What it is: Starting May 7, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security is requiring that all travelers have Real ID compliant identification for domestic air travel.

What does a Real ID compliant driver’s license look like? It will have one of these five symbols in the upper right hand corner. Typically, it is a star. Starting May 7, 2025, is when you need to have this on your driver’s license, or travel with a different ID.

• Real ID compliant state photo identity card issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
• U.S. passport
• U.S. passport card
• DHS trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• DHS-designated enhanced driver’s license
• Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation worker identification credential (TWIC®)
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential

What’s the impact to the cruise industry? At this time, the cruise industry does not require Real ID compliant forms of identification. 

Here are the best resources:

• Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Real ID Website – https://www.tsa.gov/real-id
• Department of Homeland Security Real ID Website – https://www.dhs.gov/real-id
• To see what a Real ID compliant driver’s license looks like by state - https://www.tsa.gov/real-id/signage

Enhanced IDs are specialized forms of identification issued by certain U.S. states and Canadian provinces. They combine the features of a standard driver's license or identification card with additional security features, allowing them to be used for specific purposes like crossing borders by land or sea.

Key Features of Enhanced IDs:
1. Dual Functionality:
- Acts as a regular driver’s license or state ID.
- Serves as a border-crossing document for reentry to the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean via land or sea (not valid for air travel).

2. Compliance with WHTI:
- Enhanced IDs are compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), making them an alternative to a passport for certain travel purposes.

3. RFID Technology:
- Embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip for faster border crossing.
- A machine-readable zone (MRZ) for scanning by customs officials.

4. Security Features:
- Holograms, UV images, and other elements to prevent counterfeiting.
- The holder’s citizenship information is linked to the card.

States Offering Enhanced IDs in the U.S.:
Currently, the following states issue Enhanced IDs:
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New York
- Vermont
- Washington

Requirements for Obtaining an Enhanced ID:
1. Proof of U.S. citizenship (e.g., birth certificate, naturalization certificate).
2. Proof of residency in the issuing state or province.
3. Additional documentation, such as Social Security number (U.S.) or equivalent.
4. Passing vision and knowledge tests (for driver’s licenses).

Benefits of Enhanced IDs:
- Convenient for frequent travelers to neighboring countries.
- More affordable and easier to obtain than a passport.
- Meets REAL ID Act standards for domestic air travel in the U.S. (if applicable).

Drawbacks:
- Limited to specific border crossings (land and sea only).
- RFID technology may raise privacy concerns.

New UK Travel Authorization Required Starting January 2025

Starting January 8, 2025, travelers from many countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom. This requirement applies to travel in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland by air or sea.

What is the ETA?
The ETA is a new digital travel document designed to make entering the UK more secure and efficient. It’s an online application linked to your passport, allowing multiple UK visits over two years or until your passport expires.

When to Apply

• For Non-European Travelers (like U.S. and Canadian citizens): You can start applying now. The ETA requirement begins January 8, 2025, for non-European travelers. 
• For European Travelers: The ETA requirement begins April 2, 2025, and applications will open on March 5, 2025, for European Travelers.

How Much Does it Cost?
The ETA costs £10 (about $13) per application.

How to Apply
You’ll apply online or through the UK ETA app. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Your passport.
• A recent photo.
• A device with a camera for verification (if required).

Approval Timeline
Most ETAs are approved within 72 hours, so it’s important to apply early to avoid delays.

Important Notes

• You cannot apply for an ETA upon arrival in the UK. You must secure it before you travel.
• All eligible guests will be required to apply and show proof of ETA (or ETA number) at check-in before traveling to or through the UK by ship or plane.
1.  17 January 2025: UPDATE

   You no longer need an ETA to transit through the UK if you will not pass through border control ('airside' transit).

• Any guest who does not have this required document will be denied boarding. 

What About Northern Ireland?
If you’re traveling to Northern Ireland, you’ll need an ETA even if you’re arriving via the Republic of Ireland.

Reminders for Other Travel
While the ETA covers UK travel, some countries you visit on the same trip may have their own visa or travel authorization requirements. For example, the EU plans to introduce its ETIAS system in 2025 for travel to 30 European countries.

We recommend advising your customers to visit travel.state.gov for all international travel documentation requirements.

For more information or to apply, visit the official UK ETA website or download the UK ETA app.

• Download on the App Store
• Download on Google Play

Resources

• Ask about ETA
• YouTube: What is an Electronic Travel Authorisation
• YouTube: Getting Started: Applying for a UK ETA

If you are traveling to other places in Europe besides the UK, you will need to sign up for the European Travel Information and Authorization System. This program's launch date has been pushed back from 2024 to Q4 of 2026. There is a new separate program called the Entry/Exit System (EES), which was set to launch November 10, 2024, but has been delayed. The ETIAS will be phased in three to six months after the EES. There will also be a grace period when it becomes implemented.

The Difference Between The Two Programs

Both systems aim to strengthen European security and security of those who travel. 

1. The EES will register visa-free and visa-required travelers entering Europe for a short stay. No action will be required from travelers before they start their trip, as registration will be done at the external border of any of the 29 European countries using the system. Registration on the EES will be done every time travelers cross external borders and will replace the manual stamping of passports.
2. ETIAS is a new entry requirement for travelers who do not need a visa to enter 30 European countries for a short stay. With ETIAS, visa-free travelers will need to apply for a travel authorization before starting their trip. ETIAS is not a visa, and its introduction does not modify the visa-free status of travelers. 

What You Need To Know

Entry/Exit System (EES) Beginning October 2025

EES is a biometric system which will use digital photographs and fingerprints for registering travelers from non-EU countries, including the UK, when they cross the EU’s external border. It will apply to both short-stay visa holders and visa-exempt travelers, each time they cross the external borders of any of these European countries using the system.

• The system applies to those who are a non-EU national (means a traveler not holding the nationality of any European Union country or the nationality of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.) and:
• need a short-stay visa to travel to the European countries using the EES (‘Short stay’ means up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This period is calculated as a single period for all the European countries using the EES)
• or
• do not need a visa to travel for a short stay in the European countries using the EES
• Entries and exits, or entry refusals will be electronically registered in the EES.
• In Cyprus and Ireland, despite being countries of the European Union, passports will still be stamped manually.
• The EES does not apply to: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/whom-does-ees-not-apply_en

How will it work?

If you arrive at a border crossing point for the first time since the EES started

• You will have to provide your personal data. Passport control officers will scan your fingerprints or take a photo of your face. This information will be recorded in a digital file.
• Your passport (biometric or non-biometric) will not be stamped.
• This process can be quicker if you register some of your data in advance. You can do this by using:
• the dedicated equipment (“self-service system”), if available at your border crossing point; and/or
• a mobile application - if made available by the country of arrival or departure.
• In any of the instances above, you will meet a passport control officer.

If you have crossed the borders of the European countries using the EES more than once since the EES started

• Your fingerprints or the photo of your face will already be recorded in the EES.
• The passport control officers will only verify your fingerprints and photo, which will take less time. In rare cases, it may be necessary to collect and record your data again.
• If you hold a biometric passport, you will be able to enter more quickly using the self-service system (if available at that border crossing point). If your digital file is clear of any impediments to travel, you will usually not need to go via a passport control officer.

ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System)
The rules of travel to most European countries have changed. Starting in 2026 (no specific date has been set), some 1.4 billion people from over 60 visa-exempt countries are required to have a travel authorization to enter 30 European countries for a short stay. ETIAS travel authorization is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of these 30 European countries. It is linked to a traveler’s passport. It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorization. With a valid ETIAS travel authorization, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays - normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.

How will it work?

Applying for an ETIAS travel authorization

• You can fill out the application form using either this official ETIAS website or the ETIAS mobile application. Applying for the ETIAS travel authorization costs EUR 7, though some travelers are exempt from paying this fee. Read more about what you need to apply and payment exemptions.

Processing your ETIAS application

• Most applications are processed within minutes.
• It is possible however that your application may take longer to process. If so, you will receive a decision within four days. Please note that this period could be extended by up to 14 days if you are requested to provide additional information or documentation, or up to 30 days if you are invited to an interview. This is why you should apply for an ETIAS travel authorization well in advance of your planned journey.

Once you have applied

• You will receive an email confirming the submission of your application which will include your unique ETIAS application number: make sure you keep this number for future reference.
• Once your application has been processed, you will receive another email informing you about its outcome. In some cases this could take up to 96 hours.
• When you get your ETIAS travel authorization please make sure your name, passport number and other information is correct: if there is any mistake, you will not be allowed to cross the border. More information about what to do if you made a mistake in your application can be found here.
• If your application is refused, the email will provide the reasons for this decision. It will also include information about how to appeal, details of the competent authority, as well as the relevant time limit to appeal.

Validity period of your ETIAS

• Your ETIAS travel authorization is valid for three years or until the travel document you used in your application expires - whichever comes first.
• It is for short-term stays: a valid ETIAS travel authorization entitles you to stay in the European countries requiring ETIAS for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
• You must be in possession of a valid ETIAS travel authorization during your entire stay. You can leave and come back at any time, as long as you respect this time limit.

On arrival at the border

• As your ETIAS travel authorization is linked to your travel document, make sure to carry the same document which you used in your ETIAS application. Otherwise, you will not be allowed to board your flight, bus or ship, or to enter any of the European countries requiring ETIAS.
• Having a valid ETIAS travel authorization does not guarantee an automatic right of entry. When you arrive at the border, border guards will verify that you meet the entry conditions. Those travelers who do not meet the entry conditions will be refused entry.
• More information about what to expect when crossing EU borders is available here.

ETIAS check-list

• Apply for an ETIAS travel authorization well in advance – before you buy your ticket or book your accommodation
• Make sure your passport details correspond to those in your ETIAS authorization – you will be refused boarding and entry at the border if they do not match
• Make sure your ETIAS travel authorization is still valid
• Check how long you can stay in the European countries requiring ETIAS
• Make sure your passport is valid for three months after your intended departure from the European countries requiring ETIAS - you will be refused entry at the border if it is not (exceptions apply).

Resources

• European Union New Requirements to Travel to Europe – There are tabs for both the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the ETIAS
• EES FAQs
• ETIAS FAQs