Updated: Nov 09, 2022
If you have travelled internationally lately, you may have noticed signs for “Mobile Passport” while passing through United States Customs and Border Protection. These queues tend to be shorter than typical passport line queues.
Can you queue in the Mobile Passport line rather than wait in the very long one to have your passport checked? Yes, you can with Mobile Passport Control. It is a good option for travelers returning to the U.S. from other countries. It is an excellent idea even if you are already a member of the Global Entry Program. However, many people have not heard of it or know how to use it.
This guide to Mobile Passport explains all you need to know and will help you get through U.S. Customs and Border Protection as speedily as possible.
Mobile Passport Control (MPC) permits eligible travellers to submit passport and customs declaration details via a secure, free app on a smartphone or tablet. Using Mobile Passport Control streamlines the entry process into the United States by reducing time at the passport control inspection and waiting time generally. Similar to the APC (Automated Passport Control), MPC is free to use and requires no pre-approval. In addition, travelers who successfully use an authorized MPC app are not required to use an APC kiosk or complete a paper form. So, as a result, wait times should be shorter, processing will be more efficient, and congestion will be reduced.
You can download the U.S. Customs and Border Protection MPC app free of charge from Google Play or the Apple App store. It is currently available for all eligible travelers to use at all MPC-approved locations.
Mobile passport control or MPC offers Customs and Border Protection and travelers a more efficient way to conduct in-person inspections. The administration is carried out by travelers in advance of inspection at passport control so that waiting times and passport inspection times are reduced.
Download the MPC Application from the Apple App store or Google Play Store. The steps below cover ow to setup the app on your mobile device:
You will still need to obtain a visa or an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) Visa Waiver to enter the United States or transit the country as a visitor. Consult the United States State Department website to find out what you will require.
The Mobile Passport Control app is available to U.S. citizens and Canadian citizens who are B1/B2 visitors to the U.S. At present, MPC is available at 31 U.S. international airports and four seaports of entry:
Travelers may use only one automated traveler entry program per entry into the United States. Therefore, if you are a member of the Global Entry Program, you must use either MPC or the Global Entry kiosk, but not both.
Yes, travelers must have a valid U.S. or Canadian passport and present it to a CBP officer on their arrival.
Yes, travelers must still be processed by a Customs and Border Protection officer. However, travelers with MPC will be able to access a dedicated processing lane for a speedier entry process.
No, travelers can now respond electronically to CBP inspection questions via a smartphone or tablet. If a traveler has already filled in a CBP declaration form, it can then be handed in to a Customs and Border Protection Officer.
Yes, you can create a maximum of 12 profiles for family members. All authorized MPC apps allow a household to submit a single MPC transaction, including responses to CBP inspection questions.
Yes, the information on your passport and your answers to CBP inspection questions are submitted through secure encryption protocols directly to Customs and Border Protection. The information entered by the applicant on the authorized application form is transmitted securely to CBP, which then responds to the app and generates the electronic receipt that the traveler displays to the CBP officer. In addition, authorized apps offer the option of storing your profile on your tablet or smartphone for future trips or deleting it after the trip. Please note: you will need to update the self-photo taken on the application every year. Customs and Border Protection advises that travelers should review the app’s privacy policy before downloading and using it. Only the information entered after the traveler has acknowledged CBP’s mobile privacy policy (the Disclaimer Statement, the Paperwork Reduction Act Notice and Section 311 of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015) is needed to comply with Customs and Border Protection’s MPC commercial requirements.
If your flight is diverted to another airport in the United States, you will only be able to use MPC if the airport utilizes MPC processing. If MPC processing is not available, travelers must follow the regular processing procedure.
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