No passport needed with a New York Enhanced Driver License

[crzy4dsny]

Here in New York they have started to issue an enhanced driver license that will allow you to travel with out a passport. It looks like it will only cost $30, a lot less than a passport. You can also get a non-driver one for children. Here is some info I found on their web-site.

On September 16, 2008, NYS began to issue WHTI-Compliant Enhanced driver licenses (EDL) (includes Enhanced learner permits) and Enhanced non-driver photo ID cards (ENDID) to applicants who can prove U.S. citizenship and NYS residency. An EDL or ENDID can be used instead of a passport at U.S. land and sea border crossings between Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

WHTI is a federal law that regulates which documents U.S. citizens can use when they travel in the Western Hemisphere. You can read more about this initiative at the web site of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

An EDL or ENDID is an approved travel identification document for land and sea border crossings between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean, and an EDL is also a driver license. An EDL or ENDID is not acceptable for air travel between these countries.

There is an additional fee for an EDL or ENDID, but the fee is less than the fee for a U.S. passport. Because the applicant is required to show proofs of identity, NYS residency and U.S. Citizenship, all applications for EDLs and ENDIDs must be made at a DMV office. You cannot apply by mail, by telephone, or over the Internet.

The fee for an EDL or ENDID is $30 in addition to any fees that are otherwise required for your driver license or non-driver photo ID card transaction. In comparison, the cost of a U.S. passport is more than $100.

Non-driver photo ID cards for children under age 16 and persons with disabilities have been available from the DMV in NYS for several years. Enhanced non-driver photo ID cards are also now available for children and persons with disabilities.A parent can show his or her proofs that are required for an ENDID, complete form MV-45, and sign the name of the child if the child is too young to sign.

http://www.nysdmv.com/edl-main.htm

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I believe these are equivalent to the new Passcard issued by Homeland Security. However, if you read the fine print, it still will not allow you to fly from a foriegn country into the US. It's great for residents of border states that go into Mexico or Canada on a regular basis, but not for other countries that you have to travel by air or sea too.

 

[crzy4dsny]

It could be used for land and sea trevel between Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. It is not good for flying. It would be good for a Disney Cruise.

 

[castaway]

yes it would be good for the cruise but should you have to fly home from those ports it would not!!! So If you needed to go home for an emergency or someone in your party was sick and taken to the hospital you would need to fly home. Passports are good for 10 years for adults and 5 for children. I would think for piece of mind it would be worth the extra money

 

[pjacobi]

NH and a few other state have rejected the Real ID mandate by the Federal Government. The original deadline was March 31, 2008. After this date, a NH driver's license would not be an acceptable form of ID to board any flight. NH residents would need a US passport as a valid ID to board even as domestic flight.

Luckily, the deadline is now extended to December 31, 2009. That gives the politicians another year to argue over who pays for this.


-Paul

 

[alwayslisad]

NH and a few other state have rejected the Real ID mandate by the Federal Government. The original deadline was March 31, 2008. After this date, a NH driver's license would not be an acceptable form of ID to board any flight. NH residents would need a US passport as a valid ID to board even as domestic flight.

Luckily, the deadline is now extended to December 31, 2009. That gives the politicians another year to argue over who pays for this.


-Paul

My first thought was "wonder what NH is doing about this?" and tada an answer - today is going to be my day - Thank you Paul. I am planning on getting passports no matter what for my next cruise ( don't cruise till 11/2009) so plan on doing the passport trip to Post Office during February Vacation with the family......

What did you do on your February Vacation ?

Got passports!

 

[lbgraves]

It could be used for land and sea trevel between Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. It is not good for flying. It would be good for a Disney Cruise.

If DCL ever returns to Colombia it won't be enough. That country requires you to have a passport to enter. I have to say that Cartegena was at th top of our list of ports on the repo last month. The city was beautiful. The only bother was the extremely aggressive sellers.

 

[jnadelman]

People ask id issues all of the time. Sure, there are easier ways around using a passport. Sure, there are cheaper ways around using a passport. But there are risks with these. Do you really want to chance it? Do you really want to get stuck somewhere? It's not just in an emergency, lots of things can happen. There are hundreds of reasons I could give for wanting a passport, but the most concerning one to me is the reason I can't think of.

End result. I don't see why anyone would even consider leaving the country without a passport. You already spent $$$$ on the cruise, what's another $50 or so to get a passport and also get piece of mind.

 

[lbgraves]

You must have gotten your passport a while ago. The cost has about doubled so it is closer to $100 per person. Also, children's are only good for 5 years and theirs cannot be renewed for the lower cost.

 

[jnadelman]

ok so its $100. Still worth every penny. You should consider part of the cost of going on a cruise that leaves the country. Trust me when I tell you that one day someone is going to post their horror story of how they didn't have a passport and how they got stuck some place and had major problems getting back into the US.

I don't want to be rude about it, but I don't even think anyone should consider not having a passport. If you can't afford the $100, then push your cruise date back and save up some more money. Or cancel the cruise and go to WDW. Or cut back on having the spa treatment or don't do an excursion. There are tons of other things I would give up before this.

 

[Billinaz]

And a few seconds in a microwave take care of the RFID chip. Those with the new RFID passports and passport cards have already figured that out.....

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

And a few seconds in a microwave take care of the RFID chip. Those with the new RFID passports and passport cards have already figured that out.....

I'm confused - why would you want to do that?

on a separate note: Now I wish we didn't get the cards on top of the regular passport...(though somehow we didn't get charged for them).

 

[pyramid2000]

And a few seconds in a microwave take care of the RFID chip. Those with the new RFID passports and passport cards have already figured that out.....

 

[mmouse37]

I'm confused - why would you want to do that?

on a separate note: Now I wish we didn't get the cards on top of the regular passport...(though somehow we didn't get charged for them).

I think, though not positive, that this comment was posted because many people are wary about the new chips and raise privacy concerns because they say that the new chip's info can be "picked up" by tech savy theives/terrorists with certain devices. This would mean that thieves could then have your personal information.

 

[ga9497]

You must have gotten your passport a while ago. The cost has about doubled so it is closer to $100 per person. Also, children's are only good for 5 years and theirs cannot be renewed for the lower cost.

Which comes to about $10 a year for an adult passport. Well worth it in my opinion

 

[mmouse37]

Which comes to about $10 a year for an adult passport. Well worth it in my opinion

Ditto!!! I use my passport even when I travel domestically.

 

[ga9497]

Originally Posted by ga9497
Which comes to about $10 a year for an adult passport. Well worth it in my opinion

Ditto!!! I use my passport even when I travel domestically.

Ditto right back - I look at it this way $10 a year for a passport is much less then what some people pay for their cell phone text message packages, per month. Eat out one less time a year and your cost is more then covered

 

[soulbazooka]

I think, though not positive, that this comment was posted because many people are wary about the new chips and raise privacy concerns because they say that the new chip's info can be "picked up" by tech savy theives/terrorists with certain devices. This would mean that thieves could then have your personal information.

To protect your personal security, there is absolutely no need to damage the RFID chip, which by the way is illegal (a passport is not your personal property, it is a Federal document that belongs the government).

Instead, an RFID equipped passport can be kept in an inexpensive security sleeve that makes it impossible for hackers to read the chip data (which is encoded by the way) with portable scanners. We use these - and also keep our scannable credit cards (check your wallet, people, many Mastercards, Visas and Amex cards now also contain RFID chips) in the smaller card sized versions:

http://www.idstronghold.com/products.php?s=2