Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said his office is stepping up efforts to ensure residents obtain a REAL ID-compliant ID before next year’s deadline, and acknowledged that there were concerns about the slow pace of obtaining the cards.
In a wide-ranging interview with NBC Chicago’s Kye Martin, Giannoulias said his office was working to mitigate the flood of applicants he said would occur before the May 7 deadline of next year, but that progress was slow.
“We feel pressure. We are extremely concerned about what will happen next May, and that is why we are moving forward now, a year in advance, to try to convince people of the importance of doing this before the last minute,” he said. he declared. Our facilities are going to swell and it will be a problem if people don’t go out and get their REAL ID.
Giannoulias stressed the need to have compliant identification documents to do things like travel within the country and enter courthouses and other public property.
“I don’t think the general public currently understands that come May 8 next year, you won’t be able to board a domestic flight without a REAL ID or passport. It’s going to be a problem for us, a problem for the TSA, and you’re going to have a lot of unhappy travelers,” he said.
The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 after the release of the 9/11 Commission Report in an effort to increase the security of identification documents, making them more difficult to duplicate.
Next year, your regular old Illinois driver’s license won’t be enough to get you through TSA security at the airport. Instead, you’ll need what’s called a REAL ID. NBC Chicago’s Kye Martin reports.
Beginning May 7, 2025, REAL ID-compliant identification will be required for residents planning to take a domestic flight. They will also be required when entering federal and state facilities, including courthouses and prisons. They will also be needed to enter secure facilities like nuclear power plants.
All residents 18 years and older who intend to take a domestic flight or enter these types of facilities will be required to obtain REAL identification cards.
A complete list of identification documents required for Obtaining a REAL ID can be found on the State of Illinois website. Cards can be obtained at Secretary of State offices, although many will require an appointment to present the necessary documents to obtain identification.
The cost of a REAL ID is the same as a standard license, officials say.
NBC Chicago
