Real ID requirements in effect today

[Kae]

In NJ we always had long waits and lines, and the dmv pretty much **** down for a year for COVID. It has NEVER been even remotely easy to get it in NJ where it took me an entire year to get an appointment for my regular license removed in 2021).

That's terrible. It's sad that in some states you have to go through hoops to get a License and some states the costs are crazy too.

 

[Skippy918]

In NJ we always had long waits and lines, and the dmv pretty much **** down for a year for COVID. It has NEVER been even remotely easy to get it in NJ where it took me an entire year to get an appointment for my regular license removed in 2021).

Texas has had long waits as well. I took my son for his permit last year and had to book his appt in December for May. It’s not uncommon to wait months for an appointment if you move here. Can’t really do walk in anywhere unless you go to a small town.

 

[bcla]

All the guides I see on how to spot them say to look for the word.

As far as requiring the same documentation I'd have to look up the 5 states that have them and if there are differing documentation requirements but for the point of the conversation that does not matter. It's not about not understanding what the person has to provide to obtain an enhanced DL/ID, it was about a rebuttal to "What drives me crazy are the reports that state that an Enhanced ID is not a Real ID."

The big difference is that Enhanced is only available to US nationals, while Real ID is available to anyone who can demonstrate legal status in the United States. International students, people on work visas, permanent residents, refugees, etc. can get a Real ID driver license or ID. That's the complaint in Washington state besides their rather high Enhanced fee ($16 a year). That's leaving out a lot of residents in a state with a lot of noncitizens (more than 15% of the population).

 

[mjkacmom]

Texas has had long waits as well. I took my son for his permit last year and had to book his appt in December for May. It’s not uncommon to wait months for an appointment if you move here. Can’t really do walk in anywhere unless you go to a small town.

I just checked online and it looks like there are appointments available starting the second week in august at some places here.

 

[lanejudy]

All the guides I see on how to spot them say to look for the word.


The big difference is that Enhanced is only available to US nationals, while Real ID is available to anyone who can demonstrate legal status in the United States. International students, people on work visas, permanent residents, refugees, etc. can get a Real ID driver license or ID. That's the complaint in Washington state besides their rather high Enhanced fee ($16 a year). That's leaving out a lot of residents in a state with a lot of noncitizens (more than 15% of the population).

The Enhanced Driver’s License is essentially a passport+DL. Why would any of those other groups expect to qualify? They should already have a passport from their home country.

 

[Buzz Rules]

The Enhanced Driver’s License is essentially a passport+DL. Why would any of those other groups expect to qualify? They should already have a passport from their home country.

This.

 

[EACarlson]

The Enhanced Driver’s License is essentially a passport+DL. Why would any of those other groups expect to qualify? They should already have a passport from their home country.

The complaint is that WA does not issue a Real ID compliant document that is not an enhanced DL or ID. So all of those groups have no way to get a compliant document.

 

[lanejudy]

The complaint is that WA does not issue a Real ID compliant document that is not an enhanced DL or ID. So all of those groups have no way to get a compliant document.

Except they can travel domestic US with their passport from their home country, right? Shouldn’t they have that with them anyway?

 

[EACarlson]

Except they can travel domestic US with their passport from their home country, right? Shouldn’t they have that with them anyway?

Green card holders are supposed to have their home country passports on them at all times? I've never heard that. Same with any legal residency. Refugees, many of them don't have a passport from their home country to bring. While I believe WA is within their rights to do so, I think they've made a mistake in not offering a REAL ID other than the Enhanced.

 

[bcla]

The Enhanced Driver’s License is essentially a passport+DL. Why would any of those other groups expect to qualify? They should already have a passport from their home country.

Because in every state with Real ID they would qualify for a Real ID driver license or non-DL ID. Not everyone has a valid passport. Often a refugee can't obtain a passport from the home country. And passports are a pain to handle and considerably more expensive. If they get wet, depending on what happens they can be considered damaged and thus invalid. I've gotten my driver license wet and all I needed to do was wipe it with a towel.

Why is it that taxpaying members of society can't obtain a driver license or ID from their state that they can use as ID for domestic travel? The same argument that they should just have a passport could be applied to US citizens. Why can't US citizens just get a passport if they want to fly or get into federal facilities?

Enhanced ID/DL was really meant for crossing the border and not to replace Real ID.

 

[bcla]

Green card holders are supposed to have their home country passports on them at all times? I've never heard that. Same with any legal residency. Refugees, many of them don't have a passport from their home country to bring. While I believe WA is within their rights to do so, I think they've made a mistake in not offering a REAL ID other than the Enhanced.

Adult permanent residents are supposed to have their green cards available at all times and that is always listed as a valid ID for Real ID compliant purposes. But obviously there are practical considerations like going swimming. And my understanding is that enforcement is rare.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg...3-title8-chap12-subchapII-partVII-sec1304.pdf​

(e) Personal possession of registration or receipt card; penalties​

​

Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.​

I actually know someone living in Washington state who was an H-1B holder. I'm pretty sure he had a Washington driver license although I'm not sure if he kept a valid passport at all times. There would be for leaving the United States and returning. As far as I can tell, there's no legal requirement to have a valid passport when in the United States. He used his driver license at airports and for visits to federal offices (like USCIS). He's a permanent resident now, so he could use his green card.

But yeah - I don't see the rationale for asserting that somehow this is fair to noncitizens living in Washington state. Why is it that they won't do something that almost every other state has done, while couching it by saying Enhanced is an option when it's way more expensive and unavailable to more than 15% of their population?