Real ID Era Begins; Travelers Urged to Arrive Early for Airport Security

PALM SPRINGS (CNS) - People traveling out of Palm Springs
International Airport or any other airfield today should likely anticipate some
delays at security checkpoints as the long-awaited Real ID requirement goes
into effect.
  

Starting Wednesday, Transportation Security Administration officers
will require passengers to present a Real ID or other acceptable form of
identification to board a flight. The requirement was initially approved in
2005 as part of the response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but its
Implementation has been repeatedly delayed from the original 2008 deadline.
  

To determine if a California driver's license is Real ID-compliant,
travelers are advised to look for a golden bear with a star in the top right
corner. Those who aren't sure can check with the California Department of Motor
Vehicles.
  

Other acceptable forms of identification include U.S. and foreign
passports and passport cards, Department of Defense identification -- including
those issued to dependents -- a permanent resident card, border crossing card,
or photo ID from a federally recognized Tribal Nation, among others.
  

A full list can be found at tsa.gov/travel/security-
screening/identification.
  

Once enforcement begins, passengers who do not present Real ID or
another TSA-acceptable form of identification ``can expect to face delays,
additional screening, and the possibility of not being allowed into the
security checkpoint,'' the airport statement said.
  

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, speaking
at a congressional hearing Tuesday, said the agency is hoping for a smooth
transition to the Real ID requirement.
  

``What will happen tomorrow is folks will come through the line and
... show (their ID) and if it's not compliant, they may be diverted to a
different line, have an extra step. But people will be allowed to fly,'' she
said. ``... We will make sure that it is as seamless as possible and that
travelers will get to stay on their intended itinerary.''
  

For people who still need to obtain a Real ID, 18 state Department of
Motor Vehicle offices will open one hour early, four days a week through June 7
to serve appointment-only customers seeking the federally mandated cards.
  

That includes the Rancho Cucamonga office at 8629 Hellman Ave., which
will open at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Fridays, and devote the early hour exclusively to patrons with Real ID
appointments.
  

On Wednesdays, the hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  

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