ENHANCED DRIVER’S LICENCE/ENHANCED I.D. FOR U.S. BORDER CROSSING

The Enhanced Driver’s Licence (EDL) and Enhanced Identification Card (EIC) are new options for Canadian citizens residing in British Columbia.

In addition to being valid forms of identification and, for the EDL, a valid licence to drive, these cards denote the cardholder’s Canadian citizenship. When approved by the U.S., it will be a valid document to enter the U.S. from Canada by land or water. A reminder that a valid passport or a NEXUS card is still required for travel to, through, or from the U.S. by air.

How to apply?

Read “Your Guide to B.C.’s Enhanced Driver’s Licence Program” to confirm eligibility. The guide is available for downloading at www.icbc.com or from any Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) Driver Licensing Centre.

Next, book an application appointment online at www.icbc.com or by calling 1-866-972-6888. ICBC is expecting high interest in the new cards and applicants are encouraged to book online to avoid phone wait times. ICBC is now accepting EDL applications, with appointments starting on May 1.

Attend your appointment at an EDL-designated ICBC Driver Licensing Centre to provide documentary evidence of identity and citizenship and complete the necessary documentation. EDL Driver Licensing Centres can be found in the following locations:

Upon successfully applying for an EDL, you will be issued an interim driver’s licence which is valid for 60 days. The interim driver’s licence cannot be used to enter the U.S.

Customers should receive their EDL approximately two weeks before the expiry of their interim driver’s licence. If they have not received their EDL by that time, they should call the EDL Customer Line at 1-866-972-6888. An EDL should be activated as soon it is received in the mail, and at least 48 hours before it can be used to enter the U.S. by land or water.

How much do the cards cost?

EDLs and EICs have an incremental fee of $35.00 to cover the additional costs of processing the new cards and are subject to the standard licensing fee depending on your current card expiry date.

Protection of privacy

The EDL and EIC program requires that certain personal information be shared with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). If a person does not wish to share this information, there are other eligible documents to use to enter the United States by land or water – primarily a passport.

The cards contain the same information as your current B.C. Driver’s Licence or B.C. Identification Card, with some additional features. These features include:

· Ability to establish your Canadian citizenship.

· A machine readable zone of encoded data, just like a passport, that can be scanned at the inspection booth.

· A radio frequency identification technology (RFID) chip that will facilitate traveller processing at the U.S. border.

All the information contained within the cards will be stored in a secure database located in Canada and maintained by CBSA and will only be accessed when the cardholder presents the card at the U.S. land or water border. At that point, it is used to establish the identity and citizenship of the cardholder

When applying for an EDL or EIC, applicants will be asked to complete a citizenship and entitlement-to-travel questionnaire and sign a personal information consent form that authorizes ICBC to disclose information related to the cards to the CBSA and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), and for CBSA to disclose the information to the U.S. CBP, only when the cardholder presents it to enter the U.S. by land or water.

The only personal information disclosed to U.S. border authorities is: first and last name, birth date, gender, citizenship, licence expiry date, your digital photograph, licence status, licence issuing province, your RFID unique identifier and tag ID number and your machine readable unique identifier. Driving qualifications, driving conviction history, penalties or medical conditions are not disclosed.

In developing the EDL and EIC, both the federal and provincial privacy commissioners were consulted to ensure the program complied with all applicable privacy legislation.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) chip

A RFID chip is contained within the EDL and EIC to make border-crossing both secure and convenient. The chip contains a unique reference number that is used by U.S. border officials to obtain the cardholder’s EDL information from the secure database located in Canada. U.S. border officials then use this information to establish the citizenship and identity of the cardholder. The RFID tag ID number is also verified to ensure that the card is not counterfeit. The RFID unique reference number and the tag ID number are not the same as the driver’s licence number or identification card number. No personal information is contained within the chip.

All cardholders will be provided with a protective sleeve for their enhanced card. The sleeve will prevent the card from being accessed by unauthorized readers when not in use for border-crossing purposes.

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Media contact:	Alex Dabrowski Communications Manager Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat 250 356-7373	Media Relations (Headquarters) Canada Border Services Agency 613 957-6500
	Adam Grossman Insurance Corporation of B.C. 604 982-1332
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.