For those who travel internationally, the best way to speed your entry into the US is to pay for Global Entry. You’ll get preferred treatment at border crossings as well as access to the TSA Precheck lanes. The new Global Entry machines which recognize you from your picture, can be a bit creepy but we’ve never waited more than 10 minutes to get through customs when entering the US.
Getting Global Entry can be difficult because of the detailed application process and interview requirements so some people decide against it. There are still other ways to get through the immigration process faster though, with a mobile passport app. Passengers who download their (or the entire family’s) passport and travel information into an app could use a mobile passport kiosk to speed through the lines.
Until recently you could use a third-party app like Airside Mobile or Clear MPC to store your passport information. That’s no longer the case as of February 1, 2022.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today that beginning Feb. 1, the Mobile Passport Control application (MPC) will be the only authorized app for entry into the United States.
The only app you can now use is Customs and Border Protection’s own Mobile Passport Control app.
I understand why the US Government would want to bring the border entry process involving passports back in-house. However, their app only averages about 2.5 stars on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
If you previously used one of those other apps when entering the US, you’ll need to download the US CBP’s Mobile Passport Control app before your next entry.
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary.
6 comments
i’ve used the mobile passport many times at Dulles and never had an issue.
I use the mobile passport app directly in NYC airports and never had an issue either. Not sure why it’s 2.5 stars.
If you have NEXUS, is there any reason to get this?
Only if you’re entering the US from somewhere besides Canada.
So if you have Global Entry – should you also use CBP’s Mobile Passport Control app.? or is the app in lieu of Global Entry ? Asking for a friends who has not travelled internationally in 2 years !
If you have Global Entry, still use those lanes. I’ve heard some people have the Mobile Passport app as a backup if Global Entry lines are very long.