can fly without a Real ID only if you have other alternative forms of identification such as US Military IDs, valid passport, and DHS-approved cards like NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST, and GLOBAL.
Real IDs are a list of a few state-issued documents under the Real ID Act 2005 that allow people to travel domestically within the US. These IDs include Driver’s licenses, passports, etc.
The Real ID should include the following: Legal Name, Date of Birth, Security Number, Two Proofs of Address, and Legal Status.
Yes, you can fly without a Real ID in the US. You just need to carry an alternative form of identification like a valid passport, US Military ID, TSA, and airline-approved identification card, etc.
You need a valid passport to travel internationally, even with a Real ID. These IDs don’t play a huge role in international travel.
The cost may vary depending on where in the US you live, but the standard price of getting a Real ID is around $30.