Why do the REAL ID standards and national passport cards exist? Don’t they fundamentally perform the same function?
Yes.
Heads up for Americans, a US passport card satisfies the air travel requirement, but only domestically. You still need the actual book to fly internationally.
And that includes to Canada.
And Mexico, but land and sea only. Air travel to either requires the book.
I have a passport. I’m not concerned about a real id.
That’s my opinion… I’m not going out of my way to get a real id when my passport works fine.
You don’t have a driver’s license?
I have one that doesn’t expire for a few years. And the requirement to get a real ID is more work than just grabbing my passport.
I don’t understand why if I can fly with my passport, I cannot get a real ID with my passport
In my state, you can get real id driver’s license or regular. I have the habit of not renewing mine until after its expired and I have a trip with a rental car coming up. I end up needing license right now so can’t afford to wait for real id.
In Texas, if you have renewed or applied for a new Drivers License after October 10th, 2016 it is a Real ID. To check look at your DL, on the top right side there should be a white star in a gold circle.
Edit: added October 10th
PA we had an option to get a RealD but you could only go to particular DMV locations and you had to bring 3x the paperwork.
Passport. You need a passport to fly domestically. The End.
Which includes the far more convenient passport cards. Don’t even have to bring the book.
Not sure how they’re handling this in other states, but here in WA, to get a Real ID compliant driver’s license you have to pay $116 for the first 5 years. I think it’s a bit less to renew once you’ve been through the application process. Or I can pay $130 to get my passport renewed and it’s good for 10 years. That covers both domestic and international flights. So I don’t really see the point of also getting a Real ID if you already have a passport. And honestly, even if you don’t plan to travel international any time soon, the passport is probably still a better deal in the long run.
I only had to pay $14 here in WA. maybe it’s different depending?
Are you sure that’s an Enhanced Driver’s License (EID)? That sounds like the standard renewal fee for a regular driver’s license, which doesn’t meet the Real ID requirements. To get the EID you have to go through a whole different application process that requires proof of citizenship. You can find the fee schedule here: https://dol.wa.gov/id-cards/enhanced-id-card-eid/get-enhanced-id-card-eid
Those fees are in addition to the normal driver’s license fees.
Not if the airline industry collapses first!
