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Passports and REAL ID

Documents are the one thing you cannot fix at the airport. Check them first.

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Documents are the one part of a trip you cannot fix at the airport. Check them first, before you book anything you cannot cancel.

REAL ID for Domestic Flights

REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025. Since then, travelers 18 and older need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID — usually marked with a star — or another acceptable document to pass airport security for domestic flights. A valid U.S. passport is accepted in place of REAL ID. Adults who arrive without any acceptable ID must pay a $45 fee for TSA to try to confirm who they are, which may add time and is not guaranteed to work. Details and the full list of accepted IDs are on TSA’s REAL ID page.

Passports for International Travel

Check the expiration date now. Some countries require your passport to be valid for a period beyond your travel dates, and airlines can refuse boarding if it is not.
Check blank pages. Some destinations require empty pages for entry stamps.
Renew early. Processing times vary through the year; the State Department posts current estimates on its website.
Use the official site. Eligible adults can renew online, but only through the State Department’s own system. Lookalike sites charge extra for nothing.
Children need their own passports. Applications for children under 16 are made in person, generally with both parents or guardians.

Passport, laptop and map on a desk — Check the passport before you book the flight.

Everything official — applications, renewals, processing times, country entry requirements and travel advisories — is on travel.state.gov.

Country Entry Requirements

Each country sets its own rules. Some require a visa in advance, some an electronic travel authorization, some proof of onward travel or specific vaccinations. Read the country page for your destination on the State Department site well ahead of departure, and again a week before you leave in case anything has changed. If your trip includes a cruise or connections through other countries, check every country you will enter, even briefly.

Keep Copies

Photograph your passport ID page and keep it in a secure folder on your phone.
Carry a printed copy separately from the passport itself.
Leave a copy with someone at home.
Consider enrolling in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which lets the nearest U.S. embassy reach you in an emergency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a passport card to fly to another country?

No. The passport card works at land border crossings and sea ports of entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda, but not for international flights. For air travel abroad you need a passport book.

What happens if I fly without REAL ID?

TSA charges adults without a REAL ID or other acceptable ID a $45 fee to attempt identity verification. It can add time at the checkpoint and approval is not guaranteed, so carry a passport or other accepted ID instead.

Do children need ID to fly domestically?

TSA does not require children under 18 to show ID when traveling with a companion within the United States. Airlines may have their own rules, especially for children flying alone.

Not Sure What Documents You Need?

Tell us where you are going and who is traveling. A travel specialist will help you check requirements as part of planning and send free trip quotes.

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