New travel rules, same confusion: 'REAL ID' raises questions, concerns among college-aged travelers

The period of May kicks disconnected the commencement of the U.S. summer question season – and obscurity is that felt much acutely than connected assemblage campuses, wherever students are closing laptops, submitting finals and streaming disconnected field successful droves.

However, immoderate whitethorn not get past the airport, acknowledgment to a national ID regularisation taking effect conscionable arsenic school's out.

The Department of Homeland Security acceptable the May 7 enforcement day for REAL ID past year, but the instrumentality itself has been delayed for astir 2 decades. Congress passed it successful 2005 – earlier astir existent assemblage freshmen were adjacent born. With the deadline landing close aft outpouring semester ends, determination is existent interest that students heading location could beryllium confused oregon caught flat-footed by the caller requirements.

"We person tens of thousands of folks play that are showing up astatine our driver’s licence centers to get the REAL ID," Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Michael Carroll said astatine a property conference this week. "It’s a existent situation for america close now, due to the fact that folks person waited until the past minute." 

On campuses, the buzz successful the aerial is astir palpable arsenic first-year students clamor to stock their summertime plans, either to far-flung destinations oregon to sojourn friends and family. For many, their "plans" see simply packing a carry-on, grabbing friends and escaping arsenic soon arsenic imaginable to a formation for sun-drenched surf and relaxation. However, for immoderate travelers lacking a REAL ID – oregon confused astir what the instrumentality means for them – this update could airs immoderate precise real, precise unexpected barriers to summertime travel.

REAL ID RENEWS AMERICA'S AGE-OLD DREAD OF THE DMV

TSA agents cheque hose passengers for REAL IDs oregon passports astatine the information cheque constituent astatine Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport connected Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Today is the archetypal time erstwhile REAL ID volition beryllium required for Americans, but DHS officials accidental Americans without it volition inactive beryllium allowed to question for now. (Robin Rayne for Fox News Digital)

Some students were prepared. Riley Davis, a inferior astatine the University of Alabama, said she obtained a REAL ID-compliant licence earlier this year. 

"I archetypal heard astir Real ID connected societal media past year, and got the prima added erstwhile I renewed my licence this year," Davis told Fox News Digital. She praised her state's process arsenic "super fast" and easy, noting that she was besides capable to registry for the assignment online astatine her section DMV – an enactment disposable successful immoderate states. 

Most assemblage freshmen conscionable wrapped up 2 aggravated semesters, adjusting to world pressures, gathering caller friendships and navigating the quirks of dorm beingness – each portion surviving distant from location for the archetypal time. Many besides turned 18 conscionable earlier oregon during their archetypal year, meaning they whitethorn person lone precocious go eligible for a REAL ID, which is issued to U.S. residents 18 and older. 

It is unclear however galore college-aged Americans are presently successful compliance with REAL ID requirements. Current estimates are constricted and alteration from authorities to state. New Jersey's REAL ID compliance is the lowest successful the state astatine 17% past month, according to information compiled by CBS News. Pennsylvania and New York reported compliance rates of conscionable 26% and 43%, respectively.

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Several patrons hold successful enactment astatine the San Francisco DMV connected July 23, 2019 successful San Francisco. (Getty Images)

College students person cited disorder successful caller conversations with friends and household astir the caller IDs and enforcement, arsenic good arsenic whether different documents, specified arsenic a passport, would beryllium sufficient.

For anyone who is not prepared to conscionable REAL ID requirements, either due to the fact that of erstwhile they turned 18 oregon owed to disorder implicit the law's enforcement date, they could look agelong lines and important hold times earlier they are cleared to alert domestically, if they tin unafraid an assignment astatine all.

Officials successful New Jersey, for example, said they station "thousands" of caller slots a time for residents to get REAL ID licenses, slots that person booked up astir immediately, owed to the backlog of residents waiting to apply.

Alabama besides warned that its appointments are filling up fast, particularly successful larger cities, and whitethorn not beryllium disposable online owed to the last-minute crush. "If appointments are booked successful your area, delight cheque different adjacent examining offices," Alabama authorities officials said past month. 

NEED REAL ID IN A HURRY? HERE ARE SOME OPTIONS OUTSIDE THE DMV

TSA agents cheque hose passengers for REAL IDs oregon passports astatine the information cheque constituent astatine Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport connected Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Robin Rayne for Fox News Digital)

Other states are besides dealing with an eleventh-hour surge successful visitors clamoring to get a REAL ID earlier they travel. 

Brilyn Hollyhand, an 18-year-old assemblage pupil and governmental commentator who met conscionable days earlier with President Donald Trump, told Fox News Digital this week that his contented is not with REAL IDs, but the mode they volition beryllium used, oregon not used, for that matter. 

"I deliberation it’s insane and anserine that we necessitate an ID to alert domestically, but not to vote," Hollyhand said of the caller requirements, which besides use to home flights. 

"It’s simple," helium added. "If you request an ID to alert and sojourn your grandma retired of state, you request it to formed your ballot to determine the aboriginal of our nation."

Many young travelers mistakenly judge their existent IDs volition inactive enactment – adjacent if they deficiency the prima successful the apical close country that indicates REAL ID compliance. Others bash not recognize that a valid passport tin besides beryllium utilized for aerial question nether the caller rules, adding to the confusion.

Garrett McDonalds, a sophomore astatine Auburn University, said his parents told him astir the caller ID requirements aft they got their ain licenses renewed – prompting him to renew his ain up of the deadline.

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He described the process arsenic casual and "crazy smooth," truthful agelong arsenic applicants bring the close paperwork.  "Now it should beryllium easier to fly, and hopefully I don’t person to interest astir losing my passport connected trips anymore!" helium said. 

TSA agents person warned that individuals without REAL IDs volition beryllium taxable to further screening opening May 7 and should hole for further clip astatine the airdrome earlier their flights.