Illinois residents seeking to obtain REAL IDs before a looming federal deadline are getting more options to navigate the process. The Illinois Secretary of State's office is expanding Saturday hours at its downtown Supercenter and partnering with Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon's office to streamline processing.
The move aims to alleviate the pressure on residents who need to gather additional documents required for REAL IDs, which have been mandatory since last spring. Currently, almost half of Illinoisans - approximately 1.5 million people - hold an updated ID, bringing coverage in the state to 44%.
With just weeks left before a $45 fee is imposed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on travelers without REAL IDs, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias urges residents to act now. The expanded hours will be available at the walk-in REAL ID Supercenter and Vital Records Department.
Starting January 17th, January 24th, and January 31st, the downtown Supercenter will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., while the clerk's office will stay open until 5 p.m. on those dates. Moreover, 15 Chicago area DMVs will also offer additional Saturday appointments.
To help residents prepare, the Cook County Clerk's office is providing assistance via phone at (312) 603-6278 or email at [email protected]. Meanwhile, residents can make appointment at any DMV through the Illinois Secretary of State's website.
The REAL ID process has been made easier and more convenient for Illinoisans, reducing the hassle and risk of surprise fees at airports. The TSA's penalty will be payable online before arriving at the airport, with travelers also able to pay online at the airport itself, though officials warn that this may take up to 30 minutes.
The move aims to alleviate the pressure on residents who need to gather additional documents required for REAL IDs, which have been mandatory since last spring. Currently, almost half of Illinoisans - approximately 1.5 million people - hold an updated ID, bringing coverage in the state to 44%.
With just weeks left before a $45 fee is imposed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on travelers without REAL IDs, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias urges residents to act now. The expanded hours will be available at the walk-in REAL ID Supercenter and Vital Records Department.
Starting January 17th, January 24th, and January 31st, the downtown Supercenter will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., while the clerk's office will stay open until 5 p.m. on those dates. Moreover, 15 Chicago area DMVs will also offer additional Saturday appointments.
To help residents prepare, the Cook County Clerk's office is providing assistance via phone at (312) 603-6278 or email at [email protected]. Meanwhile, residents can make appointment at any DMV through the Illinois Secretary of State's website.
The REAL ID process has been made easier and more convenient for Illinoisans, reducing the hassle and risk of surprise fees at airports. The TSA's penalty will be payable online before arriving at the airport, with travelers also able to pay online at the airport itself, though officials warn that this may take up to 30 minutes.
OMG, yay! finally some relief for ppl who need a REAL ID!!! 
it's about time they're makin more options available so we don't have to deal with all that stress & hassle. Saturday hours r gonna be super helpful and 15 DMVs in chicago now offer saturday appointments too 
can't believe the tsa is gonna charge us $45 if we dont get one tho 
guess ill just have to get it done ASAP... 
! Can't they just make it easier for us to get our REAL IDs without having to deal with long lines and crowded offices? I mean, what's the point of giving more options if it just means we have to wait longer? January 17th, 24th, and 31st are basically just a tease – we know it's going to be chaotic either way. And don't even get me started on the $45 fee 
... can't they just waive that for people who need it most? I guess we'll just have to wait and see if this whole ordeal is worth the hassle.
But hey, more options are always better, right? And it's cool that the Secretary of State is working with Cook County to make things smoother. January 17th, 24th, and 31st, that's just around the corner... I hope people aren't gonna get caught off guard when that $45 fee hits! 
But, you know what's a great idea? Expanding Saturday hours at the Secretary of State's office and partnering with the Cook County Clerk's office to streamline processing. It makes total sense that they'd want to help people prepare for the looming deadline and avoid those pesky surprise fees at airports 
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. But, with these extra options available, I'm hoping it'll make the process way more manageable for Illinois residents. And, let's be real, 44% coverage isn't bad at all... still a lot of people who need those IDs 
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OMG, I'm so relieved they're expanding Saturday hours at the Supercenter! My cousin has been trying to get a REAL ID for ages and it's always been super stressful going during weekdays... now she can try on Saturdays 
. I know not everyone is as organized as me, but I just hope everyone who needs an ID gets it before that deadline 
. It's crazy how many people still need to get one - 1.5 million?! That's like, half the state or something 
. But on the bright side, there are more options available now! The partnership with Monica Gordon's office is a great idea 
I mean, what's the real motive behind these expanded hours and extra Saturday appointments? Is it really just about helping people get their REAL IDs or is it a way for them to collect even more data from us? And have you seen those 15 Chicago DMVs offering Saturday appointments? That's like a clever PR stunt to distract us from something else... 
[GIF of a clock ticking] 
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I'm not expecting a complete smooth ride or anything, but it's nice that the state office is taking steps to help out those who need an ID. Still, $45 fee from the TSA sounds like a bit of a bummer for people who are already behind on getting this done... 
But seriously, it's about accessibility, right? 
They're opening more hours at the downtown Supercenter and partnering with Cook County Clerk's office, so you can finally get yours before the $45 fee hits 
. It's just a hassle and I get why they need more options. Expanding Saturday hours is a good idea, but what about people who can't make it to the Supercenter? Maybe we need to think of ways to bring this service to rural areas too? 
and i'm still trying to figure out how to use it lol... anyway back to this news... so like if you need a real id in illinois you can go to the supercenter on saturdays now 
️ what's with the $45 fee tho? shouldn't we just get it for free lol... and why do they have to impose a fee in the first place? like isn't safety supposed to be free? 
We need more options, like, stat! 
Maybe they should consider hiring more staff or something? 
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