BajaNomad

Baja California Officials Trying To Make Things Easier

DavidE - 8-17-2012 at 08:56 PM

A Cut & Paste From The San Diego Union Tribune (My Note: This would be to aid re-entry back into the U.S.)



SAN DIEGO.- Baja California authorities will insist in California-issued driving licenses to serve as a valid identity document to cross the border, said Tourism Secretary Juan Tintos Funcke during his visit to San Diego.

At the end of his presentation at the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce state meeting he emphasized that this initiative would be picked up again in early 2013. The initiative’s goal is to ease the process of crossing back to the US for thousands of tourists visiting Baja California.

He also stated that, in comparison to the passport, the license is “a more accessible alternative regarding cost, it’s easier to obtain.”

The so-called Enhanced Drivers Licenses (EDLs) are accepted as a document to prove identity and citizenship in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) of the Homeland Security Department.

At the moment, said licenses are only available in Michigan, New York, Vermont and Washington, and can be used as a document to cross the border, be it through sea or land.

Since the WHTI’s implementation in 2009, US citizens wishing to return to their country have to present the United States passport (in book or card form) or belong to one of the trusted traveler programs like SENTRI.

He mentioned that the Governor of Baja California himself, José Guadalupe Osuna Millán, presented the idea to his equivalent, Jerry Brown, in California as well as to the previous Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Alan Bersin; they both showed their support.

Tintos Funcke said that the proposal has been delayed mostly due to the US elections so it will have to wait until next year.

Tintos Funcke highlighted Baja California’s tourism development last year during his participation in the state meeting of the CAHCC, where he informed that every day visitors are finding more reasons to visit the state, be it for its gastronomy, its attractions or its events; there were 450 events in Baja California this year.

He said that in the last year there have been over 400,000 tourists arriving to the state through cruises, he also commented that the goal for 2012 is registering over 28 million visitors crossing from the United States.

bajaguy - 8-17-2012 at 09:22 PM

The roadblocks to California or any other state issuing the Enhanced Driver's Licenses are:

Additional cost to design, produce and distribute (must be done in a single issue point secured facility - no over the counter issuance) the license.

Additional costs for personnel and infastructure to verify, scan and store required documentation.

Additional costs to those applying for the licenses.

Acceptable verified documentation required from those applying.

It's a political football.

Nevada told the feds that if the EDL was required, then the feds would have to pay for the state to implement the program.......we are still waiting.

Bajajorge - 8-18-2012 at 09:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
The roadblocks to California or any other state issuing the Enhanced Driver's Licenses are:


Nevada told the feds that if the EDL was required, then the feds would have to pay for the state to implement the program.......we are still waiting.


Ya mean good ole Harry Reid hasn't gotten the Feds to fork over any pork to Nevada?:?::?:

???

durrelllrobert - 8-18-2012 at 11:15 AM

Has anyone ever been asked for an ID comming into Mexico?

ID request

akshadow - 8-18-2012 at 08:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
Has anyone ever been asked for an ID comming into Mexico?


Entering one time at Mexicali, old border, about 2 years ago, the agent asked if we had a passport. Showed them to her and she said go ahead into Mexico. Not sure what would have happened if we had said no.
we had an FM3 but we did not offer to show it to her.

ROBERT

captkw - 8-18-2012 at 08:05 PM

HUMMM..I GET A TOUREST CARD EVERY SEASON AND THEY LIKE TO SEE "YOUR PAPERS PLEASE" BUT NOT IN GERMAN !!!! LOL ITS MUCH WORSE IN THE STATE'S:cool: !!!

wilderone - 8-18-2012 at 08:13 PM

"roadblocks to California or any other state issuing the Enhanced Driver's Licenses . . . ."
I agree - why not just get a passport instead? Why put the administrative burden on individual state DMVs? California is almost broke as it is - more pressing problems than caring about tourism in Mexico.

BajaBlanca - 8-19-2012 at 09:10 AM

I personally think the enhanced driver's license would be a great idea - one less document since we all have driver's licenses ....

in reality, it will be a fine day when we can create a special relationship between our countries like the european union has done.

enhanced Driver Lic.

akshadow - 8-19-2012 at 09:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaBlanca
I personally think the enhanced driver's license would be a great idea - one less document since we all have driver's licenses ....

The states would not reliably get the proper documents and end up issuing them to persons who are not qualified.

It is an international border and national documents should be required.

Dig a deeper hole

bajaguy - 8-19-2012 at 06:00 PM

This may keep California from getting EDL's

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/aug/16/1n16licenses/