More than 13,000 apply for enhanced driver's license
Michigan residents no longer have to wait to get their hands on the new enhanced driver's license (EDL) and state I.D. card.
The new form of I.D. was released in April to make travel across the border more convenient.
As of June 1, all U.S. and Canadian residents traveling across the border by land or water are now required to present proper documents in compliance with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The same regulations are applied for Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.
To pass through the border an individual needs one of the following: a regular passport, passport card, traveler's card, or an EDL.
In the first month since beginning the program, Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land reported 13,000 total requests for the license.
"They have been in very high demand," said Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for Land. "They are very handy and easy to use, and are offered for half the price of a passport."
The enhanced license is $45 compared to $100 for a regular passport, and can be received several weeks earlier after applying.
A total of 16 Secretary of State branches across the state are offering the new license. Chesney said it is not being offered at the Mount Pleasant branch, so Central Michigan University students and surrounding residents would have to apply at the Lansing office, 5827 W. Saginaw Hwy., or the Bay County Plus office, 1007 Euclid Ave.
Applicants must present a valid Social Security number and U.S. citizenship in addition to their current driver's license or state I.D. card.
Travelers have been anticipating the new EDL for a while, said Ronald Smith, chief of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the public affairs liaison for the Michigan area.
"A lot of people knew that the EDL was in the works and postponed applying for passports or the new pass card," he said. "It appears that it has been a simple case of people deciding which of the available documents would work best for them."
The EDL is installed with a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID). CBP has been using the same technology for its trusted traveler programs for over five years. With the new chip installed in the card, border officers can obtain the traveler's information before they even pull up to the booth.
"They will be able to address you by name right away," Smith said. "Since the officer does not have to handle the traveler's documents, it saves time during the inspection process."
No personal information will be transmitted to border officials during the process, he added, and CBP is not anticipating a noticeable increase in people crossing into Canada due to the new EDL.
Michigan is one of four states to offer the license, along with Washington, New York and Vermont.
According to a press release from the Michigan Secretary of State EDLs are offered for voluntary purchase and are not required. Residents may continue to receive standard driver's licenses and state identification cards if they choose.
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