Mobile Passport Control Helps You Get Through Customs Faster
It seems that more and more people are traveling every single day to countries all around the world. It’s nice to travel to virtually any city on the planet, but after spending hours on an airplane trying to get back home, you don’t want to have to spend a lot of time just trying to get through customs. There is a new solution to get your through customs quicker so that you can get home sooner. Mobile Passport Control is helping many travelers speed through customs at a surprising rate.
Mobile Passport Control: What It Is
Mobile Passport Control is an app that you can download on your smartphone. It fills out all off the declarations that you have and allows you to go through a different line at immigration. You won’t have to wait in the APC kiosk line that tends to move very, very slow.
How To Use It
Once you download the app on your phone you will need to complete a profile. This will include things like your name, birthday, passport number, gender and country of citizenship. Because it encrypted, you don’t have to worry about anyone stealing your personal information. You will also need to take a picture of yourself with your phone for your file. When you are ready to use it and have landed back in the U.S., open up the app and go to the “New Trip” section. You will then need to select both your airline and entry port. You will also need to declare any goods or cash that you have. Once that’s done, the app will show a QC code that you will need to show to immigration. Make sure you follow the signs to the Mobile Passport Control line and don’t follow the masses of people that are heading to the APC kiosk line.
Because not a lot of people are using this mobile app yet, lines tend to be very short. Many of them have less than 3 people in them. In fact, even those that are using Global Entry are having to wait longer. This app is only available for those that are passport holders in the U.S. and Canada. Legal residents and some individuals that hold a visa, can’t use the app quite yet. One of the benefits of using this app is that you can add your whole family on it. Currently Mobile Passport Control is available in 24 airports in the United States.
WHERE CAN ELIGIBLE TRAVELERS USE MPC?
MPC is available to U.S. citizens and Canadian visitors at the following 24 U.S. international airports and one sea port of entry:
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
- Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- William P. Hobby Houston International Airport (HOU)
- Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
- Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
- San Diego International Airport (SAN)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- San Jose International Airport (SJC)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- Tampa International Airport (TPA)
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
- Port Everglades (PEV)
Other helpful blogs when traveling internationally include Staying Safe While Traveling Abroad & How to Understand Currency When Traveling, Have a long flight coming up? We share some key advice on how to make it through: Tips for Flying Overseas
