If you want a new Enhanced Driver License (EDL), bring an extra $30 and head down to your local DMV office. Governor Paterson recently announced that the Department of Homeland Security has permitted New York State (NYS) to issue an EDL. The license can be obtained at any DMV and is expected to boost the economy by expediting cross-border land and sea travel for NYS citizens.
The EDL should be available by the end of the summer and will feature various security features within the document. To get one, you’ll need various proofs of identity and citizenship, which the DMV will then verify. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant EDL will cost $30 more than a current state driver license, but is still less than a U.S. passport, making it more affordable for those with a lower income.
The EDL will not look too much different from a current state driver license, but it will have additional information. The EDL project will be voluntary and open to all NYS residents who are US citizens. The New York DMV worked to develop the EDL under the WHTI, which aims to increase border security. Under the provisions of the WHTI, citizens of NYS would have to provide a passport to enter the U.S. from Canada starting June 1, 2009 unless they have a federally approved alternative.
Because they should be available by the end of this coming summer, NYS residents will have ample time to get them before the deadline. After the application process, the EDL should only take about a week to arrive.
From the press release: DMV Commissioner David J. Swarts said: “This agreement between the Department and DHS is a sound policy for recognizing the benefits of the new license option. The EDL will go a long way to ensure the Upstate economy does not suffer from the new federal mandate for border crossing.”
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