Us Entry Airports: Your Guide To International Arrivals

When entering the US by air, travellers will encounter Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and may encounter Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents. HSI is part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CBP has more than 600 officers stationed at 15 preclearance locations in 6 countries, including Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, the Bahamas, and Canada. In the US, there are over 160 airports with CBP ports of entry. Travellers can locate a Port of Entry in their state or territory by using the map or form on the CBP website.

US Entry Airports

Global Entry program: expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers at selected airports

The Global Entry program is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) initiative that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the United States. Members can enter the country by accessing Global Entry processing technology at selected airports.

At these airports, program members proceed to the designated Global Entry lanes, where their photo is captured to verify their membership. They then receive on-screen instructions and proceed to a CBP officer, who confirms their successful completion of the process. It is important to note that Global Entry members may still be selected for further examination when entering the United States.

To become a member, travellers must undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrolment. The Global Entry program costs $100 for five years, with this fee increasing to $120 beginning on October 2, 2024. Korean citizens, for example, must first enrol in the Smart Entry Service (SES) program operated by the Korean Immigration Service before submitting their Global Entry applications through the Korean Government's website.

Global Entry is one of several expedited entry programs, including TSA PreCheck, CLEAR Plus, SENTRI, and NEXUS. These programs aim to help travellers navigate crowded U.S. airports more quickly and efficiently. While Global Entry focuses on expediting customs checks on arrival in the U.S., TSA PreCheck allows members to skip regular TSA screenings and use express security lanes. On the other hand, CLEAR Plus uses biometrics for identity verification, and SENTRI streamlines overland border crossings, while NEXUS simplifies passage between the U.S. and certain countries.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers: determine admissibility to the US and may search belongings

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are responsible for protecting the nation's borders and enforcing laws at US ports of entry. They have the authority to stop and question individuals at the border to determine their admissibility to the US. This includes asking about their immigration status and inspecting their belongings and electronic devices for contraband or prohibited content. CBP officers are authorised to conduct these searches without requiring any prior suspicion, although this is a contested legal issue.

CBP officers must determine the nationality of each applicant for admission and, if the applicant is a foreign national, whether they meet the requirements for admission under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Officers may also rely on the Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) to identify individuals for secondary examination upon arrival. This system is used by multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, Interpol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, to share information on suspected individuals, vehicles, and other entities.

During the inspection process, all travellers are required to present their electronic devices for examination. CBP officers may review the contents of these devices manually or with external equipment. If a device is protected by a passcode or encryption, it may be subject to exclusion or detention, and travellers may experience longer processing times. However, CBP officers will delete or destroy any passcodes provided by travellers once they are no longer needed.

It is important to note that CBP officers are prohibited from selecting individuals for personal searches or secondary inspections based on religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. US citizens and lawful permanent residents are not required to answer questions about these protected categories and cannot be denied entry for refusing to do so. Non-citizen visa holders and visitors may also decline to answer questions about their religious or political beliefs, but this may lead to delays, additional questioning, or possible denial of entry.

CBP Preclearance: CBP personnel stationed at foreign airports to inspect travellers before boarding US-bound flights

Preclearance is a process operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security to screen individuals seeking entry to the United States at eligible facilities outside the country. This process is made possible by agreements between the US federal government and host countries.

CBP Preclearance involves the strategic stationing of CBP personnel at designated foreign airports to inspect travellers before they board US-bound flights. With Preclearance, travellers bypass CBP and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspections upon arrival in the US and can proceed directly to their connecting flight or destination. This process is intended to streamline border procedures, reduce congestion at American ports of entry, and facilitate travel into airports that otherwise lack immigration and customs processing facilities for commercial flights.

CBP has more than 600 officers and agriculture specialists stationed at 15-16 Preclearance locations in 6 countries: Dublin and Shannon in Ireland; Aruba; Bermuda; Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Nassau in the Bahamas; and Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg in Canada. In 2019, CBP processed more than 22 million passengers at Preclearance locations, representing approximately 16% of all US-bound commercial air travellers.

Preclearance provides layered security, preventing travellers who would be declared inadmissible upon arrival in the US from boarding US-bound flights. It also stops narcotics, contraband, prohibited items, and dangerous pests and agricultural diseases from reaching the US. Preclearance saves the CBP the difficulty of dealing with inadmissible travellers on US soil and helps to minimise the risk of untoward incidents occurring there.

Traveller rights: travellers cannot be denied entry based on religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs

When entering the United States, travellers cannot be denied entry based on religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers may stop people at the border to determine whether they are admissible to the United States, and they may search people's belongings for contraband. Officers may also ask your immigration status to determine whether you have the right to enter the country.

If you are a US citizen, you only need to answer questions establishing your identity and citizenship. Refusing to answer other questions may cause delay, but officials may not deny you entry into the US if you have established your identity and citizenship. If you are a lawful permanent resident (LPR), you only have to answer questions establishing your identity and permanent residency. Refusal to answer other questions will likely cause delay, but officials may not deny you entry into the United States for failure to answer these questions.

If you are a non-citizen visa holder or visitor, you may be denied entry into the United States if you refuse to answer officers' questions. However, officers may not select you for questioning based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. If you fear that you might be persecuted or tortured if you are sent back to the country from which you travelled, you should tell the customs officer about your fear and ask for asylum.

Additionally, you have the right to wear a religious head covering, but airport security officers may request additional screening if an alarm goes off. They may then conduct a pat-down of your religious head covering or ask you to remove it. You have the right to request that the pat-down or removal be conducted in a private area and by a person of your gender.

Furthermore, an airline pilot may refuse to fly a passenger if they reasonably believe, based on observation, that the passenger is a threat to flight safety. However, a pilot may not question you or refuse to allow you on a flight because of biased stereotypes, including any based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs.

Some of the airports with global entry in the US include:

• Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston (IAH)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York (JFK)
• Lambert - St. Louis International Airport (STL)
• Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP)

There are also over 160 US airports with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance in 6 countries, including Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, the Bahamas, and Canada.

Traveller questioning: travellers may be questioned about their religious beliefs and practices, but this can be declined by US citizens and lawful permanent residents

When entering the United States, travellers may encounter Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, as well as Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, who are part of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CBP officers have the authority to question travellers to determine their admissibility to the US, and they may search travellers' belongings and electronic devices for contraband.

However, officers are prohibited from selecting individuals for a personal search or secondary inspection based on their religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. Similarly, travellers may be questioned about their religious beliefs and practices, but US citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) cannot be denied entry for declining to answer such questions. LPRs who have maintained their status only need to answer questions establishing their identity and permanent residency, and while refusal to answer other questions may cause delays, they generally cannot be denied entry to the US.

US citizens are only required to answer questions establishing their identity and citizenship, and while refusing to answer other questions may lead to delays or further inspection, they have the right to enter the US and cannot be denied for not answering. If customs officers persist in asking intrusive questions about religious beliefs or practices, US citizens and LPRs can request to see a supervisor.

Non-citizen visa holders and visitors may be denied entry into the US if they refuse to answer officers' questions. They may also be subjected to additional questioning and delays if they decline to answer questions about their religious beliefs and political opinions. However, if they fear persecution or torture upon returning to their country of origin, they should inform the customs officer and request asylum.

Frequently asked questions