U.S. residents have an additional 19 months to get their REAL ID for air travel.

The Department of Homeland Security will delay once again the deadline for residents to get their REAL ID form of identification, pushing it back for 19 months.

The original deadline was supposed to be October 1 but it is now postponed until May 3, 2023. The latest setbacks are due to the pandemic, officials say, which made it harder for people to feel inclined to go to state motor vehicle departments and apply for the new IDs.

Officials hope the extension will give states the necessary time to reopen their driver licensing operations, ensuring that residents will be able to get their Real ID-compliant license.

Real ID-compliant cards are issued to applicants after a more rigorous check of the person's identification. Additionally, it incorporates new security features that make it more difficult to counterfeit them. The new licenses have a star on the upper right-hand corner.

The Real ID Act, passed by Congress after the 9/11 attack, ensures travelers 18 or older who board an airplane by using a driver's license for identification must have one that conforms with the law's stricter requirements.

The DHS says state licensing agencies have shifted to appointment-only during the pandemic, which limits the agencies' capacity to issue the REAL ID cards.

For more information on how to get your REAL ID in your state, visit the Department of Homeland Security's website to learn the requirements.

Is your ID already REAL ID compliant? Let us know in the comments.