The US Travel Association has welcomed the government’s plan to expand customs preclearance to an additional 11 overseas locations.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced 11 new airports in nine countries would be assessed for preclearance facilities to help speed up passenger processing on arrival in the US.
The program lets passengers undergo immigration and customs checks prior to boarding a flight to the US.
Airports in Bogota, Colombia, Buenos Aires, Edinburgh, Osaka Japan, Reykjavík Iceland, Mexico City, Milan and Rome in Italy, Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and Saint Martin have begun the preclearance approval process.
These airports handle about 10 million passengers who travel to US airports each year.
"Preclearance marries top-notch security and efficiency to improve the entry experience for U.S. visitors, and the travel community applauds its expansion. Preclearing passengers at foreign airports before they even board a plane to the U.S. is great for both national security and our economy. Airports participating in Preclearance must uphold CBP’s rigorous security standards, which ensures that precleared passengers are thoroughly vetted prior to their arrival," said USTA CEO Roger Dow.
"Preclearance also helps reduce the workload for U.S. customs agents at domestic ports of entry, allowing them to focus on lesser-known travelers."
There are currently 15 preclearance facilities operating in six countries including Canada, Ireland, Abu Dhabi and the Caribbean.
