I don’t have a passport, and I don’t really fly anymore. So I don’t really think I need it. If I had relatives at a distance where last-minute flying might come up, I guess I would. But I don’t.
A check of texas gov websites looks like there is no online access, but there may be a database of vital statistics. No, you couldn’t just go online and download birth certificates, for obvious security reasons. Obviously Texas was accessing something that told them I qualified for a real ID.
If it’s like here, the DMV has access to the vital statistics information. How much they can see i don’t know but when dealing with the kidlets driver’s license they were able to get online and tell me hat it had not shown US citizen on it yet even though she was the minute she touched down and the paperwork had been done.
2 Likes
I don’t get what the worry is. The government already has plenty of ways to keep tabs on us. This just makes it easier to make sure IDs are legit. The gov already can track you via your credit cards, taxes, state IDs, etc. And if your goal is to be off the grid then you probably avoid those too just like you’ll avoid the REAL ID.
Republican are totally infavor of pointless ID when it comes to voting but now not so much.
A REAL ID is required if you plan to fly domestically. If you have a valid passport, then a REAL ID is not required to fly domestically.
My license expired at the end of October and was notified by the DMV in July about the REAL ID. I do have a passport, but opted on getting the REAL ID too. My passport expired this month, so the renewal process requires you to send in your passport along with required paperwork, which I did on Feb 5.
Now if an emergency happens where I need to fly somewhere in the states (daughter is flight attendant) at least I have my REAL ID because it can take up to 2 months for my new passport to arrive.
From my states DMV: “The federal REAL ID Act places new rules on which forms of identification may be used to board flights within the United States (U.S.) and enter secure federal facilities, such as military bases, federal courthouses, and other federal facilities.”
So just how many republicans are objecting to Real ID requirements?
Cite you source.
Republicans. Grrrrrrr…
A passport is REAL ID compliant as the purpose of REAL ID it to validate citizenship which was already a passport requirement.
Just say’n 
.
.
.
.WW, PHS
You’ve seemed to miss my point. If you don’t have a passport, then you’ll need a real id to fly domestically.
BUT if a passport is all you have and it needs to be renewed, you must send in your passport with documentation. It can take up to 8 weeks to get it back unless you pay $$$ extra to expedite the process. If you don’t have your passport, and no REAL ID, you can’t fly domestically.
why is that so hard to understand?
Not difficult to understand at all.
I was simply pointing out that if you have the documents required to obtain a passport, then you have what you need for REAL ID without the cost of $100-150 for a passport (or renewal).
.
.
.
.WW, PHS
