OAN Staff Abril Elfi
3:07 PM – Monday, May 5, 2025
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that Americans who don’t have their REAL IDs will still be allowed to fly after the May 7th deadline, but they will face extra screening and delays at the airport.
On Tuesday, Noem announced during a House Appropriations Committee hearing that 81% of travelers already have IDs that comply with the REAL ID requirements.
She noted that security checkpoints will also be accepting passports and tribal identification when the deadline hits on Wednesday. Tribal identification cards, issued by federally recognized tribes, serve as proof of tribal membership and enrollment.
“People will be allowed to fly,” Noem told lawmakers. “We will make sure it’s as seamless as possible.”
However, Noem also said that those who lack the proper identification, complying with the REAL ID law, “may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step.”
Passengers will be required to complete a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Form 415, also known as a Certification of Identity form, and if TSA officials are able to confirm the information provided, passengers will be allowed to proceed through the security checkpoint and board their flight.
Passengers who choose this route may be subjected to additional pat-downs, interrogation, or other forms of security screening. Despite the requirement to board an airplane, TSA will alternatively accept a U.S. passport or a military ID.
Real IDs are not needed to drive, vote, or apply for federal benefits.
The Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005, after a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission — though implementation has been repeatedly delayed.
“Beginning May 7, 2025, anyone 18 years and older that plans to fly domestically or visit certain Federal facilities will need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification. The Act’s prohibitions do not affect other uses of driver’s licenses or identification cards unrelated to official purposes as defined in the Act,” according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
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