Montana Travelers, Take Note: Real ID Deadline and UKETA Updates for 2025

Montana has been hearing about it for years and now it is finally going to happen in 2025. The enforcement of the Real ID is now becoming a reality and the countdown is on. The Department of Homeland Security has the countdown to enforcement on their website, which will begin on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. As of this writing that gives you 123 days to become compliant.

What does this mean for you? If you are planning on doing any air travel, beginning May 7, 2025, you will need to have a Real ID to board a plane or enter certain federal facilities. It doesn't matter if the flight is domestic, you will still need to be Real ID compliant. Unless you have a valid passport, you can use it in place of a Real ID.

There has been ample warning about the use of Real ID over the years. Deadlines for enforcement have been changed, but now it looks like this is really going to happen. There is another new law that is taking effect in 2025 too. Anyone planning to travel to the United Kingdom in the future will need to know about the UKETA (Electronic Travel Authorization). This new requirement in 2025 applies to travelers entering the U.K. from the United States without a visa. You can apply for the UKETA online and it will be valid for two years, but it will be required for entry to and exit from the U.K.

If you choose to carry a passport whenever you fly, you don't need to worry about the Real ID, but for those that don't, you will need to comply by May.