Key Points
- Long-awaited REAL ID changes forcing domestic travellers to have compliant ID will come into force on 7 May.
- People without compliant ID will not be allowed to board domestic US flights.
- The change in process is expected to cause delays around the country.
From Wednesday, people flying domestically within the United States will need to travel with a passport or US-issued photo identification that meets the US Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) REAL ID requirements.
Those whose documents do not meet the requirements may be denied boarding, the department has said.
Implementing the new process is expected to cause travel delays across the country.
Stricter photo ID requirements were first proposed by the US Congress following the September 11 attacks on the country in 2001.
Changes were approved by Congress in 2005 but have been repeatedly pushed back by relevant departments and given a final deadline of May 2025.
The department says foreign government-issued passports will continue to be an acceptable form of ID for people travelling on domestic US flights.
The Australian government has warned people about the changes via its Smartraveller portal.
Its travel advice for the US states: “Entry requirements are strict. US authorities have broad powers to decide if you’re eligible to enter and may determine that you are inadmissible for any reason under US law.”
Smartraveller recommends that Australians: “Review the entry, registration, transit, and exit requirements for the US. Regardless of whether you are using a visa or the Visa Waiver Program, it is crucial to comprehend all applicable terms and conditions prior to trying to enter the United States.”
The REAL ID changes in the US were designed to create minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards, and prohibit certain federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards, according to the DHS.
The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said last month that passengers 18 or older without passports or the enhanced ID “can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint”.
TSA said 81 per cent of travellers at checkpoints are currently presenting an acceptable identification, including a state-issued REAL ID. The agency added that it “will continue with additional screening measures for those without a REAL ID until it is no longer considered a security vulnerability”.
In the second half of 2025, a program allowing in the US will be expanded to include Australian passengers, after laws passed federal parliament.
The US at airports with less paperwork and shorter queues.
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