By May 2025, the TSA will require all travelers to have REAL ID-compliant identification to board domestic flights. What does this mean for undocumented immigrants?
Beginning in May 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will require all domestic travelers to have a REAL ID, a form of identification available to U.S. citizens and immigrants with certain legal statuses in the country.
While this new form of identification will ensure security to prevent threats to national security, it will also limit the forms of identification that immigrants with irregular status currently use to board domestic flights.
Members of our community on WhatsApp asked us whether undocumented immigrants will be able to travel within the country after the REAL ID goes into effect. Here’s what you need to know and what other forms of identification immigrants can use to meet federal requirements.
What is a REAL ID?
The REAL ID is a driver’s license, learner’s permit, or identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles that meets federal standards. It was part of the REAL ID Act of 2005, which “established minimum security standards for the issuance and production of licenses and prohibits federal agencies from accepting, for certain purposes, driver’s licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet the Act’s minimum standards.”
Immigrants must present proof of U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residence, or temporary legal status to obtain a REAL ID.
Also read: REAL ID deadline extended: How immigrants can get their new ID
Do I need a REAL ID to fly in 2025?
Starting May 7, 2025, to enter airport security areas and board a flight, all travelers will be required to present a form of identification. acceptable identification that complies with REAL ID standards At a TSA checkpoint, a TSA spokesperson said, “If they can be identified, then they can travel.”
Can I use a passport instead of a REAL ID?
For undocumented immigrants, according to the TSA, one of the documents they may be able to use is a valid foreign passport. The passport will allow the person to travel within the United States.
“If they do not have acceptable identification and do not submit to facial recognition technology, they will be denied entry to secure areas of the airport and denied boarding,” the spokesperson said.
Can I travel to Puerto Rico as an undocumented migrant?
Because Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, immigrants with a valid foreign passport can board direct flights to the island.
However, according to Make The Road NY, “Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the authority to conduct a ‘pre-screening’ at the airport in Puerto Rico, where they can review whether you will be allowed to re-enter the U.S. mainland before you board your return flight.”
Pre-inspection can be especially risky for people who have deportation cases or are inadmissible to the U.S., Therefore it is strongly recommended to consult with a lawyer before traveling.
Visit the tool “Are You REAL ID Ready?” from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for acceptable forms of identification when traveling within the country.
Also read: Contact list of Latin American consulates in New York
