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.
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Translation by karen.balderas@sandiegored.com
