Minnesota DVS staff advise those without passports to wait in lines as Real ID deadline looms
The race to get a Real ID before the May 7 deadline is turning out to be a "real" headache for many.
Several DVS service centers are seeing long lines across the Twin Cities.
"I walked in and I saw this line and thought, 'Oh my God,' when am I going to get out of here?" said Folius Famuyid, who was in line for over 2 hours to get his Real ID on Monday at the Brookdale Service Center in Brooklyn Center. "I have to get this done."
Brookdale Service Center says they are not taking walk-ins and all their appointment times are filled out.
DVS staff members are encouraging people to remain patient.
"If you have a passport, use a passport for now, until we get the wait times down," said Martha Rivera-Quino, the supervisor at the Brookdale Service Center.
She says they've been dealing with long lines for a few months now.
"We are busy all day long. By 8 a.m. we have a line already. Staff are overwhelmed," said Rivera-Quino.
DVS staff members say it's important to have proper documentation to have a smooth process when you applying for a Real ID.
Drivers need you two things:
- Proof of Identity: birth certificate, passport or citizenship forms.
- Proof you live in Minnesota: utility bill, bank statement or your current ID if the address is up to date.
To avoid errors, Brookdale staff have been checking people's documents as they arrive.
"[Our staff is] doing the triage in line to make sure people have the right documents," said Rivera-Quino.
Yhlannda Rodgers applied for her Real ID on Monday after a several attempts as a walk-in at other locations.
"Three to four hour wait, walking in, get a ticket, got to come back the next day, same the next day. This is our 4th day here in the last two weeks," said Rodgers.
Once the deadline arrives, Minnesotans age 18 and older will no longer be able to use their standard driver's license to fly domestically or enter certain federal facilities.
