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  4. Passport App to Expedite Arrival of International Travelers at LAX

Passport App to Expedite Arrival of International Travelers at LAX

Release Date
Thu, 09/21/2017

LOS ANGELES — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) announced today the expansion of Mobile Passport Control (MPC) to LAX. With the addition of LAX, Mobile Passport Control is now available to U.S. citizens and Canadian visitors arriving at 23 major international airports. The Mobile Passport app has been downloaded 1 million times over the last two years.

Mobile Passport app
CBP's Mobile Passport Control app can
help speed up you entry into the United
States when arriving upon an international
flight.

Mobile Passport is the first authorized app to expedite a traveler’s arrival into the United States. Eligible travelers may voluntarily submit their passport information and answers to inspection-related questions to CBP via a smartphone or tablet app prior to arrival. Android and iPhone users can download the Mobile Passport app for free from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

“CBP is committed to improving the international travel experience by offering new and innovative technology to streamline the arrival process,” said Carlos C. Martel, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. “Through our partnership with Los Angeles World Airports, travelers arriving at LAX will have another processing option to use that has been proven to reduce wait times without compromising our important border security mission.”

MPC currently offers U.S. citizens and Canadian visitors a more efficient in-person inspection between the CBP officer and the traveler upon arrival in the United States. Much like Automated Passport Control (APC) the app does not require pre-approval and is free to use. Travelers who successfully use the app will no longer have to complete a paper form or use an APC kiosk. As a result, travelers will experience shorter wait times, less congestion and faster processing.

“At Los Angeles World Airports, one of our strategic goals is to innovate for security, efficiency, and effectiveness, and the Mobile Passport Control app is a prime example of how we do this,” said Aura Moore, LAWA Deputy Executive Director and Chief Information Officer. “The introduction of the MPC app at LAX is another milestone in our work to enhance the guest experience and deliver a gold-standard airport, without compromising on safety or security. And thanks to the twelve new Wi-Fi access points we’ve installed in the customs area, travelers can be assured the infrastructure is in place to support this new tool.”

The process is efficient and secure, the information and answers to inspection-related questions are submitted directly to CBP via secure encryption protocols. The App streamlines the traveler inspection process and enables CBP officers to focus more on the inspection and less on administrative functions.

HOW DOES MPC WORK?

App login
Mobile Passport is the first authorized
app to expedite a traveler’s arrival into
the United States. Eligible travelers may
voluntarily submit their passport
information and answers to inspection-related
questions to CBP via a smartphone or
tablet app prior to arrival.

Eligible travelers can download the Mobile Passport App from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Travelers will be prompted to create a profile via the app with their passport information. The profile includes the traveler’s

name, gender, date of birth, and country of citizenship. Upon landing in the United States, travelers will complete the “New Trip” section by selecting their arrival airport and airline, taking a self-photo, and answering a series of CBP inspection-related questions.

Once the traveler submits their transaction through the app, the traveler will receive an electronic receipt with an Encrypted Quick Response (QR) code. Travelers 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 pilot launched in August 2014 for eligible travelers arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and has since expanded to 22 airports.

In addition to LAX, SeaTac, Phoenix and Atlanta, MPC is available to travelers arriving at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport; Boston Logan International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport; Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport; Denver International Airport; Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport; Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston William P. Hobby International Airport, John F. Kennedy Airport; Miami International Airport; Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport; Newark International Airport; Orlando International Airport; Raleigh-Durham International Airport; Sacramento International Airport, San Francisco International Airport; San Jose International Airport; Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; Tampa International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport.

This first-of-its-kind app was developed in partnership with CBP by Airports Council International- North America (ACI-NA) and their technical partners.

Information about Mobile Passport Control, including how to download the app, user eligibility and other frequently asked questions, is available on CBP.gov.

CBP’s website offers rules and tips for clearing CBP inspection during travel to and from the United States.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021