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[Upbeat violin music playing]

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From Abu Dhabi to Vancouver, travelers know U.S. Customs & Border Protection Preclearance

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as a smart, efficient way to clear U.S. CBP inspection before their flight to the United States.

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Did you know, business travelers, tourists, heads of state, and sports teams 

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have been using U.S. Preclearance, and its predecessor pre-inspection, since the early 1900s.

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Pre-inspection started in 1903 as an innovative idea from the U.S. Bureau of Immigration

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to inspect passengers before they board ferries sailing from Victoria, Canada

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into the U.S. Pacific Northwest. By doing so, passengers on arrival could immediately

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proceed to their next ferry, or final destination, with no further inspection needed.

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By the 1950s, airplanes had become the primary means for U.S.bound travel.

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Pre-inspection expanded to airports and became U.S. Preclearance, 

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starting at Toronto and Calgary airports.

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U.S. Preclearance Officers now conducted immigration, customs and agriculture inspections

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of all U.S. bound air travelers to enhance national security,

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relieve congestion at airports, and provide a streamlined experience.

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U.S. Preclearance took off fast, processing over 250 thousand travelers in the first year

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and leading to the opening of Montreal five years later.

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And by the 1970s, U.S. Preclearance was processing 3 million travelers annually

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across 7 active ports, including newly opened Bermuda, Nassau,

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Freeport, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

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Within the next decade, U.S. Preclearance doubled with over 6 million travelers processed. 

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Two new ports opened in the 1980s: Edmonton, and the first U.S. Preclearance facility

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outside of North America in Shannon, Ireland.

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And the 1990s brought the launch of Aruba, Dublin, and Ottawa

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 to continue to meet U.S. bound traveler demand.

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On September 11, 2001 nearly 3000 people lost their lives in the worst terrorist attack in history. 

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This necessitated profound changes in national security.

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The urgency to strengthen security led to the establishment of

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2003,

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as the nation’s first comprehensive border security agency.

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U.S. CBP combined the efforts of multiple organizations

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to develop seamless security procedures while ensuring compliance with the nation’s

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immigration, health, and international trade laws and regulation.

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The mission of CBP is to protect U.S. borders and the Homeland,

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 focusing on counter-terrorism and lawful travel and trade.

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Following the establishment of CBP, two new ports opened in Halifax and Abu Dhabi in the 2000s.

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Today, U.S. Preclearance processes over 22 million travelers annually across 16 locations,

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giving travelers the flexibility to arrive at over 300 destinations across the U.S.

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Preclearance continues to advance, introducing cutting edge processes

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and innovations to border security and travel, including industry-leading sterility protocols.

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With new ports opening across the globe, 

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U.S. Preclearance brings you one step closer to the U.S. 

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Find the port nearest you at cbp.gov/preclearance.

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[Upbeat violin music playing]