Re: Dear Linkedin,

[Peter Kristolaitis <alter3d () alter3d ca>]

On 12-06-11 03:14 PM, Simon Perreault wrote:
> On 2012-06-11 15:05, Owen DeLong wrote:
> > > OK, someone shows you a Quebec driver's license.  You ask for a
> > > passport, she says, I don't have one, and points at the blue word Plus
> > > after the words Permis de Conduire at the top of the license.  Now
> > > what?
> >
> > To the best of my knowledge, ICE stopped accepting DL for admission 
> > from Canada several years ago.
>
> Your knowledge needs an update! ;)
>
> http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/driver_licence/licence_plus/licence_plus.php 
>
>
> Simon

Yup, various Canadian provinces now issue "newer, better" driver's 
licenses that are accepted by ICE for entry to the US by land or sea 
only (not by air, you still need a passport or NEXUS for that).   Here 
in Ontario, they're called "Enhanced" driver's licenses, and only have 
minor differences from regular driver's licenses -- they have the word 
"Enhanced" on them, and they contain an RFID chip which is scanned at 
the border for ID & verification purposes.  Oh, and they cost an extra 
$40 when you renew them.  The enhanced licenses were rolled out at 
pretty much the same time as the US entry requirements changed, so if 
you were a keener and got an enhanced card when they were first 
available, absolutely nothing would have changed for you, except that 
your wallet is now a bit lighter and you have a shiny new card.

It's left as an exercise to the reader as to whether the word "Enhanced" 
printed on a card and an RFID tag are, in fact, any more secure than 
what we had before....

- Pete