Applicant's Guide

Are you eligible for a Manitoba EDL or EIC?

To be eligible for a Manitoba EDL or EIC, you must meet all the following criteria. Please review the list carefully.

You must be eligible to drive (EDL only)
You must be a resident of Manitoba;
You must be a Canadian citizen;
You must be 18 years of age or older. Children 16 and 17 years of age are also eligible for an EDL or EIC — as long as the application and consent forms required to obtain the card are signed by their parents or legal guardians. The same parent or legal guardian must also attend all interviews associated with the child’s EDL or EIC application. A legal guardian must also bring their court order document(s) with him/her to apply for an EDL or EIC card and to the associated EDL or EIC interview;
You must be able to present a combination of valid documents that prove your date of birth, identity, Manitoba residency and citizenship as required. Appendix A to this Guide provides a list of the various documents that can be combined to provide the necessary proof. All documents that you present must be originals, not copies;
You must have a digital photograph taken when you book and pay for your interview, which will be included on the face of your EDL or EIC card. To verify your identity, Manitoba Public Insurance will run a Facial Recognition System (FRS) security check on your photograph. A detailed explanation of FRS, its use, and the purpose for using it in the Manitoba EDL or EIC program is provided in this Guide and in Manitoba Public Insurance’s Facial Recognition brochure; and
You must complete a questionnaire confirming that your Canadian citizenship has not been renounced or cancelled. You will be assisted in completing the Citizenship Questionnaire during the interview for your EDL or EIC application. For your information, a copy of the questionnaire is included as Appendix B to this Guide.

You are not eligible for a Manitoba EDL or EIC if:

you do not meet all of the eligibility criteria listed above;
you are in arrears with respect to family maintenance payments;
there are outstanding criminal charges against you for an indictable offence in Canada;
you are forbidden to leave Canada based on conditions imposed by a Canadian court or a parole board in Canada or by law; or
you are currently subject to a sentence of imprisonment in Canada.

During the interview for your EDL or EIC application, you will be required to complete and sign an Entitlement-to-Travel Questionnaire, confirming that you are eligible for a Manitoba EDL or EIC. A copy of the questionnaire is included, for your information, as Appendix C to this Guide. If you are unsure as to whether or not you have a travel restriction, you should seek legal advice prior to proceeding with your EDL or EIC application.

If at any point after your interview or after you have received your card, you are no longer eligible for an EDL or EIC, you are required to notify Manitoba Public Insurance immediately of the change.

Consents to information sharing required

To be eligible to receive an EDL or EIC, you must consent to Manitoba Public Insurance sharing your personal information with Canadian authorities and to the Canada Border Services Agency sharing your personal information with U.S. authorities when you attempt to enter the U.S. using your EDL or EIC. You will be required to sign a Consent to Information Sharing Form during the interview for your EDL or EIC application. A detailed explanation of information collection, use and sharing under the Manitoba EDL and EIC Program is provided in this Guide, and a copy of the Consent to Information Sharing Form is included, for your information, as Appendix D to this Guide. Before you apply for an EDL or EIC, it is important that you read the EDL and EIC Applicant’s Guide, so that you understand, and are comfortable with, the application process, the questions you will be asked and how your personal information will be used and shared with Canadian and U.S. authorities.

Manitoba and Canadian privacy laws apply to personal information shared with Canadian authorities. These laws do not apply to your personal information in the U.S. Border Crossing Information (BCI) system or to any other information in the custody or control of U.S. authorities. Your personal information in the U.S. may be used for purposes other than those relating to border crossing and will be kept for 75 years.

Also, if you present a Manitoba birth certifi cate as proof of your date of birth, legal name or Canadian citizenship (see Appendix A), you will be asked to provide your written consent to Manitoba Public Insurance verifying your birth certificate information with the Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency as part of your application for an EDL or EIC. For your information, copies of the New Enhanced Driver’s Licence Application Form, New Enhanced Identification Card Application Form, and the Consent to Manitoba Public Insurance and the Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency Sharing My Information Form are included as Appendices G and I. If you present a Manitoba birth certificate as part of your application, but do not provide this consent, you will not be eligible to receive an EDL or EIC.

Grounds to refuse, suspend or cancel a Manitoba EDL or EIC:

If the personal information or documents you presented are found to be inaccurate or invalid, Manitoba Public Insurance can refuse to issue you an EDL or EIC. Similarly, if you cease to be eligible for an EDL or EIC or if your driving privileges are suspended after you receive your card, your EDL or EIC may be suspended or cancelled. The application fee for a Manitoba EDL or EIC is non-refundable — even for cases when issuance is refused or the card is suspended or cancelled.

Situations that could lead to refusal, suspension or cancellation of a Manitoba EDL or EIC include the following:

The person has their driving privileges suspended (EDL only)*;
Manitoba Public Insurance has reason to believe that the person does not meet all the eligibility criteria for the EDL or EIC (e.g., the person is not, in fact, a Canadian citizen or Manitoba resident or the documents presented by the applicant were fraudulent);
The person is, or becomes, subject to a travel restriction that prevents him or her from leaving Canada;
Manitoba Public Insurance receives notice that the person is in arrears with respect to Family Maintenance payments;
The person did not list his or her full legal name, correct date of birth or correct address in the application for an EDL or EIC;
The person changes his or her name or address and does not notify Manitoba Public Insurance of the change;
The person does not activate his or her EDL or EIC within the 40-day activation period; or
Manitoba Public Insurance has reason to believe that the person has used his or her EDL or EIC inappropriately, or that the person is likely to use his or her EDL or EIC inappropriately if one is issued.

*If your EDL is cancelled or driving privileges are suspended and you still wish to hold an enhanced card, you can apply for an EIC. In this event you must re-apply and pay all applicable fees.