TSA, even if you only fly for an unplanned emergency there are 2 things to know…

Legal & Second Amendment Reciprocity
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1-In 2005 the (WHTI) Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was established to counter what 19 terrorists did to board 4 passenger jet airlines to use as Kamikaze suicide jet fuel bomb weapons to crash into preselect targets on 9/11/2001.

They had fraudulently obtained driver licenses to facilitate boarding aircraft.

The call for REAL ID driver licenses creates the TSA to screen out passengers without REAL ID (DLs) or other acceptable REAL IDs such as Military IDs or Passports, TSA has a more comprehensive list.

You may not plan to fly domestically but, in an emergency may wish to.

Getting a REAL ID process takes time that you might not have in an emergency. Having that in advance could be handy.

Full implementation of the REAL ID requirement has been postponed for twenty years.

It will now be required, and fully implemented / enforced this May 7, 2025.

You may wish to be ready for that in case you find that you need to fly.

2-Flying with firearms /ammunition: There is a right, and wrong way:

The Wrong Way is to try to check in at TSA security checkpoint with your firearm:

Do not present at TSA security checkpoints with a firearm on your person, or in your carryon luggage.

They will notify local law enforcement to arrest you, and confiscated your firearm. There are fines and penalties.

The Right Way: Is to present to your airline passenger / luggage checkin point, and declare that you wish to check in a firearm, and they will handle that process.

There are requirements that you must comply with like having your firearm unloaded, and in a hard sided case, and sign a form.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition

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I always bring my passport with me so not sure about going through the hassle of applying for a real ID.

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No need that is one of more than a few acceptable forms of REAL ID, most people don’t have passports, for whatever reasons: Don’t plan on international travel, not as convenient to obtain (although the documents proofs are essentially the same, costs more than the DL.

I have both, and a Military ID that is DBIDS Defense Biometric Identification System Real ID. That system is worldwide instantaneous lets the scanner know if you are admissible to or barred from DoD facilities, and gives a NCIC background check for wants & warrants.

There are several additional acceptable documents listed on the TSA, DHS, and CBP/ICE, and State Department websites.

As long as TSA can verify whatever you present as authentic, and you are not flagged, you should be good to go for domestic travel/flights.

But, for International travel especially outside North America, and flight, you need a passport. It’s also what other countries require also.

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I agree that a passport will get things done but my passport sits in my safe until I need it for overseas travel. It’s just too important a document to be carrying around while casual traveling within the country.

There is almost zero hassle getting a Real Id. We’ve had years to do so and I’m still baffled some folks don’t have them. Wife and I got our done as soon as we found out they would be required to board an airplane.

There is a list of approved documents you bring to DMV when you renew your license and they just hand you a new DL with the Star on it. Almost no extra work, and NO extra time.

Also a hint: when I’m overseas I have copies of my passports ID pages stuffed in my wallet, my backpack and my briefcase if I have one. I have a digital picture in my phone backed up on iCloud. If have more copies in every piece of luggage I have with me and in my toiletries bag.

The original goes into the safe in my room from the time I check in as soon as I walk into my room, and it for come out until I pack/check out to leave. If your real passport ever gets lost or stolen overseas (which has happened to me) having a copy you can show the authorities and the Embassy will make it 1,000x easier to get a duplicate swiftly.

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There is also an option to get a passport card when you get your passport. It only costs $20 extra I believe. This is the size of a drivers license and I believe works for land or see travel to Canada or Mexico but not air travel.

@Enzo_T in AZ if you don’t get the real ID drivers license you can keep the same license without the hassles of renewals and new photos until you turn 65. So at least in AZ the real ID drivers license isn’t as convenient as the regular license for many people.

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I agree with all that plus: When I applied for my passport book which is what need for international travel especially by flight, I also checked the block for a passport card and paid a little extra to have the convenience of that card in my wallet.

It’s only good for surface travel (land and water) with our neighbors in North America, but it also proves US citizenship, and can help gain access to US embassies, and help obtain a replacement passport book with a State Department database check.

It’s got the same digital photo of me as my passport book, and validity dates from issue to expiration ten-years later.

I could boat or drive across the St. Lawerence River (Seaway) with that, or my Enhanced Driver License, but if I needed to take a helicopter hope, or flight over the St. Lawerence, that requires the actual passport book.

If you take a Caribbean Cruise island hopping, and meet the strict requirements “closed loop travel,” and each island nations’ requirements you can do it on a passport card unless a country that you visit requires a passport book.

You must also return on the same vessel to the same port that you departed from.

If for any reason you cannot return on the same boat, or to the same port, you need the passport book.

Scenarios: Your boat gets diverted by weather like from say the port of N.O., LA for a hurricane.

Your boat is disabled, and replaced, you have a medical emergency requiring an emergency flight back to our mainland, you miss your boat’s departure, or are held back by an insurrection.

The list of stuff that might happen goes on.

Which, os why cruse lines, travel agents, and the State Department recommends having an actual passport book.

For those living near one of our borders who, for whatever reason frequently visits cross border, a Passport Card, or Enhanced DL that is an acceptable substitute is cheaper than a passport book, and makes sense.

All authorities suggest that you carry both island hopping in the Caribbean, as too many things can alter your return requiring an actual passport (book).

If you are visiting the U.S.V.I. Virginian Islands or P.R. you likely don’t need the book, and can get by the card.

Other nation islands require research.

For instance Cuba not only requires the passport book, but also a visa issued by them.

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Bought my wife and daughter tickets to go down to punta gorda in July. I told her about the real ID and she better get on it now. Of course, normal to her tradition, she will wait til June and act like its something new.

Im not going, ill worry about mine when its due in Dec.

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Now is the time to get the check list of require documents, and take Inventory.

Some documents take longer than others to replace if missing like Social Security Cards and acceptable original Birth Certificates with a raised seals, or a multi colored tamper evident seals, (like bigger municipalities like NYC uses. They do so many new and old birth certificates that they cannot put raised seals on them. Remember no photo copies at DMV, all originals and some with seals if required.

Post Office and Passport Offices required one side each separate photo copes to accompany the application, but the clerk still wants to see the originals, and don’t sign the app in advance either, they want to witness you signing it.

Don’t wait until the last minute especially if you have to make an appointment in time to have your travel documents in hand, DMVs usually state several weeks mailing time, State Department for passports, several months mailing time.

You don’t want to be sent packing for anything you could have gotten for a once and done trip.

You don’t need that aggravation.

Especially, if it’s an item that takes time to acquirer.

That includes legal name changes for marages, and divorces.

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Trust me i know, cant get it through her thick head though I believe she has all of her original documents. Which is good for her.

Im not going, i dont fly anymore. I do gotta get a new SS card, cant wait for that game. Pissed me off getting a replacement DD214.

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Getting a real ID is relatively easy. However, for some people anything at the DMV or that requires paperwork of that nature is like kryptonite to Superman. When it was time for my wife to renew and get a Real ID, we had to go back to the county and get a copy of our marriage license and then I had to tell her exactly what to do to get the paperwork done. I push paper all day and work processes and procedures. Her? Yeah not so much.

My passport is expired. I’ll renew it if I ever decide to travel internationally again. My church isn’t taking missions trips as frequently so I don’t need to keep it current.

But I agree with the OP get the docs you need before you need them.

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Understand ! :+1:

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The card is a nice thing to have for cruise lines and such but I’ve never found it to be helpful for true international travel. Funny there was a time when Cuba would not stamp US passports so you wouldn’t get in trouble when you came back into US soil and had to face customs. I’ve had to get Visas from a bunch of countries over the years including some very “troublesome” ones like Brazil and Nigeria. The Nigeria one had to be “expedited” cost like $900 to get it done. The most interesting one was a passport I carried for years that had prominently stamped “Replacement Passport issued by American Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela”. that was always fun to explain….

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For instance, get your DMV’s check list and collect everything on it.

Just keep hacking at it until you have it all.

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Helpful hint: Once you accumulate all needed proof documents for any one entity, put them all in individual document protection sleeves, and put them in a ring binder. One common catch for them all

If you then need any of those same documents for another entry or purpose since a lot of the same stuff is required, you will have easily retrievable.

Example: right after I got my state DMV Real ID Enhanced DL, I applied for my passport book and card.

The same stuff you need for HR employment
I-9 form, also.

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Brother Bean, Check you’re Drivers License you have now.
If there is a GOLD STAR on it Bottom right hand corner you have the
appropriate REAL I.D. License already. Bringing your Passport every time can’t hurt. TSA LOVES
DOUBLE ID verification.
Most folk’s that re-register their DL GET the ID without asking for it.

Now, I have found that Flying with my usual 10,000 rounds through the check point can be problematic…can anyone help me? :innocent:

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That’s me. :grin:

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Make sure that anything that requires a seal has it, raised, or multicolored.

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You joke but there IS a weight limit on how much ammo they will let you carry as luggage. I have bumped THAT wall a few times :scream::face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

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11lbs?

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No weigh?..Weigh! :clown_face:

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