For some reason Canada has purged “enhanced driver license” from government websites as an acceptable entry document for land crossings from the US. The language shows up in Google searches but when one goes to the link the language has been removed. There remains vague language about “or other official documents” being acceptable.
Has something changed? Has anyone crossed with one recently?
Hey again, Toby -
I don't have an answer to the enhanced DL question (but will do some digging) but given, you went to Peru last fall, you have a passport, right? And it's not expired? That's what we used the years we attended the folk fest.
Editing to add: I thought it was a Passport Card - not an enhanced license - that could be used to enter Canada by land or sea (not by air) in lieu of a passport book. Those are apparently still acceptable.
"Entry into Canada: Canadian law requires that all persons entering Canada carry proof of citizenship and identity. A valid U.S. passport, passport card, or NEXUS card satisfies these requirements for U.S. citizens."
Kathy: since I bothered to get one and pay extra for it, I thought I would finally get use out of it. It’s a more involved process to get than a passport because one has to prove citizenship and street address.
I got it because 6 years ago when my license was expiring, Real ID to fly was supposedly coming, and it was the only Real ID issued by the state for a 4 month window. I flew a lot for work and didn’t want to use a passport for domestic flying for 4 years. If I had to do it again I would have driven with an expired license for 4 months until the Real ID was available and then renewed.
More on the Passport Card:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html
Thanks, but really just looking at Canadian government websites for direction. The US, Canada, and Mexico signed a treaty that allowed enhanced driver licenses for land/sea entry but things like treaties don’t seem solid anymore.
Toby, I don't have much to add, except, if you have a Michigan D/L, you may have been told that the gold star meant enhanced D/L. That's not true. Mine has a gold star at top right, and it means nothing. My friend has one with the same gold star, but his has "Enhanced Licence" printed at top left. That may be why Canada removed mention of Enhanced D/L.
Given the current 51st state craziness with Canada, policies may change, I'd bring the passport.
Enhanced licenses have an American flag, in addition to saying “enhanced.”
Toby, that's interesting. I have a Minnesota enhanced driver's license, which I got specifically so I could use it to drive into Canada. But if what you are saying is true, that maybe not be accepted now. TBH, I would probably bring my passport along regardless, just because I'm paranoid, but I wonder what is going on with that. I'm going to do so checking around. Thanks for the heads up!
Note that the Real ID drivers' license is for domestic use, not foreign.
I went to one of the subReddits about Canada borders, and 4-5 Canadians said that the language was probably removed because Canada actually got rid of their enhanced driver's licenses a few years ago. But they said it should not affect land crossings for Americans.
That said, one person said they recently used an EDL to go into Canada, and the agent told them it was being phased out and asked if they had anything else. However, that could have been confusion over the fact that Canada is phasing out their own EDLs. And they said their own state was phasing out the EDLs.
ETA: The more I think about it, the more I have a feeling that it's just confusion and verbage related to Canada phasing out their EDl. I check the Dept of Homeland Security and the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is still in effect (not that I really trust them anymore). But still, I would think there would be something about this in the news.
https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/real-id-faqs
No. REAL ID cards cannot be used for border crossings into Canada, Mexico or other international travel.
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html
Canadian government website.
I would bring passports, if only to get back into the u.s.
Who knows what rules might be put in place by the time you are driving home again. :(
toby,
I have always heard and understood that the Real ID (on our driver's licenses) was strictly for domestic air travel. I don't believe it was ever for international travel (e.g. Canada and Mexico). Yes, there is (was) a card specifically for going and coming from Canada and Mexico (just those two countries). I just use my passport for any international travel. My global entry card always goes with me as well. (Sometimes I need it to go to TSA precheck at the airport, if for some reason I haven't secured that when I booked my flight. Hasn't happened yet, mais qui sait?)
Yes, there is (was) a card specifically for going and coming from
Canada and Mexico (just those two countries)
Yes, It's the Passport Card, webpage of which I linked above. It wasn't my understanding either that Real ID allowed for travel into Canada or Mexico but figured I'd see what the rest of you thought. I think Passport Card was useful for people who lived near the Northern or Southern borders and made frequent trips across for one reason or another but that's just a guess.
Real ID drivers licenses are not the same thing as Enhanced Drivers Licenses. Only some states (I believe the border states) offer the EDL.
OK, here's the info for Enhanced DLs from the Minnesota Dept. of Public Safety, and would apply to Toby and Mardee and myself:
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/license-and-id/dl-and-id-card-information/enhanced-dl-and-id-card
They state that it's a form of Real ID, which means not all Real IDs can be used for the same purpose. Curiouser and curiouser, Toby. I have to agree with the others who've counseled bringing your passport 'cause, well, you know why, unfortunately. :O(
Thanks for all the info. I believe Ohio and Texas are adding EDL as an option.
The upshot seems to be that the Government of Canada prefers people use passports or Nexus cards so edited out listing other options like EDLs or passport cards. But it doesn’t exclude them because it leaves the door open for other documents that identify US citizenship.
US citizens
If you are a US citizen, you must carry proof of citizenship such as a:
passport
birth certificate
certificate of citizenship or naturalization
certificate of Indian status along with photo identification
FYI: EDLs have a chip just like a passport so the border agent gets your info on a screen immediately, it’s really an easier document for the agent to read and has more info.
I used to used my Washington State Enhanced Drivers License for border crossings with no difficulties. Then I got my Nexus card and haven’t used it to cross the border since.
However, I believe I still could do so.
Real ID drivers licenses are not the same thing as Enhanced Drivers Licenses. Only some states (I believe the border states) offer the EDL.
What stan said...
The Enhanced Driver's License issues by Minnesota (and some other border states) allows you to cross the border into Canada or Mexica by land (at least technically, as long as Canada accepts it). It is not the same as a REAL ID (it may be a form of it, but REAL IDs cannot be used for border crossings).
Kathy, Minnesota has been offering this since at least 2020, since that is when I first got mine (during the pandemic). I used it once for a land crossing to Canada about 2 years ago, and everything was fine then. Not sure about now.
ETA: It really is a convenient thing to have if you live near a border. For example, I may decide to go up to Grand Portage State Park, which sits right at the border, and while I'm there, make a random trip into Canada. I will always have my driver's license with me but I doubt I would have my passport.
It really is a convenient thing to have if you live near a border.
Or have work near the border. I had a client in Sault Ste Marie (the Michigan one) and could spontaneously make evening jaunts for dinner in SSM Ontario. Since Native Americans can do this crossing with a tribal ID, my EDL meshed well with the client who was native.
I haven't seen anyone posting to say their Enhanced License isn't being accepted. Maybe we'll take a road trip to Baudette next month and find out, though. My guess is it is still an acceptable entry document.
Annie: that would be great if you could do that and post back the results. I assume you know that there’s not much in Baudette.
Just to clarify point made by Mardee. I have entered Canada by sea with an enhanced drivers license before on a ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria.
Good to know, Carol—I assume that "land crossing" basically means not by air, then. :-)
mnannie, let me know how it goes if you do. I've been promising the grandkids I would take them up to Thunder Bay once the weather is a bit nicer, so it would be good to know.
toby: I'm Annie's husband. She is an election judge and is preparing for the special election for state senate that you may have heard about, so she asked me to reply to you.
Yes, there isn't much in Baudette, but there a Distillery and Sushi place we could go to for lunch. The worst part is there isn't anything on the way. The main reason for going is that Lake of Woods County is the last of 87 counties in Minnesota we have not found a geocache in. As long as we are that far, we thought we should go to the Northwest Angle, the northern most point of the lower 48 states. As you probably know, one has to go through Manitoba to get there.
As you probably know, one has to go through Manitoba to get there.
Well, there’s going by boat….
Almost went once for work to the NW angle but there was an insurance issue with a work vehicle entering Canada. If you drive it tell me how the telephone/camera unmanned crossing goes, both ways. https://maps.app.goo.gl/vvW6Qsb6QpMgzzX78
Thank Annie for her work.
toby: I'm Annie's husband
Bob, it's nice to "meet" you. I'm Annie's online friend from Duluth with the son-in-law whose roots trace back to Morgedal. :-) Thanks for the info on Baudette. I'm always looking for interesting places to go, although it would definitely be a longer drive for me.
You are all talking about enhanced drivers licences.
I will say again: read the Canadian rules.
It is those you will have to comply with to enter Canada.
It’s all here:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html
I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to bring your passport.
Check the rules again a few days before crossing….things are changing these days. :(
I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to bring your passport.
I've been reading this thread and chuckling because I have NEXUS and I still bring my passport. I mean, what's so hard about that? Although I could get an EDL I chose NEXUS because it also got me Global Entry and TSA Precheck.
