Mobile Passport
One of the most stressful and time consuming things about international travel is going through Immigration when arriving back in the United States. The lines in immigration can be quick as can be or can take hours. It is all is based on how many airplanes arrive at the same time, how many immigration officers are working, and if you have your paperwork in order when it is your turn. Here is one of the best kept secret travel tips: The Mobile Passport App.
Mobile Passport Control is a program that provides authorized mobile apps to streamline a traveler’s entry into the United States. Using these apps, eligible travelers submit their passport information and answers to inspection-related questions to US Customs and Border Control via a smartphone or tablet prior to inspection. Travelers who successfully use an authorized app will no longer have to complete a paper form or use an Automated Passport Control kiosk.
After downloading the MPC Application from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, eligible travelers will be prompted to create a profile with their passport information, including the traveler’s name, gender, date of birth, and country of citizenship. Do this before leaving for your trip.
When you return to the United States (first point of entry if you are on a connecting flight) at a participating Mobile Passport location (see list of eligible locations below), follow these steps to use the free app.
Arrival at eligible Preclearance locations or upon landing in the United States, travelers will select their arrival airport or seaport and terminal, take a self-photo, and answer a series of CBP inspection-related questions.
Once the traveler submits their transaction through the app, the traveler will receive an electronic receipt with an Encrypted Quick Response (QR) code.
Travelers then bring their physical passport and mobile device with their digital QR-coded receipt to a CBP officer to finalize their inspection for entry into the United States.
There is a premium option that can be purchased within the app, but it is not a required purchase to use the free functions of the app.
Depending on how long your flight is, we recommend completing the above steps as soon as you land at the airport you are entering the United States at. We like to turn our phones back on and complete the process as we are taxing to the arrival gate. This ensures that your application will be active at the time you arrive at immigration.
If you don’t see signs for Mobile Passport at an approved airport, simply ask someone. There is always airport personnel ushering people in the right direction. Mobile Passport hasn’t reached peak popularity yet, so the airport personnel may not be pointing it out when you arrive. The signs in the Miami Airport are hard to spot.
Mobile Passport Control is available to U.S. citizens and Canadian citizen visitors at the following U.S. international airports and seaports of entry:
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)- will not open until 3/27/2023
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Houston William P. Hobby International Airport (HOU)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Las Vegas Harry Ried International Airport (LAS)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Miami Seaport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Palm Beach Seaport
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
Port Everglades Seaport
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
San Jose International Airport (SJC)
San Juan Airport (SJU)
San Juan Seaport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
