Passport Card Vs Real ID
Since 2005 and the passage of the Real ID Act, Passport Card Vs Real ID obtaining a driver’s license or ID card has become a tedious process. It’s understandable why documentation requirements vary by state but typically consist of certified birth certificates with raised seals, two proofs of current address information, and Social Security cards in your legal name—making acquiring one even harder for non-citizens due to how closely linked all these documents are with citizenship status and immigration status.
Furthermore, local governments cannot ask about citizenship or immigration status during an identification check.
This has exacerbated matters further for families such as migrant parents with documents tied to immigration status, such as children born here or spouses of migrants with work permits.
To ease the strain, the Department of Homeland Security has granted states until October 1 to bring their identification requirements in line with the Real ID Act. Meanwhile, all Americans should understand their options if their state ID doesn’t conform—passport cards offer one viable solution, being convenient and accepted for domestic air travel as well as being significantly cheaper than passport books.