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  4. CBP Encourages Use of Ready Lane to Facilitate Holiday Travel at the Port of Brownsville

CBP Encourages Use of Ready Lane to Facilitate Holiday Travel at the Port of Brownsville

Release Date
Tue, 11/14/2017

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – As the holiday travel season approaches, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Port of Brownsville encourages travelers to plan ahead and avoid unnecessary delays during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend. CBP at the Port of Brownsville makes necessary arrangements to assist the traveling public with their experience while crossing land border ports.

“With the holiday season upon us, we tend to see an overall increase in cross-border traffic that peaks in the days before Christmas,” said Port Director Petra Horne, Brownsville Port of Entry. “In anticipation of the holiday rush and with an eye towards maximizing efficiency during these high-volume periods, we would like to encourage travelers to get their I-94s early and urge frequent border crossers to obtain RFID-enabled documents to use the Ready Lanes.”

Window for processing of electronic I-94 permit applications submitted online at Brownsville Port of Entry
Window for finalization of processing I-94
permit applications submitted online at
Brownsville Port of Entry.

The Port of Brownsville strongly encourages travelers to apply for their tourist permits online via https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov Travelers receive a provisional I-94 after submitting their application and payment online. To finalize the I-94 process, travelers must present themselves at a port of entry within seven days of their application to be interviewed by a CBP officer, submit biometric finger scans and a photo is taken. This online I-94 process will help expedite travelers who submit their I-94 applications electronically and present their provisional I-94 permit receipt.

CBP also encourages travelers to obtain and utilize radio-frequency identification technology (RFID)-equipped travel documents such as U.S. passport cards and the newer versions (i.e. since 2011) of the border crossing card and resident alien card so that they can utilize Ready Lanes. Processing in Ready Lanes is 20 percent faster than normal lanes and provide a time savings of up to 20 seconds per vehicle. Those who have renewed their entry documents within the last 24 months already have radiofrequency identification enabled documents (RFID) and may not know it. CBP encourages travelers to obtain RFID entry documents to use Ready Lanes and enroll in trusted traveler programs.

Members of the traveling public can monitor Border Wait Times or also obtain the BWT app on their smartphone via Apple App Store and Google Play (CBP BWT) so that they can observe the wait times and make an informed decision on which bridge to use. These wait times are updated on an hourly basis. CBP reminds the public that they may utilize the Los Indios International Bridge as an alternate route to avoid heavy traffic.

Also to avoid any potential delays or fines due to travelers bringing prohibited/restricted agricultural items, CBP encourages travelers to declare all agricultural items to a CBP officer upon arrival and before making their journey to consult the Know Before You Go guide.

Find more information about filing an I-94 electronically.

Last Modified: Mar 04, 2024