Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says his office is stepping up efforts to ensure residents get a REAL ID-compliant ID before next year’s deadline, and acknowledged there are concerns about the slow pace of obtaining the cards.
In a wide-ranging interview with KeynoteUSA Chicago’s Kye Martin, Giannoulias said his office is working to ease the flood of applicants he expects to occur before next year’s May 7 deadline, but that progress has been slow.
“We feel pressure. “We are tremendously worried about what will happen next May, and that is why we are there now, a year in advance, trying to convince people of the importance of doing this before the last minute,” he said. Our facilities will become swollen and it will be a problem if people don’t come out and get their REAL ID.”
Giannoulias emphasized the need for compatible IDs to do things like travel domestically and enter courthouses and other public property.
“I don’t think the general population right now understands that on May 8 of next year you will not be able to board a domestic flight without a REAL ID or passport. It’s going to be a problem for us, a problem for TSA, and there will be a lot of upset travelers,” he said.
The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 after the release of the 9/11 Commission Report in an effort to increase the security of identification documents by making them more difficult to duplicate.
Next year, your old Illinois driver’s license won’t be enough to get you through TSA security at the airport. Instead, you will need what is called a REAL ID. KeynoteUSA Chicago’s Kye Martin reports.
Starting May 7, 2025, REAL ID-compliant identification will be required for residents planning to fly domestically. They will also be required when entering federal and state facilities, including courthouses and prisons. They will also be necessary to enter secure facilities such as nuclear power plants.
All residents over the age of 18 who intend to fly domestically or enter these types of facilities will be required to obtain REAL ID compliant cards.
A complete list of identification required for How to obtain a REAL ID can be found on the State of Illinois website. Cards can be obtained at Secretary of State offices, although many will require appointments to present the materials needed to obtain identification.
The cost of a REAL ID is the same as a standard license, according to officials.
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