By Fort Bragg Public Affairs Office and Department of State
As of Dec. 31, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security indicates Driver Licenses and ID cards from the following states are not compliant with the standards of the REAL ID Act: Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico and Washington. Twenty-three other states are pursuing compliancy for their programs and have an extended deadline of Oct. 10, 2016; Alaska, California, New Jersey and South Carolina.
The five states listed above have not met the requirements put in place by the Real ID Act, passed by congress in 2005. More information on the Real ID Act can be found at www.dhs.gov. Persons attempting to enter any military installation or Federal building, unescorted, with only one of these identified state issued ID cards will be asked to show a second form of ID.
“Effective immediately, residents of these five states can no longer use their driver’s license to get a visitor’s pass,” said Tom McCollum, Fort Bragg Garrison spokesman. “Driver’s licenses and identification cards issued by these states cannot be used to access not just Fort Bragg, but all federal facilities, to include other military installations.”
Federally issued means of identification can be used to obtain an installation visitor’s pass. These include a U.S. passport, permanent resident card / alien registration receipt card and an employment authorization document with photo. Driver’s licenses from the remaining 45 states can still be used as valid forms of identification.
“The process for gaining access to Fort Bragg hasn’t changed for the vast majority of people,” said McCollum. “If you have a DOD issued ID card, you can use it at the gates as you always have.”
For more information on access procedures specific to U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, visit http://www.stuttgart.army.mil/services-IACS.html.
The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, established tougher requirements for proof of legal U.S. residency that would allow driver’s license to be recognized for federal purposes. For current information concerning state-by-state compliance with the Real ID Act, visit www.dhs.gov.
Visa Passport update from Department of State
Effective January 2016, Department of State will no longer issue additional Visa pages in official passports. Customers will need to reapply for a new “passport” before their current official passport expires “or has” four or less blank Visa pages left. For additional information please click the link below.
Elimination of Additional Visa Pages Flyer
For more information on Passports, visit http://www.stuttgart.army.mil/services-passports.html.