New US Citizen & New York State Enhanced Driver License

rick92

Volunteer Moderator
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov...el/faqs/enhanced_guide.ctt/enhanced_guide.pdf

What would the NYS Enhanced Driver License (EDL) be used for?

A NYS EDL would be both a driver license document and a travel identification document for land and sea border crossings between the US and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. The NYS EDL would not be acceptable for air travel between these countries.

Who would be eligible for an EDL?

Only drivers who can provide proof of identity, NYS residency and US citizenship would be eligible for a NYS EDL. Enhanced Driver Licenses will also be available to those who qualify for a commercial driver license (CDL) or a motorcycle license. Enhanced versions of non-driver photo identification cards and other types of NYS documents will also be available.

When would a person be able to get an EDL?

NYS plans to issue Enhanced Driver Licenses by the end of late summer 2008.

What would be the advantage of a NYS EDL?

An EDL would allow a NYS resident to travel by land and sea between the US and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean without a US passport, would speed border crossing, and the fee for an EDL would be less than the cost of a passport.

Would a driver need both a NYS driver license and an EDL to legally drive?

No. An EDL would serve as both a driver license document and a travel identification document for travel between the US and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. For current NYS driver license holders, once the current driver license is converted to an EDL and an EDL document is issued, the original NYS driver license document would no longer be valid.

Would an EDL be different from a US passport?

Yes. An EDL would only be acceptable to cross land and sea border crossings into the US from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. A US passport is acceptable to cross land, sea and air borders in countries all over the world. An EDL would not be acceptable identification to travel by air to other countries.

Would people be required to get EDLs?

No. The EDL will be offered as an option to NYS residents who are US citizens. The current type of NYS photo driver licenses and non-driver ID cards would remain available.

What would a person have to do to get a NYS EDL?

To get an EDL, an applicant would be required to visit a NYS DMV office in person to display their proof of identity, legal citizenship and NYS Residency. The proofs would be authenticated and verified by the DMV. You can read the list of documents that would be accepted as proof of identity and citizenship. You must have a version number of 4.0 or later of Adobe Acrobat Reader® installed on your computer to read this form. The latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader® is free at the Adobe web site.

What would a NYS EDL cost?

The EDL will cost $30 more than a current NYS photo driver license, but would be less costly than a US passport. If a motorist converts their driver license to an EDL before their current license expiration date, additional fees would be required.

Would a person who does not drive be able to get an Enhanced Non-Driver Identification Card?

Yes. NYS will issue an enhanced non-driver photo identification card to those who do not drive.

Would an EDL look different from the current type of NYS photo driver license document?

Yes. NYS would issue two different types of documents: a NYS photo driver license or photo non-driver ID card and a New York State EDL or enhanced non-driver photo ID card. The two types of documents will be labeled differently, and the enhanced documents would include a US Flag and the word "Enhanced" on the front of the document and a radio frequency identification tag (RFID) inside the document.

For how long would an EDL be valid?

AN EDL would be valid for a maximum of 8 years, the same period as a current NYS driver license. If you convert from a regular driver license to an EDL, the expiration date of your EDL remains the same as the expiration date of the current NYS driver license.

How long would it take to receive an EDL document?

The DMV anticipates that it would take the same amount of time to receive an EDL document as it does to receive a current NYS DMV photo document (approximately 2 weeks from the date your application is processed).

Why would an EDL document have a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag?

The RFID is a proposed requirement of the US Department of Homeland Security that would help to expedite traffic and reduce the environmental affects of traffic at border crossings.

What personal information would be available in the RFID tag?

None. No personal identification information would be recorded on the RFID tag. The RFID tag would only contain a unique number assigned to the tag that would verify issuance of the document to one individual.

Read Governor Paterson's press release about NYS Enhanced Driver Licenses.
 
Hmm, too bad California isn't a part of it yet...

Why too bad? This is part of the effort to have a national ID that generations of Americans have refused to accept. We are giving away our civil liberties one by one out of fear and the alleged promise of increased security. Just as a way of an analogy to show you how grateful and subservient we can become for something we need. Let's see there is only one bridge to get to a water fountain, and there is no other way to get to that water. It could be water, it could be any other resource. Let's say one was free to cross that bridge for years, but suddenly a politician starts working the crowds up, saying that people are abusing the system, taking too much water, perhaps thinking about fouling the water with some toxic. The politician then proposes an ID system and perhaps a fee, either to pay for the ID or to cross the bridge. If the politician is really smart he would get a few people to appear in the media saying how great this solution is. Point is that we run the risk of giving up our freedoms and our money for no very good reason, just because somebody else knows how to work out our fears. I am sure people might be even willing to be branded with a red hot iron if that would be the way to cross the bridge to get water. We in a way run the risk of seeing our freedoms limited by the security machinery. I haven't heard much of it lately, but a few years back I saw a few articles about innocent people being included in no-fly lists. People are no denied employment because of failures of E-Verify. No doubt the government tries to minimize this problems, but tell that to the guy who was left stranded at the airport unable to attend their daughter's wedding, or to the person who cannot land a good job because E-Verify screwed up. I am not saying all is paranoia and doom and gloom. All I am saying is that not all that glitters is gold and to be careful of the side effects of any of these new IDs.

My 2 cents.
 
Oh, I'm definitely wary of more ID cards, but I thought this was just like putting the passport card and driving licence in one...
 
Whats the point of having the enhanced DLs if the US Government came up with the passport card? That is my question. I'm sure the DL will not be valid for 10 years so the argument that it is cheaper than a passport is null and void. Plus, a passport card is still cheaper than applying for a NY DL the first time. I believe I paid $55 when I applied after moving to NY whereas the passport card is $45 for adults.

In addition, this is just one step to identifying and marking individuals with an everyday document. First they will start by producing these enhanced DLs for citizens annotating that they are citizens. Then, they will start annotating non-citizen status on all DLs. And pretty soon the DMV will be a watchdog from the USCIS and State Dept. Just watch and see.
 
Governor Paterson Announces Availability Of New Enhanced Driver License

When would a person be able to get an EDL?

NYS will begin issuing Enhanced Driver Licenses on September 16, 2008.


What would be the advantage of a NYS EDL?

An EDL would allow a NYS resident to travel by land and sea between the US and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean without a US passport, would speed border crossing, and the fee for an EDL would be less than the cost of a passport.

http://www.nysdmv.com/edl.htm
http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/press_0709082.html
 
NYS Required Proofs for EDL

http://www.nysdmv.com/forms/EDL-proof.pdf
http://www.nysdmv.com/edl.htm


What would a person have to do to get a NYS EDL?

To get an EDL, an applicant would be required to visit a NYS DMV office in person to display their proof of identity, legal citizenship and NYS Residency. The proofs would be authenticated and verified by the DMV. You can read the list of documents that would be accepted as proof of identity and citizenship. You must have a version number of 4.0 or later of Adobe Acrobat Reader® installed on your computer to read this form. The latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader® is free at the Adobe web site.
 
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