by Yasmine Lawson
Passport Control Made Easy
Worried about passport inspection lines? Well stress no more. The U.S Customs and Border Protection now has a new free phone application called “Mobile Passport Control (MPC).” This can be downloaded from the Apple App store and Google Play. It is currently available for eligible travelers to use upon arrival at MPC approved sites. Hence, passport control made easy.
The program essentially generates the required customs form on your Apple or Android Phone and expedites your processing time when re-entering the country. MPC streamlines the entry process into the United States by reducing passport control inspection time and overall wait time. Travelers who successfully use an authorized MPC app will no longer have to complete a paper form or use an APC kiosk.
To use this program, download the app onto your mobile phone. Once you land or otherwise have internet service, you select your arrival airport or seaport (yes, it works for cruises). Take a self-photo, and answer a series of questions. The app generates a QR code you can present to a Customs Border Patrol agent at the point of entry. Often this is in a special MPC line allowing you to bypass the longer lines for inspection. As a result, travelers may experience shorter wait times, less congestion, and efficient processing.
This is a great alternative to the Global Entry program, which has a price tag of $100 for a 5-year membership. For the MPC program, there is no fee. Therefore, up to 12 family members on the same flight or cruise can use it without pre-approval.
MPC does not replace your actual passport. It only replaces administrative responsibilities which are now performed by the traveler prior to passport control inspection. You still must present a valid U.S. or Canadian passport to a CBP officer upon arrival. If you’ve has already filled out a CBP declaration form, it can be turned into a CBP Officer.
Do note that you won’t be able to use MPC if your flight is diverted to a U.S. airport that does not utilize MPC processing. Upon arrival at the diverted airport, travelers will follow standard processing procedures.
