The 50 percent increase in international traffic and an ongoing modernization program at Washington Dulles International (IAD) have driven airport officials to launch the Dulles Passport Express program, which is designed to provide faster and easier service for its international passengers.
Forty new self-service passport kiosks have been installed in the airport’s arrival facilities. They’re designed to automate the arrivals process, reducing the wait times associated with passing through U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“Dulles International wants every arriving international traveler to have a world-class travel experience, whether they are returning home or visiting the United States for the first time,” says Chris Browne, airport manager. “With the launch of Dulles Passport Express, our customers will have an international arrivals process that is simpler and more efficient than ever.”
The program is available to all returning U.S. and Canadian citizens and to non-U.S. citizens from visa waiver countries who used the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, on their current trip and have previously used their existing passport to visit the United States.
Passengers scan their passports, answer a few questions using the touch screen and have their photographs taken. The kiosk then prints a receipt that they will take to Customs and Border Protection officer for a brief final inspection.
