Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in EnglishFrequent fliers are being warned to expect chaos at Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations across the US as the deadline to have a Real ID for travel rapidly approaches. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced passengers must have the upgraded form of identification to board domestic flights without a passport by May 7.But wait times and a severe lack of DMV appointments has made applying for Real IDs before the deadline nearly impossible for some. The Real ID Act mandates state-issued IDs to meet federal standards, according to the US Department of State. Real IDs will not only be needed to board flights, but also to enter federal buildings. DMVs from New Jersey to Tennessee have extended their hours of operations and added hundreds of extra appointment slots to accommodate the hoards of panicked travelers hoping to make the cut-off date. The DMV’s ramped-up efforts have been no match for the demand for the new IDs, however – given one in five US travelers do not already have them, the Wall Street Journal reported.DHS estimates that roughly 40 percent of driver’s licenses and IDs will not be Real ID-compliant by May 7, according to ABC. Last week, frustrated ID-seekers waited for hours in a line wrapped around the DMV in White Haven, Tennessee. ‘It’s hot,’ Memphis resident Tamara Foxx told WREG as she fanned herself with a piece of paper. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asserted that by May 7, travelers must have the upgraded form of identification to board domestic flights without a passport DMV locations in Miami-Dade and Broward counties have seen fed-up customers this month, many of whom camped out overnight to get in line for their appointments The Real ID Act mandates state-issued IDs to meet federal standards. These upgraded forms of identification will be needed to board domestic flights and enter federal facilities ‘First of all, I’ve been here for an hour. I started off at the back of the line and I still haven’t made it to the front. So this is really ridiculous.’Getting the ID has been a particularly tedious process for those who did not review the needed documents to bring to the DMV before arriving for their appointment.The necessary documents vary from state to state, but generally include proof of US citizenship, a social security card and proof of state residency. Each state’s specific requirements can be found on the DHS website. Renardo McKenny, who was interviewed by WREG while waiting in line outside of the White Haven DMV, said he had waited for two hours the day before.When he finally made it to the front of the line, he was informed that he needed his birth certificate and could not proceed with getting the upgraded ID. DMV locations in Miami-Dade and Broward counties have seen similarly fed-up customers this month, many of whom camped out overnight to get in line for appointments they made months in advance, WPLG reported. These extreme lines and appointment shortages could persist well into the summer.Since people currently do not need a passport for interstate flights, the mandate could bar travelers from boarding planes if they cannot make it to DMV in time.The out of hand wait times at DMVs have given leeway to those looking to take advantage of the situation. The Miami-Dade tax collector’s office ‘scalpers’ have been taking up significant amounts the DMV’s free appointments and reselling them to people desperate to be squeezed in before May 7. The Miami-Dade tax collector’s office ‘scalpers’ have been taking up significant amounts the DMV’s free appointments and reselling them to peopleOne New Jersey woman asked on Facebook: ‘How can you get a Real ID if there are no appointments available and it’s by appointment only?”The whole state is booked!’ another agreed. Motorists who need to go to the DMV for other service have also been struggling to get in due to the Real ID influxes. Marisa Meringolo of Shirley, Long Island, told News 12 she checked every DMV site on Long Island and the earliest slot to get her vehicle registered was several weeks away. A DMV representative explained to the outlet: ‘Each day, a certain number of appointments are reserved for walk-ins. With increased demand for Real ID transactions, those walk-in appointments fill up quickly.’Levels of DMV chaos have been varying between states, depending on how prepared states have been for the enforcement of the Real ID Act. For example, in Texas – where Real IDs have been the only form of state identification offered since 2016 – 98 percent of driver’s licenses and other IDs are already Real ID-complaint, the Texas Department of Public Safety told the WSJ.Pennsylvania, on the other hand, has been offering several types of licenses and reportedly has just a 25.6 percent opt-in rate for Real IDs. Enforcement of the REAL ID Act was pushed back three times during the pandemic DMVs from New Jersey to Tennessee have extended their hours of operations and added hundreds of extra appointment slots to accommodate the hoards of panicked travelersThe Real ID Act was passed in 2005 to federalize security standards for driver’s licenses and other ID cards.It was a response to the September 11 terrorist attacks that took place four years before the bill passed. But during the pandemic, the enforcement deadline fell though three times. With enforcement finally set in stone, people nationwide are less than thrilled.’This is a moneygrab. The amount of identification you need to show for a state id or drivers license at the DMV should suffice for travel domestically,’ one New Yorker wrote on Facebook. Another wrote: ‘Forget Real ID. Imagine trying to renew your license expiring and you can’t because you need the Real ID and can’t get an appointment. They need to do better.’Others said they do not understand why everyone is scrambling all of a sudden, given how long these federal plans have been in the works. ‘It’s been 20 years since that law was passed. I’ve had mine for about 17 years. I don’t understand why so many still haven’t gotten it,’ a Facebook user shared.
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