New York Documents Designated for Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
Effective December 2, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security has designated enhanced driver’s licenses and identity documents (EDLs) issued by the state of New York as acceptable identity and citizenship documents for entering the U.S. at land and sea ports of entry. U.S. citizens possessing these EDLs will be permitted to present the EDLs, in lieu of passports, as acceptable documents under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) when entering the U.S. at land and sea ports of entry.
On October 27, 2007, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Governor of New York signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to develop, issue, test, and evaluate an enhanced driver’s license and identification card with facilitative technology to be used for border crossing purposes. Under the terms of the agreement between DHS and the State of New York, New York will only issue EDLs to U.S. citizens. EDLs also may be issued as photo identification cards to non-drivers.
