Passports are a mainstay of proof of identity for global business travel, but fewer hold a passport than you may call up. For many people traveling inside the US on domestic flights they only need a valid driver's license for proof of identification. After all, not everyone travels internationally. If your employees only ever travel domestically, they may not take a passport and accept been using their driver'due south license to travel for business organisation. Upward until recently, that was non a problem. However, the rules of travel are changing, and a standard commuter's license will soon not be plenty for airport security checkpoints.

Here is what your employees need to know nigh the changes to the proof of identity and forms of identification requirements for domestic flights within the U.s..

The REAL ID Deed

In 2005, Congress passed a law called the REAL ID Act. It set forth a multifariousness of airport security measures that would be adopted as a minimum standard for country-issued identification, similar driver's licenses. Whereas previously people could travel on domestic flights inside the U.s. and its territories with only a commuter'south license or state-issued identification card, the new rules would require travelers have an ID that meets Existent ID standards.

The rollout of these security changes is incremental but significant. Travelers volition be required to accept a REAL ID driver's license for domestic travel past May 3, 2023 or another adequate form of ID.

Other adequate forms of ID include:

  • U.S. passport
  • U.S. passport card
  • DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
  • U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
  • Permanent resident carte du jour
  • Border crossing card
  • State-issued Enhanced Driver's License
  • Federally recognized, tribal-issued photograph ID
  • HSPD-12 PIV card
  • Strange government-issued passport
  • Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Diplomacy Canada carte du jour
  • Transportation worker identification credential
  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
  • U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
  • Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

Source

You May Already Be in Compliance

Some states became compliant with the REAL ID Act early on. "There are 23 states and territories that needn't worry — all are compliant with the REAL ID Act, which means that travelers can go on to use their licenses indefinitely," writes Conde Nast Traveler. States already in compliance include:

• Alabama
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• Ohio
• S Dakota
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Vermont
• Washington, D.C.
• Due west Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

In improver, Conde Nast goes on, "A number of other states and territories will have to alter their licenses to comply with the federal standards from the Real ID Act, but they have some time." Currently, there are 5 states or territories that are both non-compliant and have not received an extension:

• American Samoa
• Illinois
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Washington

Twenty-seven states and territories have received an extension in order to become compliant, meaning that travelers from these states have until at least January 22, 2018, to use their current state-issued driver's license or ID carte du jour.

Real IDs Look Different

One of the biggest changes is that the information featured on commuter's licenses and land-issued identification cards will become standardized. According to the Real ID Act, each Existent ID carte will need to listing the person'southward full proper noun, date of birth, gender, and principal residence. They will also demand to include a digital forepart-facing photograph, an identification number, and the person'south signature, in addition to security features, in order to forbid tampering or duplication. Compliant identification cards will need to include technology that makes the cards scannable.

REAL IDs too look different from traditional state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. In addition to list all the standardized information noted higher up, there volition be a star in the elevation corner of the identification card.

Alternatives to REAL IDs

While Real IDs volition get a standard in the United States, there are alternatives your employees can use until they receive their REAL IDs. "A number of other documents can too be used every bit a REAL ID. A valid U.S. passport book or passport carte du jour tin be used as Existent ID, as can valid passports from foreign countries," explains Passport Info. "Permanent Resident Cards, Trusted Traveler cards, and valid U.S. military IDs also count every bit a Existent ID." Again, these culling documents will allow your employees to travel domestically after the REAL ID requirement has gone into effect, just they are not a substitute. In add-on, Passport Info writes that "Enhanced Driver's Licenses, which demonstrate U.S. citizenship, can be used for REAL ID purposes."

In order to get ahead of the Department of Homeland Security and the necessary forms of identification to fly inside the United States, it'south recommended to check your passport'southward expiration appointment. If your passport is expired it will be considered non a valid passport and therefore will not be adequate proof of identification. Passports are proficient for 10 years, and so make certain your employees' passports are not expired. When you renew a passport, you volition need to fill up out a renewal form, obtain a new passport photograph from a certified passport photograph facility, and yous will need your most recent passport.

If y'all or an employee has never applied for a U.s.a. passport, they will have to supply a diversity of identity documents. To obtain a U.s.a. Passport you will need proof of identity and citizenship with a birth document, Document of Naturalization, or Certificate of Citizenship as well as present another accustomed form of ID.

Enhanced Driver'southward Licenses Are Non REAL IDs

Enhanced commuter's licenses (EDLs) are country-issued identification cards that are issued subsequently an all-encompassing process that includes collecting certain biometric information. In improver to interim equally a driver's license, EDLs permit travelers to visit neighboring strange countries, including Canada, Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean, as long as they are traveling through a sea or land port of entry. They include two unique security measures: a vicinity Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and a Auto Readable Zone (MRZ) or barcode that can exist scanned equally a backup to the RFID technology. EDLs are not Existent IDs. They cost more than Real IDs and are only available to people who are both licensed drivers and U.S. citizens.

Wait times for the DMV have increased with the high demand for travelers to upgrade their current valid commuter's license to a Existent ID driver's license.

New TSA ID travel regulations could cause serious problems for travelers in the coming years – but don't worry! There is plenty of fourth dimension to become prepared and to be certain that your business travel isn't afflicted by the new Existent ID standards.