REAL ID Supercenter officially opens in downtown Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A REAL ID Supercenter officially opened in Chicago on Wednesday.

There was a long line nearly down the entire block as people waited for doors to open at 7:30 a.m.

The supercenter is located at 191 N. Clark Street and will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"I woke up so early to come here and I was expecting a long line, but actually it's going so fast and I wasn't expecting that today. I'm actually impressed," Illinois resident Juan Cascarano said.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the opening of the supercenter after seeing record applications for REAL ID.

"Clearly the demand is real and it's showing no signs of letting up," Giannoulias said.

The Secretary of State's Office said they're expecting to process about 2,500 applications at the supercenter location alone every day.

Giannoulias also announced some DMVs would expand Saturday hours to accommodate for REAL ID applicants.

The "REAL ID Saturday" facilities are open on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Chicago West, at 5301 W. Lexington Avenue, and in the following suburbs: Addison, Aurora, Des Plaines, Elgin, Joliet, Lake Zurich, Melrose Park, Plano, St. Charles, Waukegan and Woodstock. The DMVs will offer non-appointment, walk-in services on Saturdays for REAL ID process.

Six DMV appointment-only locations have expanded Saturday hours to 5 p.m at Chicago North, at 5401 N. Elston Avenue, and in Deerfield, Lombard, Naperville, Schaumburg and Springfield at Wabash Avenue.

READ ALSO | How long does it take to get a REAL ID?

Here are the requirements to apply for a REAL ID in Illinois:

1.A U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, Naturalization Certificate, Report of Birth Abroad or a Certificate of Citizenship. If you are not a U.S. citizen, an employment authorization document, a permanent resident card or a foreign passport with an approved I-94 form is also acceptable. If you've changed your name, you'll need to provide name change documents.

2.Proof of a full Social Security number (SSN). Examples include: a Social Security card, a W-2 or a pay stub with your full SSN.

3.Two current residency documents that list your full name. Examples include: a utility bill, rental agreement, deed/title or a bank statement.

4.Proof of your signature. Examples include: a signed credit or debit card, canceled check, or current state driver's license or state ID.

Illinois has an interactive checklist to make sure applicants don't forget anything. The checklist can be found here.