New App Helps Navigate Customs At Philly International Airport

PHILADELPHIA — International travelers coming through the Philadelphia International Airport will be able to navigate customs a bit easier thanks to the airport and Customs and Border Protection offering Mobile Passport Control.

Mobile Passport Control (MPC) allows U.S. citizens and Canadian visitors with a smartphone or tablet to use the Mobile Passport app to submit their passport information and answer CBP inspection-related questions prior to a CBP inspection.

Eligible travelers opting to use the MPC app will no longer have to complete a paper Customs Declaration form, resulting in quicker processing and shorter wait times.

MPC is already available at 25 airports and three seaports

Much like Automated Passport Control (APC), the app does not require pre-approval and is free to use. The app streamlines the traveler inspection process and enables CBP officers to focus more on the inspection and less on administrative processing functions.

Android and iPhone users can download the Mobile Passport app for free from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, respectively.

More information about MPC airport locations, eligible users, and other frequently asked questions is available online here.

There are five easy steps to using MPC:

• Download the Mobile Passport App from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store prior to arriving
• Create a profile with your passport information
• Complete the “New Trip” section upon arrival in the United States by selecting their arrival airport and airline, taking a self-photo
• Submit responses to inspection-related questions to CBP through the app to receive an electronic receipt with an Encrypted Quick Response (QR) code
• Bring your passport and smartphone or tablet with your digital bar-coded receipt to a CBP officer