# Woman arrested for driving w/Ontario license in Georgia **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 7, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755 "2018-05-07T14:42:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/21 "2018-05-08T03:21:10Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I’m also unclear on how presenting a passport in any way “validates” the license. If it was suspended or otherwise invalid the passport wouldn’t prove a damn thing. And I don’t know about licenses in other areas, but the Ontario driver’s license is festooned with elaborate security features – it’s not something you can easily make or fake. I don’t know if this is still true, but it used to be that many countries in Europe had a driver’s license that was pretty much useless on its own. For instance, the German driver’s license was essentially a piece of cardboard that said “person with this name is authorized to drive”. In Germany, you would present it along with your actual identification that has your picture, description, name, address, etc. It would be reasonable to expect police in the U.S. to require something that identifies you (i.e. a passport) in addition to the thing that says someone with your name can drive. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/22 "2018-05-08T04:05:37Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > And a paper I-94 is often not issued, per: > [https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/i-94](https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/i-94) > I know as a permanent resident I’m supposed to carry my green card at all times; and it seems visitors are supposed to carry their I-94 at all times, except that it doesn’t usually exist in physical form now. But again, no mention of passport. Nitpick: border officials often no longer hand out physical I-94 cards, but they do still exist and are required for some purposes. [You have to print your own, though.](https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home) And the website is buggy as hell and often doesn’t show legit entries to the U.S. **Eva Luna,** U.S. Immigration Paralegal ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/23 "2018-05-08T04:46:12Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > Nitpick: border officials often no longer hand out physical I-94 cards, but they do still exist and are required for some purposes. [You have to print your own, though.](https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home) And the website is buggy as hell and often doesn’t show legit entries to the U.S. > > **Eva Luna,** U.S. Immigration Paralegal Right, and the CBP link I gave says you can go online to obtain proof of your status for various purposes; but it makes no mention of any need to carry an I-94 at all times. It seems to me that the statutes have not caught up with current CBP practice. We have: [Sec. 264. [8 U.S.C. 1304]](https://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/SLB/HTML/SLB/0-0-0-1/0-0-0-29/0-0-0-8289.html) > [@](#): > > Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card **issued to him** … With the definition of “registration form” (slightly different wording) apparently given here [8 CFR. § 264.1(b)](https://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/SLB/HTML/SLB/0-0-0-1/0-0-0-11261/0-0-0-28035/0-0-0-28040.html) to include the I-94. If CBP do not provide you with a hard copy of the I-94 at entry, then there’s a pretty strong argument that they have not “issued” it to you (per the wording in the statute), relieving you of the obligation to carry it with you at all times. And otherwise, of course, every single visitor who enters the country is technically in violation as soon as they walk away from Immigration at the airport! That being so, would you agree that a non-driving visitor has no apparent statutory obligation to carry anything at all; and that a driver must only carry their home country drivers license and (in some states) an IDP? Or are there separate state statutes requiring non-driving visitors to carry ID? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/24 "2018-05-08T05:07:36Z")
I’ve never been given any document by US Customs when I’m visiting in the States. Maybe a stamp in the passport, but that’s post-9/11. Certainly never been told I have to carry a particular document with me at all times? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/25 "2018-05-08T05:18:03Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’ve never been given any document by US Customs when I’m visiting in the States. Maybe a stamp in the passport, but that’s post-9/11. Certainly never been told I have to carry a particular document with me at all times? > > 😕 I don’t know when they stopped, but years ago they would staple the I-94 (a white card) into your passport. The airline check-in agent would take it out upon departure. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/26 "2018-05-08T05:22:34Z")
Yes, but I’ve only needed a passport since 9/11. Prior to that, Canadians could enter the US without documents, and we weren’t given any docs by US Customs. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/27 "2018-05-08T05:27:29Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I don’t know when they stopped, but years ago they would staple the I-94 (a white card) into your passport. The airline check-in agent would take it out upon departure. As far as I know, Canadians never got this for routine trips. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/28 "2018-05-08T05:39:48Z")
According to this, Canadians do fall under the same I-94 system. > **[Canadians need to check for I-94 too | Visitor’s Visas | Lee & Garasia, LLC](https://www.njimmigrationattorney.com/blog/2017/01/canadians-need-to-check-for-i-94-too-visitors-visas/)** > > The American Immigration Lawyers Association recently issued a Practice Pointer to attorneys that is especially relevant to visitors from Canada. The advisory relates to Canadians and the legal consequences of unintentionally overstaying their visits... But maybe this changed after I-94s switched from paper to electronic? It’s a bit confusing, though, since the [CBP link](https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/i-94) says that paper I-94s are still issued at land borders. That would seem to imply that Canadians driving into the U.S. would be getting paper I-94s even today. But you say that’s not the case? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/29 "2018-05-08T05:41:19Z")
Hell, before I got my Hawaii license, I rented a car and drove using my Thai driver’s license. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/30 "2018-05-08T05:42:58Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Hell, before I got my Hawaii license, I rented a car and drove using my Thai driver’s license. Was everything in Thai script? I’m sure that would go down well in Georgia. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/31 "2018-05-08T05:44:19Z")
For those states which require an IDP and drivers whose countries’ licenses are considered IDP-equivalent, do those drivers still need to get an IDP? And if the license generally wouldn’t, but there is a federal treaty? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/32 "2018-05-08T05:45:36Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Was everything in Thai script? I’m sure that would go down well in Georgia. No. Almost no Thai script, at least very little. The modern ones are designed for use internationally due to more Thais driving in nearby Southeast Asian countries. The old ones like 20 years ago, now those could have been my library card for all anyone in the US would know, but not the ones nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/33 "2018-05-08T05:45:40Z")
We’d drive across to Minot. US Customs: “Purpose of trip?” Dad: “Shopping”. US Customs: “You’re all Canadians?” Dad: “Yes.” US Customs: “Have a nice trip!” And that would be it. Same for driving across to go skiing in North Dakota. No documents needed, no paper issued. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/34 "2018-05-08T05:49:42Z")
Have you driven across the land border since passports were required for Canadian visitors? ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/35 "2018-05-08T05:53:20Z")
Georgia has some of the most Draconian traffic laws in the country. In fact a speeding ticket or running a stop sign is a criminal misdemeanor in Georgia. So in theory you could be given a fine and a one year prison sentence for speeding if the judge was a big enough asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/36 "2018-05-08T05:59:29Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Have you driven across the land border since passports were required for Canadian visitors? Never been to Canada, let alone driven across any land borders. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/37 "2018-05-08T06:22:16Z")
> **[I94 - Official Website](https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home)** > > I-94 is a place for U.S. visitors to find travel records "Visiting the U.S. & Arriving via a Land Border? An I-94 form is needed by all persons except U.S. Citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and **most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit**." ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/38 "2018-05-08T06:24:34Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Have you driven across the land border since passports were required for Canadian visitors? I have. At the land crossing at Coutts AB/Sweetgrass MT, I pulled up to the booth, handed over my passport, answered the usual questions, and received no additional paperwork when I got my passport back. When I fly to the US, I go through US Customs and Immigration preclearance in Calgary. The usual questions are asked, and my passport is stamped, but again, there is no additional paperwork. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/39 "2018-05-08T06:35:54Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I have. At the land crossing at Coutts AB/Sweetgrass MT, I pulled up to the booth, handed over my passport, answered the usual questions, and received no additional paperwork when I got my passport back. Thanks. There must be something we’re missing then. Sources we’ve found and linked to on this thread say that: (a) Canadians are part of the I-94 system, just like all other foreign visitors. > **[Canadians need to check for I-94 too | Visitor’s Visas | Lee & Garasia, LLC](https://www.njimmigrationattorney.com/blog/2017/01/canadians-need-to-check-for-i-94-too-visitors-visas/)** > > The American Immigration Lawyers Association recently issued a Practice Pointer to attorneys that is especially relevant to visitors from Canada. The advisory relates to Canadians and the legal consequences of unintentionally overstaying their visits... (b) The CBP still issues paper I-94s at land borders. > **[Arrival/Departure Forms: I-94 and I-94W](https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/i-94)** > > Securing America's Borders One of those things must be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755/40 "2018-05-08T06:47:08Z")
I think I would rely on the US Customs website quoted by **Lord Feldon** rather than a private law firm. Presumably the Customs folk know the requirements. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-arrested-for-driving-w-ontario-license-in-georgia/813755.md?page=3)