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In 2018, there was a change in the design of driver’s licenses in California and, with that change, some had the phrase “Federal limits apply” marked in the upper right corner . According to Migrant Connection , this phrase generated many doubts among applicants, but it is no longer a category that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) used to identify those licenses that do not have Real ID and that, therefore, do not allow their holders to enjoy of the corresponding privileges, including having access to federal and military facilities or using it as a form of identification to board domestic flights .
Despite these limitations, licenses marked with the phrase “Federal limits apply” do not prevent the holder from enjoying his driving privilege or other privileges associated with obtaining this type of credentials :
1. Receive federal benefits.
2. Enter some federal institutions such as post offices.
3. Visit hospitals or health centers.
4. Collaborate in procedures or investigations of the authorities.
Unlike these types of licenses, licenses with Real ID do not have this phrase because they are federally approved credentials . Instead of it, they have an image that can vary depending on the region of the country. In the state of California, this image is a brown bear that has a star on the back of its body.
The Royal Identification Act was created as a security measure after terrorist attack of the 09 September 2001, a fact that this year fulfilled 20 years. Its main objective is to create a much more secure panorama around the issuance and use of these types of documents, as well as greater control regarding the privileges granted with them. In the past, the federal government has set various deadlines for the Real ID application, but those deadlines have been constantly being rescheduled due to various inconveniences, such as the COVID pandemic – 11. For now, the new date has been set for next May 3, 2023, date on which identifications with federal standards will be mandatory to enter certain spaces .
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