As deadline looms, Real ID process still frustrating for some

For some, acquiring a Pennsylvania Real ID has been relatively painless, but for others — especially women — the process has been anything but.

Starting May 7, Pennsylvanians 18 and older will be required to have a Real ID to board domestic flights, set foot in military bases and enter certain federal facilities.

A valid passport or military ID meets the federal standards of Real ID and may be used for identification in lieu of a Real ID driver’s license.

With the deadline a month away, the state Department of Transportation held “Real ID Days” at driver’s license centers throughout the state that would normally be closed on Mondays.

But those centers became scenes of frustration for many locals dealing with the numerous required documents and approaching deadline.

To get a Real ID, residents are required to bring:

• One identity document, such as a birth certificate or passport.

• One proof of a Social Security number, like a Social Security card or W-2.

• Two proofs of residency, such as a utility bill, current driver’s license or an insurance card.

More details can be found on the state’s website, pa.gov. Enter “Real ID” in the search bar at the top right.

But for those who have changed their names — often married women — residents must also bring a marriage certificate or a court order for a name change. A marriage license, essentially a government application to get married, and certificates issued by religious authorities are not valid for Real ID purposes.

The requirements left 66-year-old Christine Penta of Washington Township frustrated after her second attempt to obtain a Real ID at the New Kensington driver’s license center, located in Plum.

Married twice, Penta brought both of her marriage licenses in addition to the other required documents, but she said “nothing was good enough.”

“In my opinion, I think us good citizens are getting raked over the coals,” she said.

She thinks the issue is that she brought her original “Notification of Birth” but not her birth certificate. A worker at the center also questioned her marriage certificate, but she said it was issued by a Westmoreland County magistrate.

At this point, Penta said, she plans to visit the county courthouse to sort out her documents, but she may end up just applying for a passport.

Pamela Applegate of Fayette County was one of many who did not get past the document checker at the Jeannette driver’s license center, though she’s unclear on why.

With her marriage license from the 1960s, she sat on a bench outside the Lowry Avenue center mulling her options in advance of a trip to Florida next month. Applegate’s return flight is scheduled to land before the deadline goes into effect, but she did not want to chance it in case plans change unexpectedly.

“Somebody 76 years old shouldn’t have to go through this,” she said. “Married almost 60 years, but my certificate’s no good.”

Though she said she could not comment on specific cases, Department of Transportation press officer Aimee Inama said there are no date requirements for older documents as long as they are issued by the appropriate government authorities.

As for the frustrations felt by many going through the Real ID process, Inama said “preparation is key” for those who plan to visit a center. She advised residents to consult the state’s website (pa.gov) before getting in line.

But for Jeff Curti of Indiana, the process was “real easy.” Though he forgot a document initially, Curti said, when he returned, he was in and out of the New Kensington facility quickly.

Curti said, however, he knows the process is not so effortless for everyone.

“It’s crazy what they’re having women do,” he said.

Patricia Trzeciak of Upper Burrell said she had to acquire a new marriage license because the one issued to her decades ago was from a church, not the county. But she said the document arrived quickly and the process at the New Kensington center was “perfect.”

To obtain her Real ID, Trzeciak arrived with her birth certificate, new marriage certificate, Social Security card, driver’s license and a piece of mail to show her address.

“When I came today, I went right in and didn’t have to wait long at all,” she said.

Though the line occasionally stretched outside at the small New Kensington center, wait times were generally less than 30 minutes.

At the Jeannette driver’s license center, however, it was closer to a 90-minute wait.

There, Michele Dudek of Liberty Borough said the process went smoothly for her as she prepares to travel for a Texas wedding this summer. But Dudek said she watched several older people be turned away because they didn’t have all the documents they needed.

“It was kind of a shame,” she said.

The fee for obtaining Real ID is $30, plus the standard $39.50 renewal fee for a driver’s license.

James Engel and Renatta Signorini are TribLive staff writers. James can be reached at jengel@triblive.com. Renatta can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com