REAL ID requirements in effect: How this affects valley travelers

The majority of people that YourCentralValley.com spoke with at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport on Wednesday morning experienced a smooth process. In fact, Homeland Security says about 85% of folks already have their REAL ID. 

But some people did not have their REAL ID and ran into some issues.

“Maybe I’ve been living under a rock. I don’t know,” said Lisa Ryan, who had no clue she needed her REAL ID until just hours before she was supposed to board a plane for Tulsa.

“My flight is at 10 and I’m here at seven in the morning. I called Delta and they said, ‘Well, you’re going to have to fill out a form, there’s going to be lines.’ Totally filled me with fear. So I’m here early, just in case,” Ryan said.

Folks without a REAL ID or a valid U.S. Passport were required to complete additional paperwork. And the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ensured that everyone would still be able to board their flight.

“I’m just really nervous about having to stand through lines,” Ryan said.

Over at the Clovis DMW, a line started forming right when it opened. Most of the folks were there to get a newly issued ID.

“I think almost one hour and 30 minutes,” said Navjot Kaur. 

That’s how long Kaur and her mother-in-law had to wait, just to be told they now have to go to the Social Security office.

“The main issue that she has, problem with her name on her like ID, because her first name, that one is put in her last name. So that is the problem. That’s why we are unable to apply a REAL ID today,” Kaur said.

Kaur says it’s important to her family to have the most up-to-date identification.

“Mr. Trump, he announced that everybody should have their real ID, so that’s why we all rushed to the DMV, is for this. You know, we are Indians, and we want to make all of our documents. So that’s why my father-in-law he was scared,” she said.

As for John Johnson, who has a trip coming up, he says Tuesday was the only time he could get it done.

“Thank God we had somebody in the line who knew what we were supposed to do because we can’t go up to the register to ask a question. We’re just all trying to help each other out here,” he said.

He told YourCentralValley.com that he could not schedule an appointment online and just hoped he showed up with the correct documents. In California, residents need proof of identity, a Social Security number, and two different forms proving their address.

“It’s smooth if you’re a pretty good adult, and we’re new adults. So I got papers here. I got papers there. I got papers there. So collecting all of them was a difficult thing, but we got it done,” Johnson said.

For those whose ID has not expired yet, officials say they can use their passport, if they have one, until their ID is due for renewal.