Miami International (MIA) has become the second U.S. airport to offer the Mobile Passport, an app that allows for an expedited screening process for international arrivals.
The app is also in operation at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, after a pilot program that began in August.
The first-of-its-kind mobile app for iOS and Android devices allows travelers to enter and submit their passport and Customs declaration information using their smartphone or tablet instead of filling out traditional paper forms.
The free Mobile Passport app is available to U.S. citizens with a valid U.S. passport and Canadian citizens with both a valid Canadian passport and B1 or B2 visa status. After downloading the app, qualified travelers are prompted to set up a profile using information contained in their passport, and the app also allows families traveling together to create multiple profiles. Once the profile is complete, travelers can use Mobile Passport to answer standard Customs declaration questions, submit their information electronically upon landing and take advantage of dedicated lanes for Mobile Passport users.
Mobile Passport is the result of a partnership between U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Airports Council International-North America and app developer Airside Mobile.
“Since its debut last summer, Mobile Passport has transformed the Customs clearance process for eligible travelers arriving in the United States,” says ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Mobile Passport has proved to be an outstanding example of the kind innovation that occurs when industry and government work together to achieve cost-effective solutions.”
Emilio Gonzalez, aviation director for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, says MIA “lobbied hard” to gain access to the app for its passengers.
“MIA is the perfect fit for Mobile Passport: We are America’s second-busiest port of entry, handling more than 20 million international passengers each year, and our organization is wholeheartedly committed to bringing the latest travel technology to our airport,” he says.
In 2013, MIA was among the first three U.S. airports to introduce Automated Passport Control kiosks as a means to speed up the immigration process. The airport has 36 kiosks and will add 44 of the self-service devices this year. In a recent interview with ARN, Gonzalez said about 40 percent of U.S. travelers returning from abroad use the kiosks.
