Yes, you live in the bush. There's nothing wrong with living in the bush.
Do you also travel internationally a lot? If not, you don't need global entry. If so, wouldn't it be easier to live near an international airport (i.e. not in the bush)?
Anyone gonna get a "Real ID" ?
- Thread starter Thus Spoke Mainer
- Start date
Do you also travel internationally a lot? If not, you don't need global entry. If so, wouldn't it be easier to live near an international airport (i.e. not in the bush)?
One more thing....the wait times are so long to get a DL in California that a company has popped up that provides the service of waiting in line for you. Of course you have to pay them a fee. This is a benefit to people who can't or don't want to take a whole day off to get the DL renewed. This of course is an embarrassment to California. What do they do? Do they take the time and effort to solve the problem? No. They propose to pass a law that makes it illegal to hold a space at the DMV and sell it. You just can't make this shit up.
I found this.....
The licenses "have a visible distinguishing feature and cannot be used for certain federal purposes," such as gaining access to restricted federal areas.
I travel internationally 1 x per year, sometimes 2 x and if I am real lucky maybe 3. so while it isnt really necessary, the line coming back in via CLT is very long sometimes. And other times, it is even longer! For now, I am not moving just to be close to an international airport, although it is something I considered.
I had to get a new driver’s license here in North Carolina because of a change of address and so I decided to “upgrade” and get the Real ID. Process was pretty painless except I needed to physically go to the DMV office with the extra documents and sit in line for an hour. NC didn’t charge me anything extra for it so I figured it was worth the time to get it.
If I hadn’t needed to get a new driver’s license due to the address change I probably wouldn't have taken the extra time to do it, but I’d rather not carry my passport on any US trips and risk losing it.
If I hadn’t needed to get a new driver’s license due to the address change I probably wouldn't have taken the extra time to do it, but I’d rather not carry my passport on any US trips and risk losing it.
Fair enough. You might want to check into this as a way to make the customs/immigration lines easier:
https://lifehacker.com/use-the-mobile-passport-app-to-breeze-through-customs-w-1833203914
although it doesn't appear to be available in CLT yet (but you may have occasion to re-enter the country via another airport)
thanks !! I've heard about this, and wanted to look into it!
looked into it, and SOB, CLT aint on the list!!!!
Does CLT really have that many international flights? Is it mostly Mexico and the Caribbean?
I have a passport, but I will probably get the real ID when my current license expires. I think the DMV suggested that there may be delays now as folks without passports may try to get them asap. They suggested waiting for renewal if you have just received a new license in the recent past.
That I could understand. A DL shouldn’t gain you access to restricted federal areas. These new licenses really don’t provide any extra level of security or verification of who you are. In fact it’s probably the opposite. The DMV is second in origin of identity theft down in FL. So basically by me giving them all my info, I’m making it almost easier for fake ids to be legitimatized
To get a Real ID you need your original birth certificate with raised seal (proving you were born in the US), social security card, and documents to prove your current residence. The only difference between a Read ID and drivers liscense is the Real ID has a gold star printed in the upper right corner, everything else looks identical (at least in PA). The gold star certifies that your information has been verified and that you are a legal citizen (or have present the supporting documentation to prove you are a legal immigrant) who has submitted the proper documentation to prove who you are. I fly once or twice a year on vacation but don't travel outside the country so I don't have a passport. If you have a passport, then you don't need to have a Real ID.
Just to clear this up, a DL doesn't get you access to restricted federal areas.
If you are an approved visitor to a federal facility, you need to show your DL to prove your identity (and get your visitor pass). If you are a foreign national, you are supposed to tell them that (although that may mean you cannot get access). It is my understanding that the Real IDs include a citizenship component, so if you said you were a citizen, but were not, it would be apparent from this ID (which is not apparent from a DL).
It is not clear to me why this is required for airports, but it makes sense to me for access to government facilities.
Not getting one, I'll stick with my passport. I travel quite a bit but using my passport as ID doesn't bother me.
It might be easy for me to get the Real ID but it's a pain in the ass for my wife. SS card name doesn't match her driver's license name, need go get official copies of various documents, etc. Not worth it.
We went to sign up and the PennDOT folks warned us against it if we already have passports and told us we'd need to pay the $30 fee every four years.
The $30 fee is a one-time fee. After that, you'll just pay the regular renewal rate
We've talked about it....considered it. In the end our kids and granddaughter might keep us here. Back in 2005 we almost pulled the trigger. We were considering Arizona, Texas, Florida or Pennsylvania. My wife's brother got seriously sick and we decided to stay, for the time being. One thing lead to another and here we are in 2019, still here. Now we have a 6 year old granddaughter that my wife can not live without. You know the drill.
That was my interpretation as well, but the person at PennDOT we were working with told me that she expected PennDOT to charge the $30 each and every time no matter what they are telling you now.
You know how it goes with PennDOT, she might not be correct so take it for what it's worth.
How is this different from paying to have your current drivers' license renewed ??
Lost mine. I had to get a replacement. Not too difficult if you can find an office without too much of a waiting line. Found one near Pottstown.
+1 for Mobile Passport. My wife and I returned from Jamaica last Thursday and re-entered through Atlanta. The line at immigration was huge. The MP line was completely vacant. We walked around everyone like we were royalty and blew right through.
You're right, sometimes it's tough to get a straight answer from the folks at PennDOT. The PennDOT REAL ID Fact Sheet says it is a one-time charge and that when you renew, you pay only the renewal rate. I'd go by that versus some employee. I'm sorry, I don't know how to link to the Fact Sheet from my phone.
Sounds like a good case for government to run your health care.
I once heard a lib say that there's nothing private industry can do that the government can't do better. Retired teacher, so all his "knowledge" is from books.
You guys realize that this whole Real ID thing is a republican creation going back to 2005 and signed into law by Bush the second right?
It's a separate fee. When you get your first REAL ID, you will pay a one-time fee of $30, plus a renewal fee (current renewal fee is $30.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver’s license or a photo ID). So the cost is $60.50 per person. This also adds 4 years onto the validity of your current license. The next time your license expires, you keep the real ID and only pay the renewal charge.
Remember how great TSA pre-check was, and then everyone told their friends about it.... and now the line is just as long as the regular security?
Got mine in MD. My drivers license doesn't expire until 2025 or thereabouts, so all they did was make copies of my passport, SS card and two other documents and added them to my drivers license in their computer system. Cost $0. Time = about 30 minutes including wait (and I'm in the DC area of MD).
got mine in VA a few weeks back as our DLs were not compliant. Fortunately, it was time for my DL renewal so the only hassle was going into the DMW to show my papers instead of doing it online. Thought about the Passport or global entry card route for flights, but didn't want to take the risk. At some point, I would have surely forgotten the extra doc and missed a flight.
.jpg)
