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4w ago

TSA Proposes $18 Biometric Option for Travelers Without REAL ID

TSA says the proposal is a cost‑recovery measure for biometric identity checks now posted for public comment.

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Santa Ana, CA – May 07: A traveler wearing a Luigi hat waits in a long security line at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Long lines of travelers were waiting in TSA lines as the Real ID deadline – hits. They will not turn travelers without the Real ID away, but Wednesday is the deadline ** Nearly two decades after Congress passed the Real ID Act, the law is finally set to be enforced. Starting Wednesday, the Transportation Security Administration will begin checking for Real ID-compliant identification at airport checkpoints. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Congress on Tuesday that the government understands not everyone has been able to obtain a Real ID. Those travelers will still be allowed to fly but will be directed to a separate line for additional screening, she said. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Overview

  • Under a Federal Register notice, TSA outlines a modernized alternative identity‑verification program using kiosks for travelers who lack REAL ID‑compliant identification.
  • The proposed fee is $18 per person, it is non‑refundable, and a successful verification would allow a credential usable for up to 10 days.
  • Paying the fee would not guarantee access to the checkpoint, and participants could be subject to additional screening or delays.
  • TSA would use biographic or biometric data to verify identity and match the traveler to their Secure Flight watch‑list result.
  • The agency has not set an effective date for the program, REAL ID enforcement for air travel began May 7, and passports remain acceptable identification.