- Joined
- Feb 13, 2004
If you don't want to take your passport with you on every domestic flight after Oct 1, 2020, you will need to convert your driver's license to a Real ID. Then you can fly with just your license. This system will probably work well for most men, but many married women are going to be shut out of obtaining a Real ID.
In order to get a Real ID, you must bring a lot of official documentation proving who you are to your state's DMV. At least in my state, and I think in most, possibly all, the DMV will run the information on your documentation proving who you are through the Social Security Administration's database. If your identifying documents don't perfectly match Social Security's records, you will be denied a Real ID driver's license.
This system will work just fine for most men. They don't change their names when they get married. But for many women, this is going to be a big problem.
If Mary Jane Smith marries John Robert Doe, John's records throughout his life will probably remain consistent. He was, and always will be, John Robert Doe. He will get his Real ID with no issues as long as he brings in the required documents.
But if Mary Jane Smith Doe has some of her official documents (say a driver's license and passport) in the name of Mary Jane Doe, and her Social Security records are in the name of Mary Smith Doe, she will be denied a Real ID, no matter how much official documentation she brings to the DMV to prove who she is. Her choices will then be to travel with her passport for the rest of her life every time she flies domestically, or she can try to change her name with the SSA to Mary Jane Doe. Good luck with that, Mary. The SSA isn't known for perfectly handling important changes to their records, and it's pretty important that the records they keep are accurate because they involve withholding, Social Security, Medicare, etc. How many women are going to want to take that chance?
Some married women are going to be lucky to have consistent records. Millions aren't going to be that lucky. Apparently not one of the geniuses who created this law gave a moment's thought to solving a concern that potentially affects the female half of the US population. Sigh....
In order to get a Real ID, you must bring a lot of official documentation proving who you are to your state's DMV. At least in my state, and I think in most, possibly all, the DMV will run the information on your documentation proving who you are through the Social Security Administration's database. If your identifying documents don't perfectly match Social Security's records, you will be denied a Real ID driver's license.
This system will work just fine for most men. They don't change their names when they get married. But for many women, this is going to be a big problem.
If Mary Jane Smith marries John Robert Doe, John's records throughout his life will probably remain consistent. He was, and always will be, John Robert Doe. He will get his Real ID with no issues as long as he brings in the required documents.
But if Mary Jane Smith Doe has some of her official documents (say a driver's license and passport) in the name of Mary Jane Doe, and her Social Security records are in the name of Mary Smith Doe, she will be denied a Real ID, no matter how much official documentation she brings to the DMV to prove who she is. Her choices will then be to travel with her passport for the rest of her life every time she flies domestically, or she can try to change her name with the SSA to Mary Jane Doe. Good luck with that, Mary. The SSA isn't known for perfectly handling important changes to their records, and it's pretty important that the records they keep are accurate because they involve withholding, Social Security, Medicare, etc. How many women are going to want to take that chance?
Some married women are going to be lucky to have consistent records. Millions aren't going to be that lucky. Apparently not one of the geniuses who created this law gave a moment's thought to solving a concern that potentially affects the female half of the US population. Sigh....