DHS and TSA will stop accepting PR driver license
Apparently the Driver license from PR and about 9 other states are not going to be acceptable soon unless the states meets the "Real ID" requirements soon.
There is a lot of controversy about this as to when it has to be announced and when it takes effect.
It is unclear exactly what PR needs to do to meet the Real ID requirements, but some of it has also to do with the sharing of information.
FUN!
Rey
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Here is an article about it.
The article is somewhat confusing as it seems that the states are asking for extension, so it should be in place now, yet some of the article mentions Oct 2020. Not sure what to make of it. But several of the states are already compliant while others are not.
PS those going into Military bases will likely have issues sooner, not sure how this affect VA hospitals and other non-security related federal offices.
I'm in Illinois and it is not compliant or even have asked for an extension
聽 I do have a passport though.The law been around in like forever but the states have not move on it. This is another mess like the PR debt issue that is coming to a head in 2016.
mnieves79 wrote:Come on. Lets be honest. If is way too easy to get a drivers license in PR. When I got my license in NY I had to provide birth certificate and 6 points of identification. I know PR made some improvements a few years back. Previously a PR license was a laminated piece of paper.
I think they're on the right way to聽 the REAL ID.
When my license expired聽 around three years ago they gave me a a license that was valid for 18 months only. When I asked why they told me that my green card was expiring (and they were right). It was then that I noticed that it was mentioned on the license that I was a permanent resident. When I became a US citizen last year I went to DTOP for a new license and had to show either a valid green card or my naturalization certificate. My new license mentions that I'm a citizen.
Also the license is now a plastic card with聽 a couple of holograms聽 for security and the photo and signature is printed on the card.
I don't know exactly what has to be improved but I assume it is more on the procedures and not on the physical license.
[edit] according to Wikipedia () only a couple of states are compliant, NY not being one of them. 
frogrock wrote:I have a PR license that is a year old.聽 Looking at it, I would guess that this one meets the requirements. It is made of hard plastic, my photo was taken with a digital camera at DTOP and it hast five holograms.聽 I would guess that this new style of card meets the requirements.
That would be a bad assumption. It's not only what the card must contain in terms of data or its physical characteristics, it is as much, if not more, what the state (or PR) requires the applicant to provide in order to get a card.聽 A state (or PR) must require the applicant to provide the following documentation:
聽 聽 A photo ID, or a non-photo ID that includes full legal name and birthdate
聽 聽 Documentation of birth date
聽 聽 Documentation of legal status and Social Security number
聽 聽 Documentation showing name and principal residence address
In short, DHS has determined (rightfully so) that driver's licenses are too easy to obtain and are not suitable from a security standpoint to confirm that the traveler is in fact who he or she claims to be.聽 It will certainly cause people to change their routine and use their Passport for domestic travel, which probably is a good thing too.
There were also Serian refugees trying to come in thru Mexico into the US. Likely some did get thru. As shown by the situation in France, should these get driver licenses?
It makes sense to me DHS wants a new ID that shows that the person was better Vetted.
Sitka, you can apply for a passport at designated post offices, there's a special office (PR State dept) in Plaza Las Americas and you can go to Old San Juan.
Renewal can be done by mail. Instructions here:
Personally, I think it's a bad idea to link driver's licenses with assumptions about citizenship status or air security. But whatever.
For most states and territories, the deadlines were extended last week to 2018-2020. 23 states and territories are fully compliant. 27 states and territories including PR are attempting to become compliant.
"Five states 聴 Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, Missouri and Washington 聴 and American Samoa have not complied and have not been granted an extension."
Yes is not meant to say you are a legal resident but a lot of people will assume so because driver licenses are used for pretty much everything in the US.
Maybe because we're having too much fun trying to find a realtor who actually returns calls, or find a fishing hole, getting the water turned on, getting insured, OR DECIPHERING ONE OF CARLOS' CHAPTERS ON THE SOLUTION TO THE SOVEREIGN DEBT.聽

(just kidding Karl, my future PR biz partner, but owed you that one, jajajja).Illinois had been granted two extensions. Was denied a third this fall and D-day was looming, imminently.聽 But, waa-laa, Friday, Homeland Security said Illinois DL's as is (and thus every state for that matter) will be good for two more years until January 22, 2018.聽 And, If still not compliant, other forms of acceptable ID for 2 more after that until Oct 1, 2020 at which time when every one will need a Real ID compliant ID.聽 Ya right.
So said Homeland Seguro-bureaus on January 8.聽 Go to their website if ya think I'm daffy from trying to figuring out his debt solution.
Here's the problem(s) which doomed it. Real ID is an "Unfunded Mandate" meaning the feds in 2005 passed a knee jerk post-9.11 law requiring states to change their DL issuing requirements, but not bankrolling it.
Real ID is requiring biometric data and also things like birth certificates to be scanned and stored if that's what you are using to prove that 'you are you' even though you have had a driver's license for 50 years like me, and walk and talk like a duck,聽 etc.
Maybe no biggie for small states, but IL estimated a $66 million cost .聽 (IL can afford it
#2, Certain states, aside from crying poor mouth for this unfunded mandate, have resisted this as a back door attempt at what they are calling an unconstitutional "national ID." I suspect that the聽 "anti-tyranny" posse's will be strong in those states where these "great protectors of our liberties" are strong, if push comes to shove.聽 No question in my mind this statue is unworkable and would be headed to the courts as soon as someone was denied, but really probably never--things will be so different in 2020 tech wise that this idea/ concept will be moot
Really, I think the Homeland Seguro-bureaus blinked last Friday. Weren't going to risk putting their foot down only to have ocollective feet being put up theirs and all that entails.
Because, also problematic for this statute is that it includes restricting access to federal buildings. And there are people who don't have/need/want/won't ever get a passport, nor a Real ID DL, or any DL, nor a Real ID State ID card
Remains to be seen how they were going to make that stick, eg, close the doors to the federal courthouse?--that's one of the places where the rubber is going to meet the road if it gets that far which I predict it won't.聽 A聽 thorough search including putting your shoes thru the x-ray machine? Fine with me. That ends the risk right there.

They search everybody like that at the Federal Courthouse in my town, even Michael Jordan, everyday, for several weeks at his "Image Theft" trial this summer. And lawyers too, get searched like that, unlike in my State Courts. in those buildings, I just flash my little thingy and I by-pass what are sometimes very long lines.
So assume the law goes into effect. What happens if you get "invited" to a federal courthouse (if you know what I mean
) or jury duty? No sir/ma'm, you cannot enter without your REAL ID?聽 Really? OK thanks, please tell the Judge I said: "see ya".
Anyway, a Real ID is now not required for domestic flights until Jan聽 of 2018.聽 If your state is still not complaint (there will be some) then you will have 2 more years until Oct 2020 to show another form of acceptable REAL ID (passport, State ID, military, a few others). As it stands now.
By then, I think things will be so different in many ways, technology wise, so who knows what will be required to board. They can counterfeit DL's in China so quick and so good (even IL's Sec of State--our DL administrator-- recently admitted he was very surprised at their very high quality) that the little Real ID "Star" and other holograms required on DL's will be on the street before they are even required.
And the feds are then going to be saying "Oh, now that we had the states spend a billion to comply and it ain't worth a crap, now what? A quicky saliva DNA? Ya, that's the ticket. Everybody lick this."
This statute as it is currently written ain't gonna fly, so to speak. Ever. it's cooked. Stick a fork in it.
Who knows what happened behind the scenes last week, but it went from no more extensions for IL, to OK "Land of Lincoln" (and Obama-hahahaha) 2 more years for you + 2 more after that.聽 So, goose and gander, American citizens are all OK for at least for 2, and then 2 more.
And good luck reading Carlos next chapter.

No need to be in a hurry unless you travel, current licenses remain valid until expiration or Oct 1 2020, which ever happens first. But if you travel you should get it at CESCO centers in Carolina, Guayama, Ponce, Arecibo, Humacao y Aguadilla, at least for now.
Passport does cost more but it has its own advantages.
New driver license is only avaible in a handful of places, better to wait until available everywhere.
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