What is Real ID?

Real ID is a state driver’s license that meets a new set of federal security standards for domestic air travel within the United States. In 2005, Congress passed the REAL ID Act, in response to the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. This Act imposes a set of security standards for license issuance and production, along with prohibiting Federal agencies from accepting certain ID cards from the states that do not meet the Act’s standards.

Real IDs can be used to board federally regulated commercial aircraft, enter nuclear power plants, and avail of certain federal services. US citizens who are traveling domestically via air will not be allowed to board the flight in case they don’t have a Real ID or any other acceptable form of identification. The Transport Security Administration does not require children under 18 to provide identification while traveling with a guardian within the United States. However, the guardian must have acceptable IDs. On the other hand, the Real ID cannot be used for land or sea travel, be it domestic or international.

How to get a Real ID? 

To get a Real ID, one must visit the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in person, along with a proof of identity, Social Security Number and two proofs of residence. For example, a birth certificate or valid US passport, a Social Security card or tax documents and a valid driver’s license with the current street address plus a recent utility bill. A Real ID can be recognized by a mark at the top of the card. There are five markings including a black star, a golden star, and a golden bear with a star.

Real ID-compliant US States

Currently, all the US states are Real ID-compliant except Oregon and Oklahoma, which are in extension; American Samoa and New Jersey are under review. TSA is currently accepting all driver’s licenses and ID cards from the states that are compliant or have an extension from the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Deadline for Real ID

The final deadline for Real ID is October 1, 2020. In order to fly on commercial aircraft or access federal facilities, an individual must have visited their state’s driver’s licensing agency and obtained a REAL ID-compliant card, or an acceptable alternative such as a U.S. passport. Starting October 2020, federal agencies including DHS and TSA will only accept state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards.

Also Read: US IT Companies File $350 Million Lawsuit against USCIS

What IDs can be used instead of Real ID?

The alternate IDs that can be used instead of Real ID are – 

• US Passport
• US Passport Card
• DHS trusted traveler cards
• US Department of Defence ID
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License
• Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by DMV
• Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 Personal Identification Verification card
• Foreign government-issued passports
• Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation worker identification credential
• US Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card
• US Merchant Mariner Credential 
• Federally recognized tribal-issued photo ID

According to DHS, enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDL) issued by cities like Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont are considered to be an acceptable alternative to Real ID-compliant cards. 

The DHS has stated that the Real ID is just a national set of standards that helps to make a citizen’s identity documents more consistent and secure. Real ID is not used to create a federal database of driver license information. On the other hand, each jurisdiction continues to issue its own unique license, maintains its own records, and controls who gets access to those records and under what circumstances.

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Worry no more! It’s all about to turn into a reality. Zero-G, a space tour operator, has promised an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience in a Gravity-free flight. According to Zero-G’s website, “Zero Gravity Corporation is a privately held space entertainment and tourism company whose mission is to make the excitement and adventure of space accessible to the public. The experience offered by Zero-G is the only commercial opportunity on Earth for individuals to experience true ‘weightlessness’ without going to space.”

How Zero-Gravity Flights Work

Gravity-free flights require a unique aerial maneuver, better known as a parabola. Let’s simplify it down as to exactly how zero-gravity flights work. To achieve a gravity-free stage, the aircraft reaches a certain height from the ground and then, the pilot maneuvers the aircraft upwards and then downwards. Basically, the pilot draws a lowercase ‘n’ in the air. In a continuous succession, the movement of the aircraft resembles ripples in water.

To be precise, once the aircraft reaches an altitude of 24,000 feet, the pilot pulls the aircraft upwards with its nose facing 45 degrees. The aircraft continues climbing at the same angle until it reaches an altitude of 32,000 feet aka the peak of the parabola. When the aircraft reaches the peak, for about 30 seconds, you’ll experience a zero-gravity moment until the plane dives down to reach the initial altitude. 

After the plane reaches the initial altitude of 24,000 feet, the pilot performs a few more additional parabola flights. There are four different kinds of gravity-free flight environments namely Martian gravity, lunar gravity, zero gravity, and hypergravity environment. 

These gravity environments are achieved when the pilot flies the aircraft in the same angle and climbs even further than the peak point, making a larger arc; gravity-free flight moments depend on the size of the arc created. In the Lunar gravity environment, you’ll experience one-sixth of your weight and on the Martian gravity, you’ll experience one-third of your weight.

Cost of Zero-Gravity Flights

The saying “You have to lose something to gain something” stands true. Soaring like a superhero with your hands stretched out comes at a cost. Zero-G offers three different packages.

The first package requires you to shell out $5,400 plus 5% tax for a seat on a zero-gravity flight. To be precise, it costs a few hundred dollars more than business class flights. In case you plan on tagging your friends and family along, you can avail of the second package which will cost you $55,000 along with a 5% tax for 12 people. Moreover, if your coffers are deep enough and you want to avail a charter flight, it’ll cost you $165,000 along with a 5% tax. 

The cost of a zero-gravity flight varies based on your preferences but, the perks will be the same for all packages. The perks include 15 parabolic maneuvers with 20 to 30 seconds of zero-gravity moments each, merchandise from Zero-G, meals before and after the flight, complimentary photos and videos of your experience in zero-gravity and a certificate stating that you successfully completed a zero-gravity flight.

Zero-gravity flights take place within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) corridor, which is away from most commercial flight routes and is around 100 miles long and 10 miles wide. 

If you want to experience zero-gravity, you can grab a seat on zero-gravity flights in USA as Zero-G has released its 12-city flight schedule for 2020:

• Atlanta – March 21
• Austin – April 4; Oct. 3
• Houston – March 28; June 6; Nov. 7
• Las Vegas – April 25; Aug. 15; Oct. 31
• Los Angeles – Feb. 15; April 18; June 27; July 25; Oct. 24
• Miami – Feb. 29; March 7; May 23; Aug. 29; Nov. 21
• New England – May 3
• New York – May 9; Sept. 26
• Washington, D.C. – May 16; Sept. 19
• Orlando – Feb. 22; May 30; Sept. 12; Nov. 14
• San Francisco – April 11; June 13; Aug. 1; Oct. 17
• Seattle – June 20; Aug. 8; Oct. 10

The post With Zero-Gravity Flights in USA, Soar Like a Superhero and Live Magical Moments of Weightlessness appeared first on iEagle.com Travel Magazine.

The Trump administration plans to bring an end to birth tourism in USA by making changes to the US visa guidelines. Once passed, this rule will prevent foreigners from taking advantage of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees birthright citizenship to anyone born in the country. A State Department official stated, “This change is intended to address the national security and law enforcement risks associated with birth tourism, including criminal activity associated with the birth tourism industry.” Moreover, this rule is also believed to be a part of the US President Donald Trump’s stringent measures to intensify the evaluating process for visas.

Trump’s new visa policy to curb birth tourism in USA, will alter the requirements for B visas aka visitor visas and enable the State Department officials the authority to deny foreigners the short-term business and tourist visas to USA if they believe the person is trying to take advantage of the process with intentions of gaining automatic citizenship.

‘Birth tourists’ often come to the United States from Nigeria, China and Russia. However, there is no official count of the babies born to foreign visitors in the US but the Immigration Restrictionist Group Center for Immigration Studies has stated that a rough estimate amounts up to at least  33,000 each year. 

When questioned about birth tourism in USA, Tom Homan, former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director, stated that birthright citizenship is a key driver for illegal immigration and that it was the reason behind the surge of asylum applicants who arrived in Mexico in 2019. Tom said, “They think it is their golden ticket to come to the US. If the message we want to send to the rest of the world is: enter this country illegally, have a US citizen child and you’re free to go, then we’re never going to solve the border crisis.”

There have also been cases against birth tourists including multiple agencies running birth tourism. Last year, the US Department of Justice charged three people for running maternity hotels where they help certain people to take advantage of the 14th Amendment. These agencies catered to Chinese clients in Southern California, where women were charged somewhere between $ 15,000 and $ 50,000 to give birth in the US.

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What is Horsetail Fall?

Yosemite’s Horsetail Fall (Burning waterfall) is just a regular waterfall that turns orange or red owing to optical illusion on select days of the year, making it one of the must-visit tourist hotspots in California. Around the second week of February, the setting sun hits the Horsetail Fall at just the exact angle and illuminates the upper reaches of the waterfall. On occasions when the atmospheric conditions are perfect, Yosemite Firefall glows orange and red, as it gives away the feel of watching molten lava cascading from the top. Should it not be on your list of must-visit tourist attractions in 2020?

Best Time to See Horsetail Fall

The first and foremost condition is that the Horsetail Fall (Burning waterfall) must be flowing. In case, there is not enough snowpack in February, there are chances the snow completely melts before you get to see the Firefall. Similarly, the temperature must be warm enough for the snow to melt. However, if the temperature is too cold, the snow stays frozen and alas! You won’t get to see the Firefall. Consequently, in the month of October, the snow stays frozen owing to the drop in temperature and there is no runoff. That’s why you don’t get to see this magical phenomenon even when the sun rays hit the Yosemite Valley at the same angle.

Secondly, it requires a clear sky at sunset. If the sky is cloudy, the sun rays will be blocked and, oh dear! You won’t be able to witness the Firefall in spite of the water flowing down El Captain. 

However, if Lady Luck favors you and the conditions are just right, you will be able to witness the Horsetail Fall glowing blood red and lighting up the locale for about 10 minutes. This is a once-in-a-lifetime supernatural and breathtaking experience – the burning waterfall in California.

The word about Yosemite Firefall (Burning waterfall) spread like wildfire after Galen Rowell, a wilderness photographer, took the first-known photograph of the glowing Horsetail Fall. A tourist hotspot in California – the Horsetail waterfall descends in two streams side by side; the larger one on the eastern side drops 1,540 feet while the smaller one drops 1,570 feet. When flowing, the Horsetail Fall is the highest fully airborne waterfall in Yosemite, after the Ribbon Fall which drops 1,612 feet.

The post Yosemite National Park in California is Home to the World’s Most Spectacular ‘Burning Waterfall’ appeared first on iEagle.com Travel Magazine.

Moreover, in May 2020, Philippine Airlines will also launch direct flights from Seattle to Manila. These flights will also be operated thrice a week – Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays using an Airbus A350-900XWB. Notably, Seattle and the neighboring cities home a sizeable Filipino community of over 100,000 people. The airline already flies to San Francisco, Honolulu, and New York in the United States. The new routes between the US and the Philippines make Seattle and Los Angeles the fourth and fifth destinations in Philippines Airlines’ USA network.

When travelers witness the high amount of passenger traffic in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, they start appreciating Mactan-Cebu International Airport as an alternate port of entry into the Philippines. Ninoy Aquino Airport is the biggest and busiest airport in the Philippines with annual passenger traffic of over 45 million. It usually takes up to 2 hours or more of waiting time at immigration kiosks, check-in counters, and security checks before you board an international flight.

The downside of Philippine flights from the USA to the Philippines is that the airline is using its older version of the Boeing 777-300ER. Philippines Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ER has the capacity to seat 370 passengers starting with 328 passengers in economy class in a 3-4-3 layout and 42 passengers in business class in a 2-3-2 layout.

Most travelers find the seating layout in Boeing 777-300ER congested on Seattle to Cebu flights. Philippine Airlines’ other service from Seattle to Manila using Airbus A350-900XWB with a seating capacity of 295 passengers won’t disappoint you if you are up to deal with the crowded Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The A350-900XWB can accommodate 241 passengers in a 3-3-3 layout in economy, 24 premium economy passengers in a 2-4-2 layout, and 30 passengers in business class in a 1-2-1 layout.

Outside the United States, Philippine Airlines is also expanding its presence in China. The airline has plans to operate three flights a week between Clark International Airport in Mabalacat and Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport, which is also known as the gateway to the Southeastern part of China’s Fujian province.

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