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IPFS News Link • Real ID

Real ID license deadline should be further delayed, travel association says

• CNET

Now, the US Travel Association thinks the US will need even more time.

In a statement released last week, the association, a nonprofit organization that represents all major components of the US travel industry, called on the federal government to further delay the Real ID requirement. If you don't know about Real ID, once it becomes a requirement, you'll need the updated license to board any aircraft in the US. Without it, the government will require a second form of ID, such as a US passport. If you're not sure if you have a Real ID license, look for a star in the corner.

According to the US Department of Homeland Security, fewer than one-third of Americans hold a Real ID license currently, and the US Travel Association said the required license should not hinder any economic recovery as the US hopefully works through the coronavirus pandemic through next year. Experts believe a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready for mass distribution sometime in 2021, and as the travel industry continues to tread water, the association said it's in the economy's interest to further delay the requirement. It's not hard to imagine potential airline passengers turned away because they do not have a Real ID license by the 2021 deadline.