Real ID can be an expensive and lengthy process
By CHRISTINE HAINES
chaines@yourmvi.com
Starting on Jan. 1, Real ID will be needed for domestic flights and to enter federal buildings that require identification. However, that doesn’t mean state residents need to rush out to get a Real ID driver’s license or a passport.
“Real ID and passports are optional. They are for people who want to fly or enter a federal building,” said Amanda Hall, constituent outreach specialist for State Rep. Mike Puskaric, R-Jefferson Hills.
The process can become expensive. There’s a $30 fee to turn a regular driver’s license into a Real ID license in Pennsylvania, but to apply for either a Real ID or a passport, proper identification is needed. That identification includes a birth certificate with an official raised seal, an original Social Security card, two proofs of address such as utility bills or other official mail and official documentation of any name changes, such as marriage or divorce certificates if those events resulted in a new name.
The names on all of the documents (except the birth certificate in the event of future name changes) must be the same, Hall said.
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