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New travel requirements taking effect in 2025 for domestic and international destinations

Whether your New Year's resolution is to finally book a dream vacation or put some points to good use and fly to a new destination, there are some travel requirements taking effect in 2025 that everyone should keep in mind.

[bold]REAL ID[/bold]

Americans should make sure their identification is up to date sooner than later this winter, because starting May 7, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will enforce the use of REAL ID at airports and some federal facilities.

U.S. travelers must be REAL ID compliant in order to board domestic flights. Read more about the requirement here and see how to obtain your REAL ID on time.

[bold]Entering the UK with ETA[/bold]

The expansion of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) program will impact U.S. and European travelers headed to the United Kingdom.

Starting Jan. 8, 2025, ETA registration will be required by inbound travelers so that UK authorities can screen visitors before arrival, which was modeled after the U.S.' Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) system in an effort to reduce potential security risks and make border entry more efficient.

The ETA, which costs approximately $13, is not a visa and does not replace any existing visa requirements.

Americans traveling to the U.K. on or after Jan. 8 can apply through the UK government's official website here or use the ETA app.

The ETA is valid for multiple entries into the UK through a two-year period.

[bold]ETIAS entry and exit requirements[/bold]

Though not yet operational, the European Union’s European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which has been postponed multiple times, is expected to take effect in May 2025.

U.S. passport holders who previously traveled to Europe without a visa will now need to apply for authorization through the ETIAS platform before visiting.

Once granted ETIAS travel authorization, travelers will be able to enter participating countries multiple times for short-term stays — usually up to 90 days — over a 180-day period. The ETIAS is valid for up to three years, but if your passport expires, a new ETIAS travel authorization will be required.

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by Anonymousreply 17May 6, 2025 3:49 AM

Wow, it looks like Real ID will finally be happening after all these years

by Anonymousreply 1January 2, 2025 7:10 AM

You can use your passport instead of the real I.D.

by Anonymousreply 2January 2, 2025 7:11 AM

These new European rules are bullshit.

Another hurdle to international travel and another scheme to put money in bureaucratic coffers.

Fuck that.

This gives me more incentive to stay away from Europe and the UK.

Travel should be made easier, not harder.

by Anonymousreply 3January 2, 2025 7:13 AM

[quote] You can use your passport instead of the real I.D.

I would venture a guess that most Americans do not have a passport, because most don't really need one.

by Anonymousreply 4January 2, 2025 7:14 AM

R4 Yes, that makes sense. I have a passport and a passport card for domestic air travel.

A real I.D. is good for 5 years.

A passport or passport card is good for 10.

by Anonymousreply 5January 2, 2025 5:46 PM

I got a Real ID a few years back. If you're going to get one, be aware: those bitches are SERIOUS.

Take several more forms of identification than the required minimum. I had a couple turned down because they said Charles Smith and not Charles John Smith. They want them to match exactly.

The first proof is either a passport or a certified original birth certificate (no photocopies).

The second is two proofs of mailing address. These can be utility bills, federal tax returns, your mortgage, your lease, and a few others. This is where I almost got tripped up, because some documents had my middle name and some did not; I can only imagine the trouble if I was Chip Smith instead of Charles on a bill or two.

You do the process online, and they give you some kind of number to present when you go to the Office of Motor Vehicles. When the Real ID arrives in the mail, it looks just like your regular state driver's license except there's a star in the top right corner.

It's still 128 days out, but if you're going to do it, do it now, because I imagine there will be a panicky rush 30 days out. Good luck.

by Anonymousreply 6January 2, 2025 8:22 PM

Oh, and there's a misconception that Real ID will only be used for travel out of the country — it's for all flights domestic or international. There are going to be a lot of very upset maw-maws who show up for the Frontier flight to Las Vegas and can't get on ("My driver's license was good four months ago when I went to Vegas! Why is it no good now?").

by Anonymousreply 7January 2, 2025 8:26 PM

I'm hoping there will be another delay and extension of the Real ID requirement, as it has happened so many times before this.

It's such a hassle.

by Anonymousreply 8January 2, 2025 8:27 PM

I remember having to get a visa for France (US passport holder) many years ago. There were terrorist concerns in France and this was in the days of the EEC (predecessor to EU). I had gotten a permanent visa (multiple entry until passport expired) but then France withdrew the requirement.

by Anonymousreply 9January 3, 2025 12:57 AM

I expect Spirit Airlines to grind to a halt on Wednesday.

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by Anonymousreply 10May 6, 2025 2:16 AM

[quote]These new European rules are bullshit.

You do know that the US does this to Europeans already, right? So your complaint about bureaucracy is one-sided. Also, it's eight fucking dollars and an online application. If you're too poor and/or brain dead for that, you probably shouldn't be travelling in the first place.

by Anonymousreply 11May 6, 2025 2:21 AM

R11 - I just ignore cunts like R3 (who is also the OP and R1, R4 & R8) who talk out of their fat asses about things they know nothing about.

It's more than likely that R3 has never left her state in her whole life and never will.

by Anonymousreply 12May 6, 2025 2:29 AM

I got my REAL ID two years ago and it was a breeze. The instructions are simple and if you have a passport already then the rest of the documentation is easy. People who can’t understand the instructions or who arrive without the documentation that the instructions clearly specify should be mocked as morons.

by Anonymousreply 13May 6, 2025 2:33 AM

I never lost all the weight I needed to in order to have the slim yet manly face I wanted for my Real ID

times up!

by Anonymousreply 14May 6, 2025 2:35 AM

R7 has no idea what they’re talking about. REAL ID does not work in lieu of a passport internationally.

by Anonymousreply 15May 6, 2025 2:50 AM

The only reason I don't want to get a real ID is I don't want to run the risk of living with a shitty pic. My last passport was awful, I should have had it redone. This current one is OK so I'll haul the passport around idgaf.

by Anonymousreply 16May 6, 2025 3:30 AM

ETIAS has been delayed again until late 2026.

by Anonymousreply 17May 6, 2025 3:49 AM
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