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Everyone needs a passport to fly to another country. However, after January 1st, 2010, New Mexico residents may need a passport for domestic flights, too. On that date, states are supposed to be in compliance with the “Real ID” act, and Americans without Real ID-compliant IDs will not be able to fly.
New Mexico’s driver’s licenses are not Real ID-compliant, and according to this article on KOAT.com, the state is “nowhere near close.” Lawmakers are working to pass a new bill to modify the Real ID act, enabling residents of New Mexico and other non-compliant states to continue using their driver’s licenses to fly. However, the bill hasn’t been passed yet. According to New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Secretary Rick Homans, “The way it is right now, come Jan. 1st, residents of New Mexico and residents of about 25 other states wouldn’t be allowed to board airplanes unless they had a valid passport.”
With so much at stake, if you live in New Mexico and plan to fly after the new year, you should consider filling out a passport application. Sure, the holiday season is busy, but you need to get your application in as early as possible to ensure that you have your passport when you need it. It takes about 3 weeks for a passport application to be processed if you pay for the governments expedited service, and at least 6 weeks for regular service.
If you need your passport application processed more quickly, a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com can help. An expediting service can have your application processed fast, often in as little as 24 hours, and you don’t have to make an appointment or drive down to a Passport Agency office (if you’re in New Mexico, that means driving to Arizona or Colorado).
if the state dl is not valid the state should pay for passports.
i need to go to vegas for my daughters wedding jan 3—-after paying for tickets and a hotel i now need to get a passport???? those are’nt cheap seems like if the state can’t fix this they should arrange for help paying for passports..
I completely understand, Dana. After this article was written, the state managed to get an extension, so currently the licenses are valid for flight until January 2013. See this link for details. As far as what happens after that, it’s an open question- they may get another extension, in which case your license would be fine. If you don’t want to/can’t afford to get a passport or a passport card “just in case,” just bring your license and perhaps your birth certificate or another “back up” ID, and allow extra time for the TSA to verify that you are who you say you are. Per their website, you should be able to fly without a compliant ID as long as you pass their secondary screening procedures. Congratulations on your daughter’s wedding!
wow, really!! This is crazy! We are American and yet we can’t from one state to another> Now that i want my family to come and visit they are going to have to pay an additional amount just to have a passport. Obviously they are citizens because they have jobs and a drivers lisence. Our goverment has went off the deep end with this one.
No worries for right now, Paula-they’re still letting people use their driver’s licenses.
This is insane..we are U.S. Citizens. Times are hard enough we can barely afford to fly our love one to us, and the government is now telling us we need a passport to fly domestic. we are losing our freedom more and more every day. HOME OF THE FREE!!! MY ASTERISK!!!
Well, at least for right now, it looks like your congresspeople have worked it out so that you’ll still be able to use your licenses.
that sucks!!!!