App expedites Customs

This item appears on page 68 of the September 2015 issue.

The Mobile Passport Control App allows US travelers to submit passport and Customs declarations information on their smartphones or tablets before encountering the Customs desk.

On the app (free on iOS and Android), a traveler creates a personal profile with his passport information and submits a Customs declaration in the “New Trip” section. A Customs receipt with a bar code will be downloaded onto the user’s phone or tablet to be presented at Customs along with a passport.

As of July 2015, the app’s service is available at four airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL), Miami (MIA), Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) and San Francisco (SFO). Plans are to expand the program to the 20 busiest airports by the end of 2016.