Customs Clearance thru Mobile Phone

By Vijay Kumar

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a Mobile Passport Control (MPC) system in select airports, San Francisco International Airport is the latest to join.

Eligible travellers with a smartphone or tablet can download the Mobile Passport Control app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Travellers will be prompted to create a profile via the app with their passport information. The profile includes the traveller's name, gender, date of birth, and country of citizenship. Upon landing in the United States, travellers will complete the "New Trip" section by selecting their arrival airport and airline, taking a self-photo, and answering a series of custom declaration questions. Once the traveller submits their customs declaration form through the app, the traveller will receive an electronic receipt with an Encrypted Quick Response (QR) code. This receipt will expire four hours after being issued. Travellers then bring their passport and mobile device with their digital bar-coded receipt to a CBP officer to finalize their inspection for entry into the United States.

The MPC app enables a traveller or family group to pre-position their biographic information prior to speaking with a CBP officer. The CBP officer is then able to focus on identity verification, admissibility and questioning to determine purpose and intent of travel. This process will ultimately reduce the traveller's time spent with the CBP officer—helping to improve service levels and decrease wait times.

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