An app that allows travelers to expedite the entry process into the United States has been launched by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The app, Mobile Passport, will allow eligible travelers to submit their passport information and Customs declaration form via a smartphone or tablet prior to CBP inspection. The first-of-its-kind app was developed by Airside Mobile and Airports Council International-North America in partnership with CBP as part of a pilot program at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL).
Use of the app is limited to U.S. citizens and Canadian visitors.
Eligible travelers arriving at ATL will be able to use the app beginning Aug. 13. The Mobile Passport Control option is expected to expand to more airports later this year. Initially available only on iPhone and iPad, the app is expected to be made available to Android smartphone users in the future.
“CBP continues to transform the international arrivals experience for travelers by offering new and innovative ways to expedite entry into the United States, while maintaining the highest standards of security,” says CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske. “By offering this app to passengers, we hope to build upon the success we have already experienced with Automated Passport Control, which has resulted in decreases in wait times as much as 25 [percent] to 40 percent, even with continued growth in international arrivals.”
Much like Automated Passport Control, the app does not require pre-approval, is free to use and does not collect any new information on travelers. Travelers download the app and create a profile with passport information. Upon arrival in the U.S., the traveler completes a “new trip” section and submits a Customs declaration form through the app, then receives an electronic receipt. That receipt, which expires in four hours, is then shown to the CBP officer, who can use the information to expedite processing.
