Philadelphia - U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced the elimination of the paper arrival/departure Form I-94W. The I-94W technological enhancement is designed to streamline secure travel for millions of visitors by automatically providing CBP with important traveler information before the passengers arrive in the United States.
On May 25, the Port of Philadelphia was the first in the nation to go paperless, followed by CBP's pre-clearance locations throughout Canada, the Caribbean and Ireland on June 1.
Prior to the electronic method of documenting arrivals and departures, CBP officers were responsible for manually filling out the green form, removing the bottom portion to staple in the traveler's passport and filing the remaining section for internal records. The new simplified process is an efficient and resourceful course of action for both CBP officers and Visa Waiver Program participants.
"CBP officers, flight personnel and passengers have been raving about the efficiency of the new electronic system," said Allan Martocci, Area Port Director, Port of Philadelphia. "All stakeholders have shown enthusiasm for the I-94W automation and have been providing positive feedback concerning this project."
Currently, all VWP travelers must have an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization application prior to their arrival in the U.S. ESTA verifies the traveler's eligibility to travel to the U.S. and whether such travel poses a security risk.
As a result of the automated process, ESTA compliance has increased while airport wait times have decreased. The paper I-94W form will still be used if the passenger's ESTA status cannot be verified.
For more information on Visa Waiver Program travel, please visit Electronic System for Travel Authorization.