Enhanced Drivers Licence - Rant

[coldwatersurf 5]

Skip the EDL and get a passport!!!!We live in Washington State. the closest DMV office that processed the EDL was 1hr & 15 min away from us. So when we got there at 9:30am & 50 people were waiting. We get a number and we are number 854 EDL applicants. But we look up & it was only 815! We talked to someone else that was waiting and he said he was there before 8am and there were already ppl ahead of him. he was number 823. We ended up leaving at 11am and they only processed THREE PEOPLE. (#818). so i finally convinced the people I came with to leave and just get their passport. Of course they are outraged and kept ranting about what they were going to write on the complaint letter. I dont have a problem with this b/c i dont need it. lol. But they have a good point... its pretty dumb to have only TWO picket windows open that processed a 2 part method (application & interview). Its pretty big & important. It is a security ID for crossing a border. Especially there is an influx of people who are needing this card & they didnt have anyone in rotation to cover lunch breaks & they had 3 more windows that were not open. The office was taking care of FOUR counties & some who drove over an hour to get there. I ended up calling the EDL hotline and offices who are taking appointments only & it said their earliest available time is August 10th.

Well, thought some of you will find this info useful and pass it to your friends and/or family that will be applying for the EDL.

[reeses16 8]

The Washington DMV is pretty crazy compared to other places I've lived. Maybe it will be better in the coming months. I'm guessing there may have been a rush since the border requirements when into effect.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Carlawarla 1]

Gosh, that's outrageous! Was it because it was on a weekend? I wonder if you went in first thing during a weekday morning if it would have been like that.

[Tankgurl38 0]

Hi Borderdriver,

Sorry to hear about your experience.

Is it true in Washington State that they will not recognize our Canadian licences and we have to do the driving test and everything all over again there to get a license?

[coldwatersurf 5]

I dont know yet. i havent converted my license yet as I havent gotten my SSN. Im waiting for USCIS to get that goin on. lol. But, when I talked to someone at DMV, they said I had to do the written and driving test. but when I looked at their website, it states that I would have to do the driving test if I had a medical condition. So when its time for me to convert my license, I will print the webpage and bring it to the office.

Carla-we went there on Friday morning. but the other applicants said they went there 2-3 times already and its the same waiting period. Some ppl have arrived & lined up before the office opens. If you are the first one then you are good to go. I think one of them said its a 3 hour process b/c of the interview that's why there is such a long waiting period.

another note: make sure you bring ID's that matches your names. example, if you were divorced but kept your married name. You will need your divorce papers, birth cert, and current license or WA ID. And you need a utility bill or mortgage bill that shows your proof of residence.

Edited June 15, 2009 by borderdriver

[Tankgurl38 0]

They never make anything easy do they!

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Borderdriver-Sorry to hear about your experience in getting an EDL. I hope that you do eventually get an EDL and/or a passport, and that you won't encounter any more problems for getting those travel documents. Maybe because there were too many people getting them at the last minute (for the recent June 1 changes) that it caused too many problems now. Perhaps wait a little while, try again, and see if you have better luck then....

Ok, despite Borderdriver's experience...

My husband (the USC) though had the opposite good experience here in New York State....

He went in April to renew his driver's license and decided to get an EDL instead, as he has no American Passport and doesn't plan on getting one. So we went there, filled out the forms, paid the $85 fee ($55 for a new license, $30 for the EDL upgrade), showed his birth certificate and proof of residency and old driver's license, got his photo taken again, and 10 minutes later got a temporary EDL license. And 2 weeks later....got his actual EDL in the mail....! "That's it...2 weeks?", I said to him.

He also had no problems travelling by land between Canada/US border with just only an EDL Card and nothing else.

I on the other hand....had to wait 10 months for a damn 10yr green card (and had to do 5 expedites/inquiries about it too)....

On top of that, I had hassles/problems travelling by land betwen Canada/US border with extension letters, approval letters, stamps, etc. while waiting for the incompetent USCIS to send me my card....And I had to waste $545 for such too! And funny how the 10yr green card contains similar information (with the machine readable barcode) as the EDL driver's license. Grrr...

Oh and then I still have to carry a Canadian passport too. Sigh, yet another travel document I have to worry about renewing and showing at the border.

I want an EDL too..... (one card, one document, no fuss, no muss...simple.....)

Oh well, I can't wait to get one of those after US Citizenship! The DMV is certianly better than dealing with the USCIS, indeed!

So for those of you wanting to get EDLs later on after citizenship...seriously go for it. Just go at a time when they are not busy, and you should be ok there.

Good luck everyone, with the rest of your immigration and travel journeys too.

Ant

Edited June 15, 2009 by AntandD

[Road 2 Peace Arch 0]

Skip the EDL and get a passport!!!!We live in Washington State. the closest DMV office that processed the EDL was 1hr & 15 min away from us. So when we got there at 9:30am & 50 people were waiting. We get a number and we are number 854 EDL applicants. But we look up & it was only 815! We talked to someone else that was waiting and he said he was there before 8am and there were already ppl ahead of him. he was number 823. We ended up leaving at 11am and they only processed THREE PEOPLE. (#818). so i finally convinced the people I came with to leave and just get their passport. Of course they are outraged and kept ranting about what they were going to write on the complaint letter. I dont have a problem with this b/c i dont need it. lol. But they have a good point... its pretty dumb to have only TWO picket windows open that processed a 2 part method (application & interview). Its pretty big & important. It is a security ID for crossing a border. Especially there is an influx of people who are needing this card & they didnt have anyone in rotation to cover lunch breaks & they had 3 more windows that were not open. The office was taking care of FOUR counties & some who drove over an hour to get there. I ended up calling the EDL hotline and offices who are taking appointments only & it said their earliest available time is August 10th.

Well, thought some of you will find this info useful and pass it to your friends and/or family that will be applying for the EDL.

Skip the EDL and get a NEXIS Card! The application is online and 30 days later, assuming you pass the background check, you have the interview at Boeing Field in Seattle. During the interview, they take your pic and prints. Once CBP is done with thier part of the interview, they walk you to the Canadian Customs officer for thier portion of the interview. Your done with everything in less than an hour and its by appointment only. Card arrives in the mail two weeks later.

Used my recently obtained NEXIS Card to visit my fiancee in Vancouver last weekend. While others were waiting in line, I just drove up and presented the card. One or two questions later, you're on your way.

[JillA 2]

Skip the EDL and get a passport!!!!We live in Washington State. the closest DMV office that processed the EDL was 1hr & 15 min away from us. So when we got there at 9:30am & 50 people were waiting. We get a number and we are number 854 EDL applicants. But we look up & it was only 815! We talked to someone else that was waiting and he said he was there before 8am and there were already ppl ahead of him. he was number 823. We ended up leaving at 11am and they only processed THREE PEOPLE. (#818). so i finally convinced the people I came with to leave and just get their passport. Of course they are outraged and kept ranting about what they were going to write on the complaint letter. I dont have a problem with this b/c i dont need it. lol. But they have a good point... its pretty dumb to have only TWO picket windows open that processed a 2 part method (application & interview). Its pretty big & important. It is a security ID for crossing a border. Especially there is an influx of people who are needing this card & they didnt have anyone in rotation to cover lunch breaks & they had 3 more windows that were not open. The office was taking care of FOUR counties & some who drove over an hour to get there. I ended up calling the EDL hotline and offices who are taking appointments only & it said their earliest available time is August 10th.

Well, thought some of you will find this info useful and pass it to your friends and/or family that will be applying for the EDL.

Skip the EDL and get a NEXIS Card! The application is online and 30 days later, assuming you pass the background check, you have the interview at Boeing Field in Seattle. During the interview, they take your pic and prints. Once CBP is done with thier part of the interview, they walk you to the Canadian Customs officer for thier portion of the interview. Your done with everything in less than an hour and its by appointment only. Card arrives in the mail two weeks later.

Used my recently obtained NEXIS Card to visit my fiancee in Vancouver last weekend. While others were waiting in line, I just drove up and presented the card. One or two questions later, you're on your way.

But with a Nexus card, you still need a passport. The point of the EDL is to use in lieu of a passport, is it not?

[thetreble 19]

I'm going for my Nexus interview in July. What I don't understand is, do all border crossings have Nexus lines? I usually drive through Queenston-Lewiston and don't think there is one there.

[JillA 2]

I'm going for my Nexus interview in July. What I don't understand is, do all border crossings have Nexus lines? I usually drive through Queenston-Lewiston and don't think there is one there.

Yeah it doesn't look like there is a Nexus lane at Queenston:

Southern Ontario/Michigan/New York

Sarnia/Port Huron

Blue Water Bridge

Windsor/Detroit

Ambassador Bridge

Fort Erie/Buffalo

Peace Bridge

Windsor-Detroit Tunnel

Whirlpool Bridge

Niagara Falls

[jundp 191]

At our DMV in West Seattle you have to make an appointment for the EDL first. It's a shame they make it so difficult though.

I agree with the other posters, it's better to get Nexus if your border has a line for that.

[Road 2 Peace Arch 0]

Skip the EDL and get a passport!!!!We live in Washington State. the closest DMV office that processed the EDL was 1hr & 15 min away from us. So when we got there at 9:30am & 50 people were waiting. We get a number and we are number 854 EDL applicants. But we look up & it was only 815! We talked to someone else that was waiting and he said he was there before 8am and there were already ppl ahead of him. he was number 823. We ended up leaving at 11am and they only processed THREE PEOPLE. (#818). so i finally convinced the people I came with to leave and just get their passport. Of course they are outraged and kept ranting about what they were going to write on the complaint letter. I dont have a problem with this b/c i dont need it. lol. But they have a good point... its pretty dumb to have only TWO picket windows open that processed a 2 part method (application & interview). Its pretty big & important. It is a security ID for crossing a border. Especially there is an influx of people who are needing this card & they didnt have anyone in rotation to cover lunch breaks & they had 3 more windows that were not open. The office was taking care of FOUR counties & some who drove over an hour to get there. I ended up calling the EDL hotline and offices who are taking appointments only & it said their earliest available time is August 10th.

Well, thought some of you will find this info useful and pass it to your friends and/or family that will be applying for the EDL.

Skip the EDL and get a NEXIS Card! The application is online and 30 days later, assuming you pass the background check, you have the interview at Boeing Field in Seattle. During the interview, they take your pic and prints. Once CBP is done with thier part of the interview, they walk you to the Canadian Customs officer for thier portion of the interview. Your done with everything in less than an hour and its by appointment only. Card arrives in the mail two weeks later.

Used my recently obtained NEXIS Card to visit my fiancee in Vancouver last weekend. While others were waiting in line, I just drove up and presented the card. One or two questions later, you're on your way.

But with a Nexus card, you still need a passport. The point of the EDL is to use in lieu of a passport, is it not?

I may be incorrect but I'm not sure you're required to carry your passport when using your NEXUS Card in a NEXUS lane but you must carry ID (perhaps that can be a drivers license). They never mentioned to me that the passport was required along with the NEXUS Card and I havent found it mentioned in any of the paperwork I received at the interview.

When I used it, all they (Canadian and CBP) wanted to see was the Card ("say hello to my little friend"). I "Googled" it to check, apparently the NEXUS Card is all I need to cross as long as I cross at a border crossing that has a lane. Washington State has many border crossings and only a few of the busy ones have Nexus lanes. Oddly, Point Roberts has one

You'd need a Passport if you crossed and did not use the NEXUS lane that day (which could happen) or, you went to a non Nexus border crossing. Frankly, I carry both with me as I'm really after the expedited crossing and I'm paranoid after a lot of international travel about not having my Passport with me when I leave the US.