Passport card vs. Enhanced DL

König said:
They are random checkpoints. I probably should not have used word "inside" since 160 km is not "inside" enough ;)
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Man, I remember when I used to live in NY state the international office advisor used to warn international students not to visit the towns near the borders without carrying immigration papers (I-20, I94, etc) lest INS agents (watching for illegals) would arrest them...
 
My understanding is that EDLs are largely an outgrowth of the Real ID Act. Apparently Dec 31, 2009 is the deadline for the states to implement the Real ID Act, according to the recent newsstories:
http://www.examiner.com/x-1972-Albu...line-Department-of-Homeland-Security-responds
It also looks like almost all of the states will be in non-compliance with the Real ID Act by that deadline, and I am not even sure if the states with EDLs will in fact be compliant (there are some requirements of the Real ID Act, like verifying the validity of birth certificates, that are impossible to implement at present since there is no national database containing that information).
It will be interesting to see what happens on Jan 1, 2010 at airport security checkpoints...
 
König said:
I beg to differ. The EDL was initially proposed in WA to be used in place of the passport book and the passport card as a WHTI-compliant document. That was the main purpose behind EDL. The fact that it is compliant with REAL ID requirements is more of a side effect, I believe.

Here is how it started: http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=526&newsType=1
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Yes, you are right. Thanks for the info!
Do you know if EDLs are considered to be in compliance with the Real ID Act?
 
baikal3 said:
Yes, you are right. Thanks for the info!
Do you know if EDLs are considered to be in compliance with the Real ID Act?
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I believe they are, but I have not found any official statement concerning EDL and Real ID Act. The problem is that Real ID Act has still not been finalised, whilst EDLs have been in existence for some time already.

On a side note, I would much rather prefer the USA to have a citizenship certificate similar to that used in Canada. Even though the passport card can serve as both the citizenship document and a travel document, it is primarily designed to be used as the latter, and many agencies inside the country have not had any experience with it at all.
 
I'd be a lot more worried about leaking my driver license than a passport. A DL # seems a bit more 'critical' in identity theft type cases, so losing a DL (or having to replace one) may be more work than a passport which one uses far less...
 
Well, if you lose your EDL, you will first have to get a temporary DL so you can at least drive and do day to day chores.
You may also have to fill up paperwork etc explaining how you lost it.

Its much easier to lose your EDL which you would carry to restaurants, bars,Targets/K-marts, swimming pools and gyms ( if you forget where your gym card is).

Pass card you will most likely keep at home and use it only for international travel and maybe going through airports /federal buildings.


The thing that really bothers me is that EDLs and Pass cards are capable of transmitting upto 30ft !! That means ANYONE in the vicinity of your home - like people walking on the streets etc can skim record locator about you unless you keep it in the pouch all the time.
 
That's another reason why I prefer a usual DL. It is quite inconvenient to keep the driving licence in a pouch in your wallet and having to take it out once in a while. By the way, the EDL and the passport card remain valid even if the RFID chip is broken. Just FYI... ;)
 
I decided to see how much a passport card is accepted as an ID, so I was showing it instead of the DL for quite a while. It was accepted 99% of the time with the exception of the bank where a teller told me that passport card is not an acceptable proof of identification. In another bank it was accepted without a problem.
 
Yes They Are

König said:
I believe they are, but I have not found any official statement concerning EDL and Real ID Act. The problem is that Real ID Act has still not been finalised, whilst EDLs have been in existence for some time already.

On a side note, I would much rather prefer the USA to have a citizenship certificate similar to that used in Canada. Even though the passport card can serve as both the citizenship document and a travel document, it is primarily designed to be used as the latter, and many agencies inside the country have not had any experience with it at all.
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Yes - EDLs are in compliance with the READ ID ACT. Attached is a document from the CBP that talks to this point on page 3.

Here is a direct link to the paper: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/
 
I wish the Dept of State printed a holder's signature on passport cards (like in European national ID cards). Some states' DMVs require a document that shows photo, full name, DOB and a signature, so they will not accept passport cards as a standalone sufficient document.

Also, while on vacation in Europe, I was using my passport card as an ID (did not want to carry passport book with me), and one time after paying with credit card and presenting the passport card, the cashier lady told me that it does not have my signature and should not be used as an ID with credit card purchases. All other times it was accepted without any problem.
 
PerpetualGC said:
I'd be a lot more worried about leaking my driver license than a passport. A DL # seems a bit more 'critical' in identity theft type cases, so losing a DL (or having to replace one) may be more work than a passport which one uses far less...
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Think about what will happen if you lose your Passport to Mossad. If you follow the latest middle east news, you know what I am talking about :)
 
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