Some veterans and caregivers seeking installation access for shopping, medical appointments, or other services may have a quicker path through the gates under new rules announced Nov. 15 by the VA and DoD.

Veterans without a Veteran Health Identification Card and eligible caregivers can enroll for regular base access at their installation’s visitor center using a driver’s license or non-driver’s identification card, providing the card complies with the REAL ID Act. Learn more about nationwide REAL ID compliance at this link. The changes will not affect those who access installations using retiree ID cards or other non-VA-provided identification.

The three-step enrollment process, according to a VA news release:

• Present a VHIC or REAL ID-compliant identification.
• Consent to an “on-the-spot criminal record and terrorism check.”
• “Establish purpose” for visits via an electronic verification process. Health care visits will require proof of appointment in instances where installations do not have other services for retirees (commissaries/exchanges, authorized morale/welfare/recreation providers, etc.).

Once the process is complete, veterans and caregivers can present their VHIC or REAL ID-compliant identification at the installation gate on future visits for access. Reenrollment is required if the VHIC or other ID expires.

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Veterans must still provide hard copies of eligibility documentation (sometimes known as “award letters”) to access shopping and MWR services. Learn how to download these letters at this link. For caregivers to access MWR and/or shopping services, they must be “designated as a primary family caregiver of an eligible Veteran under VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers,” per the release.

VHIC Update

More than 1.5 million veterans have a VHIC at or near its expiration date, according to the VA, which is in the process of notifying these cardholders of their need to renew.

If your VHIC is about to expire, visit this VA site to learn how to:

• Renew your card online, including details on how your request will be processed.
• Renew your card in person, including what materials to bring to a VA location for processing.

Regardless of how you renew, cards are processed from a central location and mailed to the cardholder, normally in 7 to 14 days (up to 30 days for overseas addresses).