A Canadian man's scanned image of his passport on an iPad didn't let him enter the United States, the U.S Customs and Border Protection agency said Wednesday.
Montreal's Martin Reisch said he was able to cross over the U.S. border last week using only a scanned copy of his passport on Apple's popular tablet and a regular driver's licence.
However, U.S. Customs say they do not accept scanned or digital copies of passports as valid identification.
CTV News spoke to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and they said Reisch crosses into the U.S. regularly and the law allows border guards to use "discretion."
Reisch was allowed into the U.S. after officials checked his identity and citizenship using the driver's licence and a birth certificate he provided, U.S. Customs spokesperson Jenny Burke told The Canadian Press.
But Reisch has told media he only handed border guards his iPad and driver's licence.
U.S. Customs says Canadians can still enter the U.S. by land or sea without using one of the required documents as listed under 2009's tightened rules.
Burke said border guards can use other means to identify Canadians who are not carrying a valid passport, enhanced driver's licence or a trusted traveller card.
According to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection; "Scanned or digital images of WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative)-complaint documents are not accepted forms of identification. It the traveller does not present WHTI-compliant document, CBP officers must determine identity and citizenship using a variety of other means, or deny entry."
Reisch was two hours into a drive toward the U.S. border last Friday to visit friends in Vermont when he realized he had left his passport at home. Reisch said he remembered that he had a scanned digital image available on his iPad and figured he would give it a shot at the border.
