As residence to among the world’s hottest theme parks and one of many nation’s busiest airports, Orlando guests aren’t any strangers to standing in lengthy traces. However vacationers transiting by Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO) might expertise a a lot shorter wait after their subsequent worldwide flight.
In partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Safety and biometric options firm iProov, MCO introduced Wednesday that U.S. vacationers on choose worldwide flights arriving can now entry faster reentry processing by way of new facial biometric screening. The initiative, known as Enhanced Passenger Processing, ought to pace up processing and cut back wait occasions.
The airport plans to totally deploy this system in time for the busy summer season journey interval.
Associated: When do you undergo customs on worldwide flights?
Usually, if you do not have expedited entry entry by International Entry or Cellular Passport Management, everybody in your group wants to point out their passport and have their picture taken by a CBP agent once you arrive within the U.S. The agent then compares your picture to the picture in your passport to confirm your id.
Nonetheless, EPP is designed to permit the CBP to “deal with the traveler and cut back the burden of administrative duties,” based on a press launch from the Higher Orlando Aviation Authority.
“Enhanced Passenger Processing makes use of facial biometrics to confirm U.S. residents’ identities by matching their faces to pictures in passports, held within the CBP’s database,” based on the press launch. CBP officers will nonetheless be available to help as wanted, however traveler verification and processing are absolutely automated.
“Know-how is driving the way in which for extra environment friendly passenger operations,” Lance Lyttle, CEO of the GOAA (which manages Orlando Worldwide Airport), mentioned within the press launch.
Associated: Finest bank cards for International Entry and TSA PreCheck
Day by day E-newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Day by day publication
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
“Modern packages like EPP can considerably cut back processing occasions for passengers, with out compromising safety. MCO noticed a rise of greater than 800,000 worldwide arrivals in 2024 than in 2023, a lot of them U.S. residents who would profit from this program. We deeply worth our partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Safety and thank them for his or her continued collaboration and assist in serving to us ship a extra seamless and safe expertise for our worldwide vacationers,” he added.
This is not the primary program the CBP has initiated to streamline worldwide passenger processing upon entry to the U.S. In 2024, Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD) deliberate to introduce digital gates for International Entry customers. Passengers may enter their passport data and customs declaration by way of the International Entry cell app earlier than processing by “e-gates” that might open after a fast facial scan.
The pilot program was halted earlier than it acquired off the bottom, with the CBP citing it “decided there could also be various International Entry options that is perhaps extra impactful.” It is doable EPP is the answer they had been referring to, although that was not expressly said within the press launch.
Participation in EPP is free, voluntary and doesn’t require superior enrollment. Vacationers who want to decide out of the EPP facial comparability system can nonetheless make the most of the usual screening course of with a CBP officer.
Associated studying:
