REAL ID Act Phase-In Means Tighter Gate Control

ANCHORAGE, AK, UNITED STATES

08.15.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Sheila deVera 

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson   

“The REAL ID Act of 2005 established minimum standards for the production and issuance of state-issued driver’s licenses and ID card which include requirements for a photograph and certain biographic information, such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address,” said Plans and Program Chief Mark Centeno from the 673d Security Forces Squadron. “State-issued driver’s licenses and ID card from states not meeting the standards can no longer be used for accessing federal facilities, including DoD installations, unless the issuing state’s compliance deadline has been extended by the Department of Homeland Security.”

Beginning Aug 15, visitors and contracted personnel with a driver’s license or state ID from the four states mentioned above will no longer be able to acquire unescorted access to JBER or any other DoD installation, Centeno said.

“The only exceptions for these four states are Enhanced Driver’s Licenses from Minnesota and Washington state,” Centeno said. “Individuals who do not possess a driver’s license or identification card complaint with the REAL ID Act and do not possess an acceptable alternate identification credential must be escorted by a DoD card holder while on the installation, via trusted traveler, or will be denied access.”

Alternative forms of approved REAL ID Act compliant credentials are:

- United States passports
- Permanent Resident card/Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-766)
- Foreign passports with a temporary (I-551) stamp
- An employment authorization document that contains a photograph (Form I-766)
- Current/valid driver’s license or identification card issued by a state or outlying possession of the United States which is in compliance with the REAL ID Act of 2005
- Identification card issued by federal, state, or local government
agencies, provided it contains a photograph and biographic information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address

If children 18 and younger do not possess a REAL ID, they may use the following credentials for identity; school record or report card, day care or nursery school record, and original or certified copy of birth certificate issued by a state, county, municipal authority, or outlying possession of the United States bearing an official seal.

Minnesota and Washington identification card holders, can have access to federal installations if their driver license bear a small red, white, and blue U.S. flag logo on the front.

“Enhanced Driver’s Licenses are state-issued driver licenses issued in accordance with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative that denotes identity and U.S. citizenship and are acceptable for entry into the United States, at land and sea ports of entry,” Centeno said.

According to the DHS, the act prohibits federal agencies from accepting for certain purposes driver’s licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the act’s minimum standards. The purpose covered by the act are accessing federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and no soon, boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.

Currently, Alaska is on an extension through Oct 10.

“Extensions are renewable if [Alaska] demonstrates continued progress toward compliance and/or at the discretion of the DHS secretary, provided there is adequate justification for continued noncompliance,” Centeno said. “The current status of Alaska’s progress towards compliance is unknown, and its uncertain if an extension renewal will be granted. We are working with higher headquarters to determine the way ahead if an extension is not granted.”

For more information on the REAL ID Act, please visit https://www.dhs.gov/real-id-and-you-rumor-control

• Date Taken: 08.15.2016
• Date Posted: 08.17.2016 12:12
• Story ID: 207422
• Location: ANCHORAGE, AK, US