Twenty years after Congress passed the REAL ID Act, and after numerous postponements, the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, will require travelers have an approved identification to board an airplane as of May 7.
Which means Wrangell residents who don’t have a REAL ID issued by the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles — the cards have a star in the upper-right corner of the license — are running out of time to get a new license.
People need to get to the DMV office in the Public Safety Building to fill out the forms and provide proof of residency to show they are eligible for the REAL ID, and they need to do it soon.
Though the federal government has extended the deadline multiple times since the first due date in 2008, TSA has said there will be no more extensions — May 7 is for real.
Travelers without a REAL ID can use their passport to get through TSA screening, or an enhanced security tribal photo ID, such as those issued by the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska will work too.
“Tlingit & Haida’s enhanced security features already meet the REAL ID standard,” according to the tribal organization’s website.
For people who need a state-issued REAL ID, the Wrangell office can only issue a temporary paper ID, explained Jayme Howell, who runs the office. “TSA does not accept those,” she said of the temporary “card.”
After completing the paperwork in Wrangell, applicants have to wait one to three weeks for their official card to arrive by mail. Applicants can track the status of their new card on the state DMV website, she said.
“Make sure you have all the documents needed,” Howell advised, noting that some people have had to return to the office multiple times to bring in the required paperwork.
Applicants for REAL ID need to bring in their passport or passport card, or a certified copy of their birth certificate issued by a government agency (not a hospital). They need to provide their Social Security number and also two documents that prove their residential address such as a utility bill, rental lease, mortgage or a bank statement.
The list of acceptable documents is available on the DMV website at dmv.alaska.gov, then click on the “Be REAL ID Ready” link.
The Wrangell DMV office is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday; no appointment needed. “It’s a walk-in,” Howell said.
The office is open Friday by appointment only, mostly to accommodate people who need a driver’s test, TSA Precheck services or other federal cards.
But if someone can’t get to the office to apply for REAL ID except on a Friday, Howell said she will try to accommodate them. The office phone is 907-874-3680.
Just don’t wait much longer. Activity has picked up in recent weeks as more people are coming in for their card, she said.
A REAL ID card costs $35, or $40 if the applicant is renewing their license at the same time, Howell said. The card is valid for eight years.
Travelers under age 18 do not need a REAL ID.
The Wrangell DMV office will be closed April 17-18, April 28 and April 30, according to its posting on Facebook.
Reader Comments(0)