U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) unveiled a new Global Entry Mobile Application on 19SEP, aiming facial recognition technology to streamline the travel experience for over 12 million Global Entry members. The app provides an alternative to waiting in queues to use a portal.
"The new Global Entry mobile application leverages the latest technologies, in order to enhance security while further improving the travel experience for CBP's trusted travelers," said CBP’s Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner Troy A. Miller.
Travellers can now take a "selfie," which is subsequently matched against a gallery for identity verification through facial biometrics. After the photo submission, users are provided with a receipt on the app. This receipt can then be shown to CBP officers upon arrival at the primary inspection area, allowing travellers to bypass the standard Global Entry portals.
The mobile app's initial launch will be for passengers arriving at seven U.S.-based airports: Seattle Tacoma International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Miami International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Based on the success of those trials, CBP may introduce it to other airports where Global Entry processing takes place. CBP's international Global Entry processing is used at Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Calgary International Airport (YYC), Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW), Edmonton International Airport (YEG), Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ), Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG), and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
The app is free of charge and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
More information regarding Global Entry is on CBP's website.
