Real ID is in Effect

From ID to Shining Real IDs SW - May 7, 2025  Hey there. Today is the day, you'll need to have real ID to fly domestically. Even if you have a valid ID, here in America and it does not have a Star(in my state) or might be a flag(in your state) on the top right corner, of your license or state identification. YOU CAN NOT FLY. Did I say it loud enough. YOU CAN NOT FLY. 

You can only use your current standard state issued ids(without star or flag) for identification purpose only. See photo below.

TSA will not accept any ids without the star on it. Click here for acceptable identification at TSA checkpoints nationwide. There is something called enhanced driver's licenses. Five states issued them: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington. This particular ID allows land and sea border crossings to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands ONLY. Washington is the only state in the union that have a star and a U.S. flag symbol on it.

Now, that it has been said. I recommend you get a passport(if you do not have one yet) and a passport card as back up. Even if you don't think you will be travelling anytime some. Rules of travel are changing everywhere. Please note: the passport card in America is for limited usage for a selective countries near or bordering the US. The recommendation for the passport card is for a back up, like just in case.

In the UK, starting sometime this year of 2025. ALL U.S. passport holders and the 60 other countries posted in the photo below. Will have to get an ETIAS, in order, to travel across the pond(Atlantic Ocean) this summer; to Europe (aka the UK) and all 30 European Providences. You will need a visa, the new ETIAS. This ETIAS is currently not in effect. It goes into effect in six months(6) after the EES.  Click here to go to website for full details. This is a heads up, prepare now. I don't hear any major of minor new outlets talking about this.

UK nationals and their family members who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement are exempt from ETIAS: they may reside on the territory of their EU host country and travel to other European countries requiring ETIAS as long as they hold documents proving their status. There's a pdf downloadable files based off your country, click here. All 115 pages for those countries who are allowed. How about those apples? I'm definitely, going to, go into; this further in a another blog post. Don't let, not having an ETIAS, ruined your summer vacation this year. See if your country is listed below(click on photo to enlarge).

 Happy travels.

Your Girl LG Who Travels

Links: TSA checkpoints - https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification, ETIAS - https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias/what-etias_en, PDF for the UK - https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1580206007232&uri=CELEX%3A12019W/TXT%2802%29, last two paragraphs from -https://gforcenews.blogspot.com/search?q=real+id