No passport? An iPad will do

No passport? An iPad will do A Canadian man who realized he forgot his passport as he approached the U.S. border found a new way to gain entry — his iPad.

Martin Reisch said Tuesday a slightly annoyed U.S. border officer let him cross into the United States from Quebec after he presented a scanned copy of his passport on his Apple iPad. Reisch was a half hour from the border when he decided to try to gain entry rather than turn back and make a two-hour trek back home to Montreal to fetch his passport.

He told the officer he was heading to the U.S. to drop off Christmas gifts for his friend's kids. He said that true story, the scanned passport and his driver's license helped him get through last week.

He said the officer seemed mildly annoyed when he handed him the iPad.

"I thought I'd at least give it a try," Reisch said. "He took the iPad into the little border hut. He was in there a good five, six minutes. It seemed like an eternity. When he came back he took a good long pause before wishing me a Merry Christmas."

Reisch said the officer made an exception.

Canadians began needing more than a driver's license for identification for U.S. land border crossings in 2009. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says it only accepts a passport, an enhanced driver's license or a Nexus pass from Canadian citizens entering at land crossings. The list doesn't mention facsimiles, like scans and photocopies.

A spokesman for the department did not immediately respond to questions on whether scanned passports are also commonly accepted at U.S. points of entry.

Reisch, 33, said he took a scanned photo of his passport years ago in case it was over lost or stolen while traveling. He said he also successfully used the passport on his iPad to get through Canadian Customs on the way home later that day.

He said he doubts he'd get away with it again and will bring his passport next time. But he hopes border officials will eventually make digital identification an official form of travel document. He noted that many airlines now accept digital boarding passes stored on smartphones.

"I see the future as 100 percent being able to cross with your identity on a digital device — it's just a matter of time," he said.

 

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- Posted on January 3, 2012
Submitted by amagno04 on Friday, 05/11/2012 - 19:44.

Tat is cool. But what if it fake or something. He could have apps that makes things like passports. I mean it could be fake, but it wasn't so that is ok.

Submitted by bwhalen04 on Thursday, 05/10/2012 - 08:28.

Ipads are truly amazing.I use my IPad every day. It is so useful to use on a daily bases. That is cool that it can be used as a passport. I would rather use that it is much easier

Submitted by Dan2580 on Monday, 05/07/2012 - 12:07.

I can't believe that ipad is taking over everthing.The person doesnt have the passport,but he download hes information to hes ipad.I think he should use hes passport not the ipad that he download hes imformation.

Submitted by machay04 on Sunday, 05/06/2012 - 16:30.

It kind of feels like ipads are taking over everything. Everything is complex now, like we are replacing everything for ipads. I don't find it a very good idea because you never know what people could do these days with technology. That's my opinion about switching passports for ipads.

Submitted by mcase04 on Friday, 05/04/2012 - 14:01.

i don't think that this is a very good idea. What if they make up a fake passport, its not very safe. I don't think that its good at all. We shouldn't be relying on our iPads or iPods for everything. But its not a bead idea, yet it is. What if they loose their iPod and loose their passport. Its not a great idea.

Submitted by amcgrath04 on Friday, 05/04/2012 - 07:28.

well, like they say, they have an app for that. That is starting to bother me. because now, you can just re-lie on you iPad and not really have to remember to bring papers or documents.

Submitted by apeterson04 on Thursday, 05/03/2012 - 18:46.

This is crazy but if it will work then I say do it! These days technology saves us! Without it we would go crazy! It was a great idea to use his iPad! Even if you do not have an iPad other electronics would work I bet! They save our lives it seems like! I hope that soon you will not need passports and technology will work!

Submitted by Holly_H on Tuesday, 05/01/2012 - 18:22.

Oh boy. Now a days the ipad is used for alot of things now. But like us, we humans use technology for many things to help us now. Like ipads they can be used for good uses. It will be easier to Carrie around your passport on a ipad. Plus it would also help us use less trees, because of all the paper we are using so quickly. So basically we start using technology instead of paper. A portable device to Carrie around very handy tools when you go on vacation.

Submitted by evand12 on Monday, 04/30/2012 - 11:23.

Using a digital passport instead of a paper one might be more convenient, but is it as safe? I don't think it would be as safe, because it may be easier to edit or change the information. Computers have cut and paste and you can't tell that something has been changed.

Submitted by azaborowski04 on Sunday, 04/29/2012 - 15:57.

There are so many things that could've gone wrong here. One, he could've faked the information. Two, he could be a cereal killer. Three, he could be an international spy trying to steal something from the U.S.. There are just so many things that are wrong about this scenario.