LOS ANGELES—U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) today unveiled 40 new Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosks at the airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal. APC expedites the entry process for U.S. and Canadian citizens and eligible Visa Waiver Program travelers by allowing passengers to submit their customs declaration and biographic information electronically at self-service kiosks.
The New Automated Passport Control Kiosks at Los Angeles International Aiport.
"These kiosks will allow passengers to avoid long lines and reduce wait times at Customs, so they can be out the door faster and on their way to exploring the greatest city in the world," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "This important improvement to the passenger experience is all part of our work to overhaul nearly every terminal and bring rail to LAX, because Los Angeles deserves a world-class airport."
APC is a free service, does not require pre-registration or membership, and maintains the highest levels of protection when it comes to the handling of personal data or information. The kiosks are procured, deployed and maintained through partnerships with private sector entities.
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection places a significant value on our public-private partnerships and we continue to collaborate on innovations to improve the international arrivals process, said CBP Port Director for LAX Todd Hoffman. “The Automated Passport Control kiosks are a prime example of CBP’s private sector partners taking a leadership role in purchasing and deploying a solution that is mutually beneficial for CBP, airline carriers, airport authorities, and international air travelers.”
Easy-to-follow instructions guide the traveler through the process which includes scanning your passport, taking a photograph using the kiosk, answering customs declaration and biographic questions, and fingerprinting for Visa Waiver Program travelers. Travelers will then receive a receipt confirming their information and proceed to a CBP officer to complete their entry into the United States. The whole process takes about one minute. Travelers opting to use the kiosks will no longer have to complete a paper customs declaration form.
“After a long flight, the last thing passengers want to do is stand in line to process through federal inspection to enter the U.S.,” said Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey. “With faster processing times, shorter lines, and increased convenience these APC kiosks bring to LAX, we expect the passenger experience of the millions of international passengers who travel through LAX each year to improve substantially. We thank the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the airlines operating in the Tom Bradley International Terminal for their invaluable support of this program.”
At some APC locations, CBP has seen wait time decreases of as much as 25-40 percent, despite continued increases in international arrivals. CBP officers welcome almost a million international travelers a day to the United States.
APC is part of a comprehensive strategy to optimize CBP’s current resources. CBP continues to explore automation, innovation, sustainable initiatives and trusted traveler programs to streamline the traveler inspection process. CBP has enrolled more than three million travelers in trusted traveler programs such as Global Entry, NEXUS and SENTRI. These programs allow CBP officers to process travelers safely and efficiently while enhancing security and reducing operational costs.