Applying For a Passport Before You Need a REAL ID

New Yorkers will soon need a REAL ID or enhanced driver’s license in order to board domestic flights or access certain federal buildings. To avoid delays and avoid losing out, it is advisable to upgrade as soon as possible and consider getting one or even applying for one as soon as you plan on travelling internationally.

Why are migrants having such difficulty applying for IDs? In short, the REAL ID Act mandates Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) agents to make complex determinations regarding a person’s lawful status in the US and act as immigration enforcement agencies – effectively creating lengthy delays for immigrants specifically and increasing racial profiling by DMV agents, who may become reluctant to issue licenses to certain ethnicities due to fear they could breach federal immigration laws.

Applicants for either a REAL ID or an Enhanced ID must visit a DMV center in person in order to submit all the required documentation and complete their applications process. New York City currently boasts 16 such centers where you will need to bring along:

Please be aware that if you recently changed your name, legal documentation must be presented as evidence of such change, such as a marriage certificate filed with a government agency or court, divorce decree or court order. Furthermore, your Social Security card and DMV record must reflect these changes.