Traveling internationally this summer?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, wants you to brush up on your knowledge and what to expect when arriving at the U.S. border and traveling beyond it.
With a summer that is predicted to entice record numbers of people to hit the road within and beyond the borders of the U.S., CBP is prepared to welcome visitors.
“The United States has been and continues to be a welcoming country and CBP remains committed to facilitating lawful travel to the United States,” said Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan.
“In the spirit of this commitment, CBP has deployed innovative programs and technology including Trusted Traveler Programs, Automated Passport Control kiosks and Mobile Passport Control to make the arrival process as efficient and as quick as possible while maintaining our dual mission of border security and travel facilitation.”
So what does the CBP want travelers to know before they head out on vacation?
First and foremost, they want you to make sure you have the right documents with you. It is of the utmost priority when traveling abroad to carry the right passports and visas, and travelers can speed things up at the border by having all of your documentation ready to hand to the officer.
If you have questions about what you need to enter or re-enter the country, the CBP website has the answers.
There are also a number of ways to streamline your border experience: Several apps can help visitors monitor wait times at the border and even automate passport control.
— Automated Passport Control expedites entry for international travelers by pre-submitting answers to biographical questions.
— Mobile Passport Control allows U.S. and Canadian visitors expedited entry by streamlining the inspection process through an app that gives them a QR code.
— Border Wait Time monitors delays at borders around the country. Savvy travelers can aim for ports of entry where wait times are the shortest.
Both apps can be downloaded in the Apple App Store and via Google Play.
There are a number of other things that travelers can brush up on via the CBP website, such as traveling with pets, carrying more than $10,000 cash, traveling with medication and more.
If you want to streamline the travel process, make sure you have all of the facts first.
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(TravelPulse is a leading travel authority on the web, providing consumer travel news and insider tips and advice for an ever-changing travel world. Read more stories at travelpulse.com.)
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