As my girlfriend and I wrapped up our week in Paris it was finally time to officially come back into the United States. We arrived back at Chicago O’Hare International after our American Airlines business class flight from Paris. After our great trip it was finally time to clear immigrations back in the US. Typically clearing customs is one of the more difficult aspects of traveling internationally. After taking a long flight home waiting in a long line is one of the last things most people want to do. This time was different though because I was armed with the new Mobile Passport App on my phone which is said to speed up the process. In fact, I can honestly say that I was excited to go through customs just for the opportunity of using the Mobile Passport App.
Adding Mobile Passport To Your Device
Mobile Passport is simply an app you download to any android or apple mobile device. By downloading the app you have access to Mobile Passport lines at select US border patrol locations when arriving back in the US. If you’re heading oversees it’s best to download the app prior to leaving because there are a few steps you must take prior to using Mobile Passport. If you forget, I still think most people should be able to download the app, enter their information, and process their arrival in the time it takes from touchdown to the terminal.
Setting Up Mobile Passport
Mobile Passport is extremely easy to use and getting setup takes no time at all. Simply launch the app, follow the easy to understand instructions, and when you arrive back in the US follow the steps to receive your electronic arrival documents. For more detailed instructions click here. The app and service are completely free and does not require an application or any additional screening to use.
When you land back in the United States simply launch the app, select passengers, and answer the standard immigration questions. Once completed, hit submit and you’ll receive a secure QR code which serves at your ticked through customs. The QR code is valid for up to 4 hours after submitting.
My Mobile Passport Experience
Once we landed back in Chicago we both fired up the Mobile Passport app and answered the 4 simple yes/no immigration questions. We submitted our documents and within moments received our QR codes for entry back into the US. As we walked down to the immigration lines we quickly noticed a very clear, very blue, Mobile Passport board which directed us to a special line. There were less than 5 people in the line when we arrived.
Within moments of entering the Mobile Passport line we were called up to speak with a border patrol agent. The agent instructed both of us to scan our QR codes and asked to see our physical passports. After a few moments we were handed a laminated Mobile Passport card which served as our ticket out of the baggage claim area. As we exited the secure baggage claim area we handed our Mobile Passport card to the final border patrol officer and we exited the airport. In total clearing customs took less than 10 minutes.
Final Thoughts
If you don’t have global entry or any other expedited customs service I highly encourage you to download the Mobile Passport right now. The Mobile Passport app only requires approximately 23.8 MB of storage space so there is little risk that the app will overcrowd your mobile device. Mobile Passport also serves as a virtual copy of your current passport and securely stores all of your personal information. After setting up the app users must create a secure PIN to access passport information. I find it useful to have mobile passport on my phone just in case I’m booking a flight and don’t have my passport handy.
Overall, I love the Mobile Passport app and look forward to using it on future trips. The app is free and there is virtually no reason for anyone not to use it!
