REAL IDs will be a requirement in the coming years for air travel within the United States.
In the section https://accesolatino.org/licencias/ you can find important information on how to process licenses in the different states, which allow immigrants with or without documents to obtain driving licenses.
Surely you have noticed that a star appears in the upper right-hand side of your license, which means that star is that your license is a more secure version than the previous ones. The REAL ID Act requires states to issue identification cards that meet higher security standards.
Originally from October 1 of this year it would be mandatory to have a REAL ID in order to travel within the country. However, the period has been postponed until May 3, 2023 due to the current circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the issuance of IDs, as agencies have operated with fewer employees in the last year.
"All 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and four of the five US territories Covered by the REAL ID Act and related regulations now comply with REAL ID security standards and are issuing licenses for driver's and REAL ID compliant identification cards, "explained the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
To obtain an identification that meets the REAL ID requirements, it is necessary to present: 1) full legal name; 2) date of birth; 3) social security number; 4) two proofs of the main address; and 5) legal status.
However, DHS explains the following about REAL IDs for the undocumented: “REAL ID allows compliant states to issue driver's licenses and identity cards when the identity of the applicant cannot be guaranteed or when their presence is not determined. ”.
Another benefit of this license, in addition to national travel, is the possibility of re-entering the country at the maritime and land borders of Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean; in the case of these cards, they have the American flag in the lower right corner.
If you do not already have it, update it at your nearest DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles), and bring the documents that appear on each state page.
