- Thread starter losackmd
- Start date
travel documents necessary to enter DR 7/09
While I believe this answer is correct as a matter of practice; I do not believe it is technically correct. I will explain.
It is my understanding that the DR requires that Canadian and US citizens supply proof of citizenship by presenting an original birth certificate AND a government issued photo ID (like a driver's license).
It is the USA Homeland Security department (due to the recently imposed Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) which requires all incoming travelers, including it's own citizens, to have passports or other acceptable documentation. AFAIK the requirements from the DR government have not changed but those of the USA have.
As I said, as a practical answer, the answer as given is correct due to US requirements but not because of DR requirements. Since the question was asked about DR entry, not US entry, the answer would be yes but your air carrier should refuse you boarding for the flight because you would lack the proper documentation to return to the USA.
Gregg
Canadians do not (yet) require passports if traveling non-stop from Canada to the DR. Nor did Americans prior to the introduction of Homeland Security's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, about two years ago.
This is the same initiative which (effective June 1, 2009) requires Canadians and Americans to have passports (or approved equivalent) in order to enter the USA by land when a birth certificate and driver's license was acceptable for a hundred years (or more) before.
Gregg
gregg, he asked about driver's license, right? 
in any case, all this birth certificate thing always seemed weird to me. i have not seen my birth certificate in my whole life until i found out i need it for residency process. my mother did not even know where she put it
in any case, all this birth certificate thing always seemed weird to me. i have not seen my birth certificate in my whole life until i found out i need it for residency process. my mother did not even know where she put it
Another thought...
Because New York State shares a border with Canada in some places, it is possible to obtain an Enhanced NYS Driver's License. This license can be used in lieu of a passport book or a passport card as acceptable proof of citizenship for entry and exit from Canada.
It is possible that the original poster has such a license, knows it is valid at the US - Canadian border and thought it would also be valid for travel to the DR.
Because New York State shares a border with Canada in some places, it is possible to obtain an Enhanced NYS Driver's License. This license can be used in lieu of a passport book or a passport card as acceptable proof of citizenship for entry and exit from Canada.
It is possible that the original poster has such a license, knows it is valid at the US - Canadian border and thought it would also be valid for travel to the DR.
There are several alternatives to a passport which are acceptable for the Canada/US border.
- Enhanced driver's license or ID cards issued by some provinces and states.
- A NEXUS partnership program membership which is a program between the CBSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
- A FAST card which is a program similar to NEXUS but aimed at truckers.
Gregg
Yes, I knew there were others as well, but mentioned only the ones I thought other people would be familiar with. The major point of my post was simply to give a reasonable explanation of why the OP might have thought his NYS driver's license would be enough.