International passengers arriving at Las Vegas can now use APC self-service kiosks.
APC speeds up 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 APC self-service kiosks from SITA went live in mid-February.
They use biometric technology. This allows passengers to provide their travel document, biometric data and customs declaration before speaking to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. This increases efficiency and streamlines processes at the ports of entry by removing the administrative responsibility for a CBP officer to scan a passenger’s documents.
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. APC kiosks allow for shorter processing times by removing the administrative task from the CBP officer. The kiosks are procured, deployed and maintained through partnerships with private sector entities.
How it works
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.
Passengers 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.
Passengers opting to use the kiosks will no longer have to complete a paper customs declaration form.
There are more than 900 APC kiosks deployed at 34 airports worldwide. At some APC locations, CBP has seen wait time decreases of as much as 25-40 percent, despite continued increases in international arrivals.
Paul Houghton, SITA President, Americas, said:
“The APC kiosks that we have supplied to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas are just the first step in a journey to use innovative technology to improve the passenger experience at customs and border control. Looking ahead we are investigating how mobile applications could be used for passport control and other border checks, with the aim of improving the passenger facilitation while ensuring security levels are maintained.“
