NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Come January 2016 you’re going to need to passport up.
“It doesn’t really make sense to me. it seems like another fee or something we have to pay to get another form of id, so i don’t know why they would want to do that,” says Louisiana resident Larry Wolford.
Congress and the Department of Homeland Security want to standardize government issued ID’s across the U.S.
Louisiana, New York, New Hampshire and Minnesota are the only states who have yet to make the change.
It’s the first phase of the ‘Real ID Act’ enacted on behalf of the 9-11 Commission.
Governor Bobby Jindal decided not to follow suit and now time to get with the federal program is running out.
“I do think there’s going to be more than likely an extension, but eventually we have to make a decision. Someone has to make a decision I don’t think we can win a battle against 46 states versus four,” says Travel Central Owner Melinda Bourgeois.
Travel agents say many people are still left in the dark and mandating a domestic travel plan in the coming months is unlikely.
They have their own procedures in place to remind clients of future changes but say the general public, for the most part, is left to their own devices.
“I had no idea. I had no idea. You would think with social media and everything somebody would have said something,” says Louisiana resident Melissa Wolford.
As it stands, though, Louisianans looking to travel in the U.S. by plane will need a passport in January.
It’s going to take roughly six weeks for processing and will cost about $110 per person.
Passports are valid for ten years.