The United States Department of Homeland Security, DHS, has announced that beginning Wednesday, May 7, many American citizens and residents will need a new form of identification to board domestic flights.
Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary, made the announcement on Tuesday during a House Appropriations Committee hearing.
“We will make sure it’s as seamless as possible”;, he said.
The DHS said air travelers without REAL ID would face extra screening starting from Wednesday.
This indicates that citizens and residents will no longer be able to use a standard driver’s license or state ID to board domestic flights.
The new Real ID, according to BBC, is a federally compliant DMV-issued license that meets the security standards set forth by the 2005 Real ID Act.
According to BBC news, the United States government is implementing a major change to its air travel policy that has been nearly 20 years in the making.
