Getting through United States customs is getting a bit easier with the help of a new mobile app.
The new app available on Apple devices will help speed the entry process for American citizens returning to the country or Canadian visitors, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. It should be a boost for efficiency for border patrols, who hope the lines will move quicker than before.
The new app, Mobile Passport Control, gives travelers the opportunity to deliver their passport information and customs declaration prior to being inspected by an officer. This should streamline and make entering the U.S. much easier, especially for returning citizens.
The app is expected to be available on Android smartphones and devices later this year. The new app is being used first at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as a pilot test and will be expanded to other airports in the near future, the government says. IPhone and iPad users can download the app for free from Apple's App Store.
Users can download the app now, and create a profile that is saved on the same mobile device. Then, before arriving in the U.S., the user will select "New Trip" and their arrival airport and airline, take an image of themselves (a selfie) and fill out a customs declaration questionnaire. After they finish that, an e-receipt will be sent with an encryption code. When facing the customs official, the passenger can present the passport and mobile device to finalize inspection and enter the country.
"We are strongly committed to the facilitation of travel and tourism to the United States, all while maintaining the highest security standards in the world," said Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a statement. "Mobile Passport Control is an important step and one that we think the traveling public will embrace."
The app comes as United Airlines also announced earlier this month that it was launching a new passport app that would also help streamline the traveling process for passengers. The new feature aims to streamline the check-in process and is currently available for download on iOS and Android operating systems, Tech Times reports.
Those wanting to use the passport scan feature for international flights can check-in 24 hours before scheduled departure, much like domestic passengers. Once the passenger uses the check-in feature on the app, they will then be allowed to confirm their passport information as well as physically scan the passport for documentation using a smartphone.
Technology and security are continuing to play an important role in today's world, and with U.S. Customs entering the app sector it could help streamline security and make traveling and moving throughout the world much easier and without the usual long lines and hiccups that many travelers have come to expect.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection was established in 2003 and incorporates Customs and Border Patrol officers. It is an agency under the Department of Homeland Security.
