This section contains the policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. Posted on the department's website as a courtesy to interested parties. The EDL is a voluntary program open to all Canadian citizens residing in a province or territory that has implemented an EDL program. As part of the application process, EDL applicants must provide proof of Canadian citizenship to the provincial authority issuing EDL, as well as complete a citizenship questionnaire.
The provinces of Quebec, Manitoba, Ontario and British Columbia have negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding with CIC and CBSA prior to the implementation of their respective EDL programs. This initiative may have an impact on the operations of the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia and the Call Center, as many cross-border travelers may request confirmation of Canadian citizenship to apply for an EDL. Provincial EDL issuing authorities may also contact the local CIC office for information. Some provinces will also issue an EIC to people who don't have a driver's license.
People will be allowed to have an EDL or an EIC, not both. The CIC is committed to assisting provinces and territories by providing guidance on what constitutes satisfactory proof of Canadian citizenship. This includes developing a citizenship questionnaire for EDL applicants, providing a list of acceptable citizenship documents, and providing citizenship training to provincial issuing authorities to mitigate the risks of issuing an EDL to someone who is not a Canadian citizen. The EDL citizenship questionnaire developed by CIC is a tool for provinces to identify applicants who may need to be referred to CIC to clarify their citizenship status and, in some cases, to request an updated certificate of citizenship.
CIC citizenship training material and the training session provided to provincial trainers ensure consistency in the decision-making process regarding the examination of the citizenship questionnaire and documentary evidence of citizenship submitted by an EDL applicant. EDL Provincial Issuing Authorities have been advised to redirect customers requiring additional documentary evidence of citizenship to the CIC Call Center or the CIC website. It is important to note that a referral from the province to the CIC does not necessarily mean that there are doubts about a person's citizenship status. Since the provincial authority issuing the EDL does not interpret citizenship legislation or verify the person's status, a referral may simply mean that a person needs an updated certificate of citizenship to prove that he or she is a citizen.
The EDL Citizenship Questionnaire has been developed in such a way that an EDL applicant will need to complete the questionnaire before scheduling the interview. The applicant will be asked to contact CIC if clarification of their Canadian citizenship status is required. Depending on the situation, some customers will need to complete and submit a proof of application. In the event that an EDL requester contacts the Call Center for information about the EDL application process or the EDL request itself, the call center agent will refer the customer to the appropriate provincial issuing authority for clarification or additional information.
When an EDL applicant's citizenship status is unclear, they will be asked to refer to the CIC website to obtain and complete an application for proof of citizenship. In some cases, the person may also contact the Call Center for assistance with the request form. EDL applicants who contact a local office to inquire about the EDL program should be referred to their province's EDL issuing authority, who will answer their questions. When questions are specific to their Canadian citizenship status, the customer should be referred to the Call Center or CIC website for additional information.
An enhanced driver's license, or EDL, can allow a U.S. citizen to visit Canada for both leisure and business purposes. Americans with an Enhanced Identification Card (EIC) or Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) from the State of Washington, Minnesota, South Dakota, Michigan, New York or Vermont can travel to Canada without a passport. However, enhanced driver's licenses are only valid for land and sea crossings, so you won't be able to fly to Canada with them as the only form of identification.
Regardless of whether you are using a U.S. passport or an enhanced driver's license to cross the Canadian border, a DUI or similar offense, such as DWI or OWI, can make you criminally inadmissible in the country and result in you being denied entry to the border. Graphic details of the pattern include Alberta signature, Alberta provincial shield, Motor Vehicle Services Registry seal, and wheat graphics. Consequently, when an American tries to drive to Canada with an improved driver's license, it's easy for border security officers to flag him for a past DUI.
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