Why you should have an EDL

[Jammer]

This came up in another thread but deserves wider discussion.


You can cross most land and sea borders in North America and the Caribbean without a passport, provided that you have one of the documents listed in the WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative). The WHTI is the USA implementation of treaty provisions among affected nations that specified, post 9/11/2001, the documents travelers must posses when crossing borders.


Before 9/11, it was fairly common to cross land borders with a driver's license and maybe a birth certificate, or nothing at all (especially for children). The WHTI changed that by providing specifications for the security, contents, and issuance requirements for acceptable documents.


While widely regarded as a hard and fast requirement for a passport at affected borders (as this is the most straightforward way for most people to comply, and is required for crossing by air travel), there are several other important classes of acceptable documents:

• Border crossing cards, such as Nexus, Sentri, and Global Entry
• Passport cards, that is, a passport in card format
• Enhanced Driver's Licenses (EDLs) issued by some states

Of these, the EDL is the easiest and cheapest to obtain, though due to immigration politics, it is presently available only to residents of certain states adjoining the Canadian border (Any state can issue them, but most don't).


Anyone who is traveled much can tell you that passports are a hassle and that there are times you'll be without one. Sometimes you have to leave them with a hotel desk or petty official. Sometimes they have to be sent out for visa stamps. Sometimes you have to get them renewed, which takes time. They get lost, or stolen, in part because they are bulky and fragile and hard to keep secure.


There are also various people who don't qualify for a U.S. passport, even though they are U.S. citizens, see https://traveltips.usatoday.com/pass...nts-21701.html


Anyway I believe it is wise to have an alternative set of valid documents whenever possible.

[GordMay]

Ontario's Enhanced Driver’s Licence (EDL) program ended June 2019.

[Kim Morley]

Thank you for such important information. It was interesting to read.

[deblen]

You must submit an ArrivCan app. at least 72 hrs before arriving at Can. border.
https://www.canada.ca/en/border-serv...arrivecan.html