Mobile Passport is a free travel app that helps users expedite their process when arriving at U.S. airports. Normally, going through customs could take hours if there are heavy crowds, especially so if the traveler doesn’t have Global Entry.
If the traveler decides to apply for Global Entry, they need to go through a background check and then an in person interview. The closest office for this interview is usually the nearest airport from where the user is. After the whole process, Global Entry lasts for five years and has to be renewed.
Unlike going through the normal customs line, the Mobile Passport app shortens the process by collecting information that the user would have to put into the kiosk or in paper form. The app will then give the user a code that they can use to get through the line at a much faster rate. Using the code, the user does not have to wait in the main customs line and go through the entire process as he or she normally would. It also allows the user to include family members all in one app profile.
Mobile Passport now has more than 7 million downloads and over 30,000 users every day, using it to speed up their customs processes. It is also currently available in 27 different airports with new ones joining the list. This app can help a lot of travelers and frequent flyers that have to go through the whole customs process every time. Although saving a few hours may not seem like much, it adds up with the number of recurring trips taken. Keying in information into an application on your phone is also more convenient and appealing than waiting in a long line that could take hours to get through.