Real ID: Married Women Beware!

donaldbuzz&minnie

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If you don't want to take your passport with you on every domestic flight after Oct 1, 2020, you will need to convert your driver's license to a Real ID. Then you can fly with just your license. This system will probably work well for most men, but many married women are going to be shut out of obtaining a Real ID.

In order to get a Real ID, you must bring a lot of official documentation proving who you are to your state's DMV. At least in my state, and I think in most, possibly all, the DMV will run the information on your documentation proving who you are through the Social Security Administration's database. If your identifying documents don't perfectly match Social Security's records, you will be denied a Real ID driver's license.

This system will work just fine for most men. They don't change their names when they get married. But for many women, this is going to be a big problem.

If Mary Jane Smith marries John Robert Doe, John's records throughout his life will probably remain consistent. He was, and always will be, John Robert Doe. He will get his Real ID with no issues as long as he brings in the required documents.

But if Mary Jane Smith Doe has some of her official documents (say a driver's license and passport) in the name of Mary Jane Doe, and her Social Security records are in the name of Mary Smith Doe, she will be denied a Real ID, no matter how much official documentation she brings to the DMV to prove who she is. Her choices will then be to travel with her passport for the rest of her life every time she flies domestically, or she can try to change her name with the SSA to Mary Jane Doe. Good luck with that, Mary. The SSA isn't known for perfectly handling important changes to their records, and it's pretty important that the records they keep are accurate because they involve withholding, Social Security, Medicare, etc. How many women are going to want to take that chance?

Some married women are going to be lucky to have consistent records. Millions aren't going to be that lucky. Apparently not one of the geniuses who created this law gave a moment's thought to solving a concern that potentially affects the female half of the US population. Sigh....
 
If you don't want to take your passport with you on every domestic flight after Oct 1, 2020, you will need to convert your driver's license to a Real ID. Then you can fly with just your license. This system will probably work well for most men, but many married women are going to be shut out of obtaining a Real ID.

In order to get a Real ID, you must bring a lot of official documentation proving who you are to your state's DMV. At least in my state, and I think in most, possibly all, the DMV will run the information on your documentation proving who you are through the Social Security Administration's database. If your identifying documents don't perfectly match Social Security's records, you will be denied a Real ID driver's license.

This system will work just fine for most men. They don't change their names when they get married. But for many women, this is going to be a big problem.

If Mary Jane Smith marries John Robert Doe, John's records throughout his life will probably remain consistent. He was, and always will be, John Robert Doe. He will get his Real ID with no issues as long as he brings in the required documents.

But if Mary Jane Smith Doe has some of her official documents (say a driver's license and passport) in the name of Mary Jane Doe, and her Social Security records are in the name of Mary Smith Doe, she will be denied a Real ID, no matter how much official documentation she brings to the DMV to prove who she is. Her choices will then be to travel with her passport for the rest of her life every time she flies domestically, or she can try to change her name with the SSA to Mary Jane Doe. Good luck with that, Mary. The SSA isn't known for perfectly handling important changes to their records, and it's pretty important that the records they keep are accurate because they involve withholding, Social Security, Medicare, etc. How many women are going to want to take that chance?

Some married women are going to be lucky to have consistent records. Millions aren't going to be that lucky. Apparently not one of the geniuses who created this law gave a moment's thought to solving a concern that potentially affects the female half of the US population. Sigh....
Who didn't change their name with the SSA when they got married (if they changed their name)?? If you don't have a SSA card with your legal name on it, that's on you.
 
Hmmm... I didn’t have any problem. But then, I was very careful to be consistent when changing my name so it was recorded the same way on all records. Your legal name should always be used in the same manner in official documentation. Sorry if yours wasn’t done that way.
 
If you don't want to take your passport with you on every domestic flight after Oct 1, 2020, you will need to convert your driver's license to a Real ID. Then you can fly with just your license. This system will probably work well for most men, but many married women are going to be shut out of obtaining a Real ID.

In order to get a Real ID, you must bring a lot of official documentation proving who you are to your state's DMV. At least in my state, and I think in most, possibly all, the DMV will run the information on your documentation proving who you are through the Social Security Administration's database. If your identifying documents don't perfectly match Social Security's records, you will be denied a Real ID driver's license.

This system will work just fine for most men. They don't change their names when they get married. But for many women, this is going to be a big problem.

If Mary Jane Smith marries John Robert Doe, John's records throughout his life will probably remain consistent. He was, and always will be, John Robert Doe. He will get his Real ID with no issues as long as he brings in the required documents.

But if Mary Jane Smith Doe has some of her official documents (say a driver's license and passport) in the name of Mary Jane Doe, and her Social Security records are in the name of Mary Smith Doe, she will be denied a Real ID, no matter how much official documentation she brings to the DMV to prove who she is. Her choices will then be to travel with her passport for the rest of her life every time she flies domestically, or she can try to change her name with the SSA to Mary Jane Doe. Good luck with that, Mary. The SSA isn't known for perfectly handling important changes to their records, and it's pretty important that the records they keep are accurate because they involve withholding, Social Security, Medicare, etc. How many women are going to want to take that chance?

Some married women are going to be lucky to have consistent records. Millions aren't going to be that lucky. Apparently not one of the geniuses who created this law gave a moment's thought to solving a concern that potentially affects the female half of the US population. Sigh....
Ha, I had that happen. I had a STACK of legitimate ID including my SS card and bills. Honestly didn’t think to bring my marriage license. I mean, I’ve had my married name longer than I had my maiden name, it didn’t even occur to me. So no Real ID for me because I’m too lazy to go back and do it.
 


I got married in 2004 (15 years on 7/31). When I went to get a new driver's license with my married name, the RMV told me I had to change it through social security first. I remember leaving the RMV and going to the social security office - updating my social security # and going back to the RMV for my license. I got a Real ID in Sept when I renewed my license - no issues at all. I did have to bring my marriage license that showed my name change and some other items. The form they sent said exactly what I needed to bring. There is no guess work from what I saw - bring these items and you get your real ID. It was not a big deal.
 
Hmmm... I didn’t have any problem. But then, I was very careful to be consistent when changing my name so it was recorded the same way on all records. Your legal name should always be used in the same manner in official documentation. Sorry if yours wasn’t done that way.
My legal name is consistent across the board but they wanted my marriage license. Didn’t matter how many forms of legal ID I had.
 
Thank you for the heads-up. All my records match, but my next license renewal won't be until after that date, so it's a good reminder to take my passport if I fly anywhere!
 


Who didn't change their name with the SSA when they got married (if they changed their name)?? If you don't have a SSA card with your legal name on it, that's on you.
As indicated, Mary did change her name with the SSA to Mary Smith Doe.
 
My legal name is consistent across the board but they wanted my marriage license. Didn’t matter how many forms of legal ID I had.

I didn’t get asked for the marriage license. Did you take a birth certificate or a passport? The passport would satisfy that criterion and never introduce the birth name, if all other documents matched the name on the passport.
 
I use my passport for official ID no matter where I am in the world.
Never changed my SS info when married which simplified life when I got a divorce.
My generation was one of the first to question the need to change a last name when married. Oh and don't you worry about it: the IRS can still find you one way or the other, LOL.
 
I didn’t get asked for the marriage license. Did you take a birth certificate or a passport? The passport would satisfy that criterion and never introduce the birth name, if all other documents matched the name on the passport.
I took my birth certificate, I don’t have a passport. I was told I needed the marriage license because my birth certificate has my maiden name on it. May have been that clerk. Who knows? After nearly 8 hours there I didn’t have the energy to argue. It wasn’t important. I was just doing it because it was suggested.
 
This subject was on .my local news today.

It's honestly another way to make money.

I can't wait to dredge up marriage license so I can show how my name changed.
 
I just renewed my license a couple of days ago, got the Enhanced and had no problem. I brought in all the necessary paperwork including my birth certificate and my marriage certificate.
All the info for NY residents is online. You go through a checklist of appropriate and needed ID documentation so you know exactly what to bring to DMV.
I don't really see the problem.
 
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This subject was on .my local news today.

It's honestly another way to make money.

I can't wait to dredge up marriage license so I can show how my name changed.

Real ID is free, there shouldn't be any added cost if you are renewing anyway.
 
Mary would need her birth certificate, marriage license and social security card plus 2 things proving she lives at the address given.
 
I had to take my marriage license for passport—both times actually since I am one of those let it expire and then can’t find old one passport renewal people. In 2009 CT (before Real ID) I had to show my current VA DL, SS card and marriage license. I also had to pay for a name change for my CT DL even though my VA DL (and TN DL before that) were in married name. This is nothing new for many forms of identification.

ETA spelling
 
When I got married, I changed the name on my social security card to [my first name, my maiden name, my husband's last name].

Essentially, I dropped my actual middle name, & my maiden name became my middle name.

So my official name now is [first name, maiden name, husband's last name].

However, while my social security card has all 3 names printed on it, I think my driver's license just has an initial for my middle name - the first letter of my maiden name which matches my social security card, except it's just an initial.

And, when I sign documents, I sign [first name, 1st initial of my maiden name, husband's last name].
 

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