Director Barbara Jackson McIntosh would like to inform holders of a US Virgin Islands Non-Real ID Driver’s License that the US Department of Homeland Security Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has advised the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) that the USVI Real ID will be uploaded into the TSA database in April 2025, ahead of their May 7, 2025 deadline to use the REAL ID as a travel document.
The USVI REAL ID template, security features and card layout were changed according to the upgraded industry standards and anti-counterfeit measures; additionally, the design of the card was changed. As a result of the changes that were made, the new and improved driver’s license and ID cards were sent to TSA so that they will be programmed into the TSA’s computer data library. Once the cards are programmed into the data library, TSA employees will be able to scan the card so that their computer can read and identify the information contained within the card as that of the person that presented the card to the TSA employee.
The USVI BMV has made the decision not to issue the new cards until TSA has notified the territory that they are programmed into the TSA database and can be used as a travel document.
Please note that people with other forms of legal travel documents can use these documents to travel, documents such as a US Passport, Green Card, US Passport Card, etc. can be used.
Director McIntosh said that “if you were issued a non-REAL ID, you will automatically be reissued a REAL-ID and will be notified to come into the offices to pick up your REAL-ID. We apologize for any inconvenience that the delay in issuing REAL-IDs may have caused, however since the cards are not in the TSA database, we did not want to issue the cards and then you may have been denied travelling or other unnecessary scrutiny because the TSA employees would not have known that the VI has a new card design.
