Travel hack to breeze through Customs

[omni550]

Free, little-known smartphone app can help speed US citizens and Canadian visitors through Customs at 31 US cities and 4 seaports...

https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/mobile-passport-app-clear-customs-fast

omni

 

[Accidental Retiree]

I used MPC at LAX in June. It was wonderful and very easy.

 

[Ian S]

Thanks for the tip! Sounds like it's a great way to go or at least until it's been discovered by the masses.

 

[Plantman]

I used mobile passport coming back from Europe back in November 2018 for my wife and myself. It worked like a charm, we got to skip the long lines to get through customs.

 

[5Miler]

I used mobile passport coming back from Europe back in November 2018 for my wife and myself. It worked like a charm, we got to skip the long lines to get through customs.

We used to use it as well but I don't think it is available for private use these days, at least according to my app when I try to access it. It tells me to download "Airside" instead.

 

[baffld]

We used to use it as well but I don't think it is available for private use these days, at least according to my app when I try to access it. It tells me to download "Airside" instead.

That's the same message I just got, too.

 

[Luvtoride]

“Hassle and cost of Global Entry”?! Really?. $20/ year and going ONCE for the “in-person” interview and then not needing to ever go again for renewal?

This works so well for our annual family trip to Aruba that even my grandkids (ages 11,9 and 3 ) have it!
Saves us at least 45/60 minutes in the CBP line in Aruba every time we return.

The article had one thing right about arriving at baggage claim well before other passengers…also well before the luggage! Just returned from Italy and after breezing thru Passport control we waited at least 20 minutes for luggage to come out.
Global Entry for luggage??

 

[COcheesehead]

We used to use it as well but I don't think it is available for private use these days, at least according to my app when I try to access it. It tells me to download "Airside" instead.

I used it back before Covid and it worked great. Put us ahead of most of the plane load of people. My app no longer works.

 

[Gotadimple]

I used it back before Covid and it worked great. Put us ahead of most of the plane load of people. My app no longer works.

You need to uninstall the app. The app was created in collaboration with Airside and CBP, then Airside was allowed to charge for it. Now CBP has it's own version that is free.
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/mobile-passport-control
And it works great - used in last May coming home from Costa Rica, and have used 'free' Airside version for years.

- Rita

 

[athena53]

I plan to try that now that I have my "permanent" passport- was working with a one-year emergency replacement I got last May in Malta.

It's kind of sad that so much is in the computer now even though it can save us a ton of time. Last August on a tour of E. Europe I crossed so many borders and had very few stamps to show for it. Who WOULDN'T want an Albanian passport stamp?

 

[fh2000]

I used MPC app to enter LAX last month, and it worked great. I had to take photos of DW and myself while the plane was taxing. Filled out few questions and hit submit. I think I got the QR code back right away, and it expires in 4 minutes. We went to the special line for the custom with just one other person waiting and we were done before it expires.

 

[COcheesehead]

You need to uninstall the app. The app was created in collaboration with Airside and CBP, then Airside was allowed to charge for it. Now CBP has it's own version that is free.
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/mobile-passport-control
And it works great - used in last May coming home from Costa Rica, and have used 'free' Airside version for years.

- Rita

Thank you. I went ahead and updated to the new app.

 

[RunningBum]

“Hassle and cost of Global Entry”?! Really?. $20/ year and going ONCE for the “in-person” interview and then not needing to ever go again for renewal?

When I went to renew a couple months ago, it told me to select an interview site. Since they apparently no longer have one in Richmond I'd have to go to DC. With no international trip planned right now, I went for TSA Pre instead. I had to go in for fingerprints and ID check, but it was at a much closer site that was very convenient for me.

I checked https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/frequently-asked-questions and it indeed says you have to select an enrollment center, but the interview may not be necessary. But that also implies it may be needed.

 

[cathy63]

“Hassle and cost of Global Entry”?! Really?. $20/ year and going ONCE for the “in-person” interview and then not needing to ever go again for renewal? ...

It's not true that you'll never need to be interviewed again. Eventually you will have to go in and answer a few questions and have your photo updated. Some people (me) have had to go back for the first renewal, while others (DH) don't have to go in until the second.

Mobile Passport is fine if you don't have a way to get Global Entry for free or if you already have TSA PreCheck. If you can get GE for free, it's better since it includes TSA Pre, SENTRI, NEXUS (U.S. side only) and sea ports and you don't need a phone app or have to fill anything out. Nowadays you just stand in front of a kiosk, scan the RFID on your passport, and let it do facial recognition.

 

[insurableinterest]

We used it at IAH after our honeymoon this summer. Weird experience. There was a sign in front of an empty line that said "mobile passport" so we quickly downloaded it and left the regular line that was at least 100 people long. We walked to the front and the agent at the desk told us that they don't accept mobile passport anymore and haven't for over a year. I asked why the sign was there and he didn't know. He still let us through.

In the end, mobile passport was worth it but I don't know why. Or maybe the agent was messing with us. Who knows.

 

[Sunset]

We used it at IAH after our honeymoon this summer. Weird experience. There was a sign in front of an empty line that said "mobile passport" so we quickly downloaded it and left the regular line that was at least 100 people long. We walked to the front and the agent at the desk told us that they don't accept mobile passport anymore and haven't for over a year. I asked why the sign was there and he didn't know. He still let us through.

In the end, mobile passport was worth it but I don't know why. Or maybe the agent was messing with us. Who knows.

Bizarre that they had an opening and an agent if the mobile passport wasn't being used.

 

[audreyh1]

Already have Global Entry. Very fast.

 

[insurableinterest]

Bizarre that they had an opening and an agent if the mobile passport wasn't being used.

Yeah, they scanned our passports the normal way. I have no clue why it was all still set up for the mobile passport.