I came across an article a little while back. It was ten years ago that there was a mad rush to get passports because of rule changes. That means that this year a lot of passports will expire. If you have any trips planned out of the country coming up, it would be a idea to check the status of yours.
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/renew.html
Great point, but I think the new state I.D. will get you into Canada. Will definitely need to look into this now before the rush this summer.
And I thought this was going to be something about Rosie not leaving the US! 
Great point, but I think the new state I.D. will get you into Canada. Will definitely need to look into this now before the rush this summer.
bigpike,
The problem isn’t getting into Canada, it’s getting back into the US.
HRG
re-enter-US.jpg
http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/license-drvs/how-to-apply/realid.aspx
if I am not mistaken this covers going into and leaving canada eh
f I am not mistaken this covers going into and leaving canada eh
No.
The RealID driver’s licenses are NOT a substitute for a passport, which is required to enter the US from Canada.
In the future, a driver’s license that complies with the RealID standards will serve as one form of ID that is valid for certain Federal purposes like getting on an airplane. But that does not make it a substitute for other Federal forms of identification that have other purposes.
We went through this 10 years ago when a lot of people burned a lot of brainbox oil trying to figure out the increasingly limited ways they could get by without a passport. Americans just need to put on the big boy pants like the rest of the world and get a passport.
And renewing it for an adult takes like 20 minutes of effort max every 10 years. Just get a passport, use it, and enjoy life.
Grouse
I believe at this point ND and MN drivers licenses are not in compliance with the REAL ID act yet.
From the Minnesota DVS website –
Minnesota residents are now able to apply for an enhanced version of their driver’s license or identification card that will allow re-entry into the United States via land and sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean.
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/Pages/dvs-content-detail.aspx?pageID=684
Not sure what the requirements to get into Canada are.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bigpike wrote:</div>
f I am not mistaken this covers going into and leaving canada ehNo.
The RealID driver’s licenses are NOT a substitute for a passport, which is required to enter the US from Canada.
In the future, a driver’s license that complies with the RealID standards will serve as one form of ID that is valid for certain Federal purposes like getting on an airplane. But that does not make it a substitute for other Federal forms of identification that have other purposes.
We went through this 10 years ago when a lot of people burned a lot of brainbox oil trying to figure out the increasingly limited ways they could get by without a passport. Americans just need to put on the big boy pants like the rest of the world and get a passport.
And renewing it for an adult takes like 20 minutes of effort max every 10 years. Just get a passport, use it, and enjoy life.
Grouse
I agree. The initial cost may seem too much for some people, but across 10 years it’s the cost of 2-3 bar beers a year. I had to renew mine recently, I went to the post office, and I was in and out in 15 minutes which included the picture taking. However, my aunt had quite the runaround to get hers renewed, but I think it may have been because it had expired.
And renewing it for an adult takes like 20 minutes of effort max every 10 years. Just get a passport, use it, and enjoy life.
And $110. Renewed mine last year. Now, I need to go somewhere.
And $110. Renewed mine last year. Now, I need to go somewhere.
Very close to the same cost per year as a MN Driver’s License I believe.
I hadn’t heard that at some point, allegedly, a Real ID drivers license could (maybe) be used in place of a passport in some circumstances, but my question is would that ONLY be if the user already has a passport?
So essentially, is it going to like those passport cards that you can get now to enter the US by land from Mexico/Canada? Yes, you can get a passport card, but you have to go through the same process as getting a full-on passport?
Not worth the PITA factor IMO. I’m just keeping my full-on passport and then I know I’m good to go.
Grouse
Just got my new one. Took a little less than 3 weeks. Did not use expedited service.
Also worth knowing about the “6 month validity rule” which means that many countries won’t let you in unless your passport expires no less than 6mo after your last day of travel. Sister in law almost learned this the hard way for her honeymoon.
Just got my new one. Took a little less than 3 weeks. Did not use expedited service.
Same for me. Very surprised how fast it was, especially considering I went in just before Xmas and figured that the whole holiday stuff would slow things up.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ralph Wiggum wrote:</div>
And $110. Renewed mine last year. Now, I need to go somewhere.Very close to the same cost per year as a MN Driver’s License I believe.
I hadn’t heard that at some point, allegedly, a Real ID drivers license could (maybe) be used in place of a passport in some circumstances, but my question is would that ONLY be if the user already has a passport?
So essentially, is it going to like those passport cards that you can get now to enter the US by land from Mexico/Canada? Yes, you can get a passport card, but you have to go through the same process as getting a full-on passport?
Not worth the PITA factor IMO. I’m just keeping my full-on passport and then I know I’m good to go.
Grouse
My passport had expired and, with an upcoming trip to Canada I had to renew. I got the passport card for the simple reason that I have no foreseeable plans to travel anywhere outside the US except Canada and, hopefully, the Caribbean in the time before it expires. It’s convenient and a bit cheaper(if you already have a passport), worked real well. If I suddenly get lucky and hit the lottery or something and take a big trip somewhere else, presumably I’ll have plenty of time and money to get the real thing. As of yet, I’m not financially capable of saying “Come on honey, I got us a sitter so why don’t we hop a plane and have dinner in Paris?” so…
A Minnesota Enhanced Driver’s License can be used to re-enter the US by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean countries.
I needed a new driver’s license after moving back to MN in the fall of 2015. The enhanced dl was $15 more than a regular license and required a few more forms of identification but otherwise was the same process to obtain one.
I used my enhanced dl to cross the US/Canada border about a dozen times this summer by both land and sea. I’ve also crossed the border with a passport dozens of times and the process was no different other than I handed them my dl rather than passport. Same for calling in… I just read them my dl number and expiration rather than passport number and expiration.
The enhanced dl has a different look and feel than the standard mn driver’s licenses, so when they were still new I got a lot of funny looks at bars and liquor stores. I think they are becoming more common now because I don’t get questioned on it very often anymore.
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