Adult passengers 18 and over must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel.
- Driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (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
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
ID requirements at the checkpoint will change beginning Jan. 22, 2018. Learn about REAL ID, read the FAQ or factsheet.
A weapon permit is not an acceptable form of identification. A temporary driver's license is not an acceptable form of identification.
Children
TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States. Contact the airline for questions regarding specific ID requirements for travelers under 18.
Forgot Your ID?
In the event you arrive at the airport without valid identification, because it is lost or at home, you may still be allowed to fly. The TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes collecting information such as your name, current address, and other personal information to confirm your identity. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint. You may be subject to additional screening, to include a patdown and screening of carry-on property.
You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if your identity cannot be confirmed, you chose to not provide proper identification or you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process.
TSA recommends that you arrive at least two hours in advance of your flight time.
If your identity cannot be verified, you will not be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals: Response to January 2018 Preliminary InjunctionJanuary 14, 2018 — Due to a federal court order, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has resumed accepting requests to renew a grant of deferred action under DACA. Until further notice, and unless otherwise provided in this guidance, the DACA policy will be operated on the terms in place before it was rescinded on Sept. 5, 2017.
*Ways to Locate your Loved One in a Crisis Abroad
Communicating with a loved one overseas can be complicated, especially during a large-scale crisis involving power outages or overwhelmed telephone lines that make sending and receiving calls difficult. If you are worried that your loved one was affected by a crisis, there are various ways to try and get in touch – and stay in touch.
- Send them a text message: U.S. cell phones do not always work overseas, especially when phone services are overwhelmed by a high volume of calls. Try sending your loved ones a text message – it is more likely to get through if they are in Wi-Fi range, even without local cell phone service.
- Use social media: Check all of their social media accounts for recent posts or comments. Some social media sites even allow people to “check in” if they are in or near a crisis location. Many sites allow you to send a private message, but you might want to post a public message so that others who might have information are able to see your message and respond. If you do post a public message, keep it general – remember, too much information can play into the hands of identity thieves and scammers.
- Contact travel companions and other close friends: Try to touch base with your loved one’s travel companions and close friends. Perhaps they know the whereabouts of your loved one and can pass a message, or have heard from your loved one since the crisis.
- Call the hotel, school, or organization: If you know your loved one’s itinerary, contact the current or next hotel on his/her planned trip and request that they ask your loved one to contact you. If your loved one is overseas for studies or work, his/her sponsoring organization in the United States or overseas may have information and be able to pass a message asking him/her to contact you. For privacy reasons, the organization may not be able to provide you with a lot of information, and some organizations may only be available during work hours.
- Communicate with tour operators: If your loved one is on a tour, contact the tour operator in the United States. It may not provide you with details because of privacy concerns, but it may pass a message.
- Call the local police: If you believe your loved one is in danger, call the police station or emergency services in the country that is local to where your loved one is staying, and find out what they can do to help. Each U.S. embassy and consulate provides local emergency numbers on their websites. Provide as many details about the person and his/her itinerary as possible.
- Consider reaching out to international aid organizations: There are a variety of international organizations that work to find people overseas. Consider reaching out to one of these organizations, which might have an established network of contacts in the crisis area.
- Contact the Department of State: We can be reached by phone at 888-407-4747 if calling from within the U.S. or Canada; or +1-202-501-4444 if calling from any other location. Check our travel.state.gov website for additional information – during a large-scale crisis, we may set up a crisis-specific email address which allows us to collect information more quickly when we have a large number of requests for assistance. In the event of a crisis, the U.S. embassy or consulate in the affected country works to identify and locate U.S. citizens needing assistance with help from local authorities. See our travel.state.govpage for more information on What the Department of State Can and Can’t Do in a Crisis