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REAL ID begins October 1, 2020

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The countdown is on as the deadline for REAL ID compliance draws near. Beginning October 1, 2020, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States. Below are answers to common questions regarding the REAL ID Act and resources on how to become compliant in your state before the deadline. 

What is the REAL ID Act?
Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the federal government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.” The Act and implementing regulations establish minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and prohibit federal agencies, like TSA, from accepting licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards for official purposes, such as getting through the airport security checkpoint to board a plane. (via TSA.gov)

How Do I Get a REAL ID?
Obtaining a REAL-ID requires an in-person visit to your local motor vehicles office and presenting documents that prove your identity and state residency. You cannot obtain a REAL ID through the mail. Required documents vary by state. Below is an example of required documents for California. Information for all 50 states can be found here

  • Valid, unexpired Passport or birth certificate (issued by a city, county or state vital statistics office)
  • Social security card or document showing your name and full social security number (examples include W-2, 1099, paystub)
  • Two documents to prove state residency that includes your address (usually the same address listed on your ID)
    Payment (fees vary by state)

Can I fly abroad with a REAL ID? 
No, a REAL ID is only valid for domestic travel. You will still need a valid passport for international travel. Information for obtaining a US Passport can be found here. 

What happens if I don’t have a REAL ID on October 1, 2020 and I’d like to fly within the United States?
If you don’t have a REAL ID by October 1, 2020, then you’ll need to provide another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States. The TSA lists other acceptable forms of identification here.

Helpful links
REAL ID California Information on obtaining a REAL ID in California.
Dept. of Homeland Security REAL ID for all 50 states Click your state on the map for information on obtaining a REAL ID.
TSA REAL ID TSA information on flying with REAL ID.

Minor Travel Consent Forms

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The holiday travel season is upon us and recently a client who is scheduled to travel abroad with a friend’s child inquired about minor travel consent forms and if they are necessary. Minor Travel Consent Forms have become necessary due to the increased instances of child abductions in custody cases and the growing number of children who are victims of human trafficking. If you are traveling with a minor, an immigration officer or airline representative may ask for a letter of consent. This may occur for domestic or international travel, so it’s best to be prepared.

What Is A “Minor Travel Consent Form?”

A minor travel consent form allows minors to travel without their parents or legal guardians being present. This form can be used when a minor will either be traveling alone or with another adult who is not their legal guardian. Currently, there is no “official” minor travel consent form, but we’ve included three free resources where you can complete a fillable form online, then choose the option to download or print.  Once completed, we highly recommend having the document notarized to make it legal. 

The websites below offer fillable forms that you can complete and print. Click on the links below for direct access. 

Eforms

RocketLawyer

LawDepot

For more information from the U.S Customs and Border Protection, read the section under “Traveling With Children” here.

 

 

 

 

Josephine Keita Featured on BlackMeetingsandTourism.com

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Josephine Keita of Nubian Tours

Our very own Josephine “Jo” Keita was recently featured in the article “Hospitality’s Hidden Figures: Women of Color Who Have Impacted The Travel, Tourism, Hospitality, and Lodging Industry” on blackmeetingsandtourism.com. Mrs. Keita, a 50-year industry veteran, was featured along with Salamander Resort owner Sheila Johnson and Atlanta Marriott Marquis General Manager Erica Qualls-Batley. Read full article here. 

PWT Agent Pat Rainer Exhibits Photos at Stax Museum in Memphis

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Al Green and Willie Mitchell Photographed by Patricia Rainer

Stax Museum to host “The Chaos and the Cosmos: Inside Memphis Music’s Lost Decade, 1977-1986 – Photography by Patricia Rainer” March 9 – July 31, 2018

  • Opening Reception: Friday, March 9, 2018
  • Stax Museum of American Soul Music
  • 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm
  • Free Admission

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music announced it will host “The Chaos and the Cosmos: Inside Memphis Music’s Lost Decade, 1977-1986 – Photography by Patricia Rainer.” It is longtime Memphis music photographer Patricia Rainer’s first-ever exhibit and spans the musical environment of post-Stax and –Elvis Memphis of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Included in the exhibit are candid and posed images of icons such as Al Green, Willie Mitchell, Memphis Horns legend Wayne Jackson, Sam Phillips, Jim Dickinson, Furry Lewis, and numerous others.

Rainer’s love affair with music began at an early age in Memphis, when she, as a young teen in the 1960s, became president of the Memphis Chapter of the Beatles Fan Club and was granted the task of giving the Fab Four a key to the city when they performed here at the Mid-South Coliseum in 1966.

She soon found herself immersed in the the cultural epicenters of 1970s Memphis State University (now University of Memphis), Yellow Submarine and Pop Tunes record stores, and other local organizations that prompted her to follow another passion, that of photography and videography.

Rainer graduated Memphis State University Cum Laude and by the time she began graduate school there in 1975, she began taking photographs, shooting video, and working on recording sessions as a production assistant and engineer in the thick of the Memphis music scene.  She meticulously organized her developed negatives and contact sheets but rarely made larger prints for anyone to see.

Now, for her first-ever solo exhibit of her photographs, Rainer has compiled a collection of images that bear witness to a critical time when the legacy of Memphis music was uncertain. Beale Street was boarded up, Stax Records had been forced into involuntary bankruptcy, The Peabody Hotel was closed, and city leaders were considering tearing down the Orpheum Theater and Overton Park Shell. Rainer’s photographs capture not only the behind the scenes magic of those times, but also played a role in the process of championing the rediscovery of what Memphis almost lost.

Rainer now lives in Los Angeles where she works with Omnivore Recordings – a leading label for musical re-issues and compilations. Through this work she continues to draw attention to neglected gems from Memphis and many of the artists seen in these photographs are represented in the Omnivore catalog.

The March 9, 2018 opening reception at the Stax includes a book signing by author Robert Gordon for his new book Memphis Rent Party.

For more information, press images, and interviews with Patricia Rainer, please contact Tim Sampson, 901-261-6324, tim.sampson@soulsvillefoundation.org.

Follow the event on the Stax Museum’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/367018983760109/

Pat Walker Named “Top 25” All Star by Travel Agent Magazine

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Travel Agent Magazine’s annual “Top 25 All Stars” issue named our Pat Walker one of the best advisors in the country. With a team of 11 advisors in her Beverly Hills office, the 30-year travel industry veteran, who began as a flight attendant, has built her career servicing the entertainment industry.

Pat attributes her success to “sticking with the basics” and being “well versed…in every capacity of travel.” She also shares her optimism about the industry in the November 20th issue, adding that “travelers are coming back to agents instead of using online travel sites. They appreciate that the value of having someone advocate for them is more important than a low-priced deal with no support.”

Pat’s recent award doesn’t surprise our CEO Fernando Gonzalez, who applauds her skill, work ethic and reputation. He cites a recent example of a trip to St. Tropez for the CEO of a top cosmetic brand and 20 beauty influencers from around the world.

“Pat and her team handled everything… and made it look easy,” says Fernando.

Read Pat’s complete “Top 25” profile here. 

*This story originally appeared in the FIRST IN SERVICE Newsletter on December 7, 2017 
http://news.firstinservice.com/pat-walker-named-top-25-all-star-advisor/

First In Service CEO Fernando Gonzalez wins big at Virtuoso Travel Week

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Every August the international luxury travel industry gathers in Las Vegas for its glitzy version of the Oscars during Virtuoso Travel Week. This year we all stood a little prouder as our CEO Fernando Gonzalez was named the Virtuoso 2017 Most Innovative Travel Advisor in front of 2,800 industry peers.

F1S president Erika Reategui commented, “Fernando’s vision has always been to do things differently in the travel business — from introducing our WONDERWALL marketing program to hiring from outside of the industry for fresh perspectives. It’s so rewarding to see his colleagues recognize this commitment.”

Other notable awards were given to some of the most outstanding hotels and hospitality professionals in the world. 

*This article originally appeared in the FIRST IN SERVICE newsletter (Setptember 2017 issue). http://news.firstinservice.com/f1s-wins-major-industry-award/