PIT also Launches Automated Passport Control Kiosks
PITTSBURGH — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Allegheny County Airport Authority today announced the temporary extension of CBP Global Entry Enrollment Center hours at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT).
Additionally, Allegheny County Airport Authority announced to launch on Monday of four Automated Passport Control (APC) self-help kiosks in CBP’s Federal Inspection Station at PIT.
CBP officers will conduct Global Entry applicant interviews Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. beginning May 1 through September. The enrollment center is across from American Airlines ticketing in the landside terminal.
Currently available at 47 U.S. airports and 13 preclearance locations in Abu Dhabi, Aruba, the Bahamas, Canada, and Ireland, Global Entry streamlines the arrival process at airports for pre-approved trusted travelers. Since its inception in June 2008, the program has enrolled nearly 3 million members. CBP receives approximately 100,000 new applications for Global Entry each month.
CBP operates two Global Entry kiosks at Pittsburgh International Airport. Trusted travelers have used the kiosks more than 3,200 times to process their arrival to the United States since the kiosks were installed in March 2014.
“Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry trusted traveler program has been a tremendous success, and is widely acclaimed by frequent international travelers and travel industry professionals,” said Joseph Klaus, CBP Port Director for the Port of Pittsburgh. “Due to Global Entry’s overwhelming popularity, CBP recognizes that we need to increase staffing hours at PIT to accommodate a growing backlog of local applicant interviews.”
“The airport’s air service portfolio has continued to increase during the past year to meet the pent-up demand for more air service as our region continues to grow,” Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said. “We are pleased that CPB recognized the need to increase staffing hours at Pittsburgh International Airport due to the passenger increases and the steady addition of nonstop flights.”
“We are happy to work with CPB in doing everything we can to improve the Customs process for passengers at Pittsburgh International, and we are grateful for the additional staff to meet the demand for Global Entry,” Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis said. “We will continue to look for improvements as our international passengers continue to grow.”
Global Entry
Interested individuals may apply online at CBP’s Global Online Enrollment System. Applicants must possess a machine-readable U.S. passport or permanent resident card, pay a non-refundable $100 application fee, undergo a background investigation with fingerprint check, and complete an in-person interview with a CBP officer at one of the 90 enrollment centers. Global Entry membership is good for five years.
Upon arrival in the United States from abroad, Global Entry members bypass the traditional CBP inspection lines and use an automated kiosk to complete their admission to the United States. Travelers scan their passport and fingerprints, answer customs declaration questions using the kiosk’s touch screen and proceed with a receipt to the exit— the whole process takes only about one minute.
As an added benefit, Global Entry members are also eligible to participate in the TSA Pre✓™, the Transportation Security Administration’s expedited security program.
The 60 locations with Global Entry self-help kiosks serve 99 percent of incoming travelers to the United States.
Global Entry reduces wait times by more than 80 percent. Global Entry members have used the kiosks more than 22 million times since the program began in 2008. This equates to a times savings of more than 367,000 inspection hours that CBP reinvested into the inspection process for other travelers.
CBP operates more than 90 trusted traveler enrollment centers across the country.
Learn more about CBP’s Trusted Traveler programs. Learn more about CBP.
Location at Pittsburgh
The joint TSA/CBP enrollment center is located in the landside terminal, ticketing level, just across from the American Airlines ticket counter. From the airport parking lots, follow the overhead and display signs for TSA Pre✓™/Global Entry. The signage will point to a door with a "Department of Homeland Security" seal on it.
Automated Passport Control (APC)
The APC kiosks launch coincides with the start of nonstop service from Paris on Delta. The first departure from Pittsburgh to Paris for the season starts Sunday. Delta expanded its seasonal Paris service this year to go daily through October.
APC kiosks expedite 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.
APC kiosks are 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. Travelers using the self-service kiosks experience shorter wait times, less congestion, and faster processing.
Currently, 42 U.S. and preclearance airports use more than 1,300 combined self-help kiosks to complete the administrative part of the international arrivals processing. Travelers have processed nearly 87 million admissions on these APC kiosks.
Instead of filling out a paper Customs Declaration form, eligible passengers can proceed directly to the APC kiosks in the passport control area. Travelers are prompted to scan their passport, take a photograph using the kiosk, and answer a series of questions verifying biographic and flight information. Once passengers have completed the series of questions and submitted their Customs declaration form, the kiosk will issue a traveler receipt. Travelers then bring their passport and receipt to a CBP officer to finalize their inspection for entry into the United States.
Learn more about Automated Passport Control.