Sachin Walls
Preclearance is an arrangement between two countries that allows customs and immigration officials from the country of destination to be located in the country of origin, allowing travellers to be cleared for their admission to the destination country before their departure. The United States has been conducting air preclearance in Canada since 1952, with modern preclearance facilities first introduced at Toronto Pearson International Airport and Calgary International Airport. Today, preclearance exists at most major Canadian airports, including Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto, Vancouver International Airport, and Calgary International Airport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Airports with customs preclearance | Toronto Pearson International Airport, Calgary International Airport, Billy Bishop Airport, and 5 others |
| Purpose | Streamline border procedures, reduce congestion at ports of entry, facilitate travel into U.S. airports without international facilities |
| Benefits | No security or waiting upon U.S. arrival, easier domestic connections, cost savings, increased U.S. market access, new U.S. destinations |
| Process | Passengers must pass airport security inspection, then proceed to the preclearance area for U.S. CBP processing |
| Mobile Passport Control | Travelers can submit passport and travel info via an app for faster processing |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Preclearance allows travellers to clear US customs and immigration before boarding their flight. This means that upon arrival in the US, passengers can skip the CBP and TSA inspection lines and proceed directly to their connecting flight or final destination. This also means that travellers can accept tighter connection windows at US airports and are less likely to miss a domestic connection.
At Toronto Pearson, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 passengers can undergo CATSA security screening, which begins at 3:00 am, before entering the USCBP hall for processing, which takes place from 3:30 am until 9:00 pm. NEXUS cardholders and passengers with mobility issues may use a dedicated line at US customs by showing their boarding pass and a valid Nexus card or Customs Declaration form.
The US CBP Mobile Passport Control app can also be used by travellers to submit their passport and travel information before they travel, which can expedite the process.
It is worth noting that Toronto Pearson is the busiest US preclearance facility, and waits can sometimes exceed the waiting times at non-preclearance airports.
Airports in Europe: Screening of Checked Bags
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Calgary International Airport
Preclearance is an arrangement between two countries that allows customs and immigration officials from the country of destination to clear or deny admission to travellers or goods to the destination country. The United States has been conducting air preclearance in Canada since 1952, and it is available at eight major Canadian international airports. One of these airports is Calgary International Airport.
Passengers at airports with preclearance must pass airport security inspection before proceeding to the preclearance area. Security checks are conducted by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) under both CATSA and US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations.
The benefits of preclearance include:
- No security or waiting upon US arrival: Skip CBP and TSA inspection lines and proceed directly to your connecting flight or final destination.
- Easier domestic connections: Accept tighter connection windows at US airports and be less likely to miss a domestic connection.
- Cost savings: Access less expensive US domestic gates and more flexible arrival times at US airports.
- Increase US market access: Establish new routes to desirable US destinations that meet growing traveller demands.
- New US destinations: Enable new direct routes to 160+ US airports regardless of whether they have a CBP port of entry.
In the case of Calgary International Airport, passengers have reported that they have to leave the secure area, go through security screening, and then present themselves to US customs for preclearance. This is a requirement of US preclearance.
St Lucia's Airport: An Overview of Travel Options
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Billy Bishop Airport
Preclearance is an arrangement between two countries that allows customs and immigration officials from the country of destination to be located in the country of origin. This allows them to clear or deny the admission of travellers or goods to the destination country. The United States has been conducting air preclearance in Canada since 1952, and it is currently available at eight major Canadian international airports and one seaport.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is one of the airports that will soon be offering preclearance. In June 2023, the Government of Canada invested C$30 million (US$22 million) in the construction of a new US preclearance facility at Billy Bishop Airport, which is set to be delivered in late 2025. The new facility will offer next-generation travel technology, including facial recognition, which will make the process more efficient for travellers.
The introduction of preclearance at Billy Bishop Airport will bring several benefits. Firstly, it will enhance the passenger experience by making travel to the United States more convenient and faster. Secondly, it will open up more routes to the United States from the airport, increasing the airport's annual economic contribution to $5.3 billion. It will also boost employment, strengthen bilateral trade and tourism, and facilitate a shared approach to security between the two countries.
The addition of preclearance at Billy Bishop Airport is the result of the collaborative efforts of the airport, the Government of Canada, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The planned expansion will enable USA-bound travellers to clear customs, immigration, and agriculture inspections before takeoff, allowing them to bypass CBP inspections upon arrival in the USA and proceed directly to their connecting flights or destinations.
What Does LUV Mean in Aviation Slang?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Mobile Passport Control Program
Mobile Passport Control (MPC) is a program by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that allows travellers to submit their passport and travel information through a mobile application. The program is available at 53 sites, including 35 U.S. international airports, 14 preclearance locations, and 4 seaports of entry. The app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. After downloading the app, users are prompted to create a profile with their passport information, name, gender, date of birth, and country of citizenship. Upon landing in the United States or arriving at an eligible preclearance location, travellers select their airport or seaport and terminal, take a self-photo, and answer a series of CBP inspection-related questions. Once the traveller submits their transaction through the app, they receive an electronic receipt with an encrypted Quick Response (QR) code. Travellers then present their physical passport and mobile device with their digital QR-coded receipt to a CBP officer to finalize their inspection for entry into the United States.
The Mobile Passport Control program is available at several Canadian preclearance locations, including Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The program allows travellers to submit their passport and travel information using a mobile device and store their information for future international travel, resulting in less congestion and more efficient processing.
The MPC app eliminates the need for a paper declaration form, as travellers can answer Customs' Declaration questions electronically in the app. Information submitted through the app is encrypted and secure. MPC does not replace any required travel documents, and travellers must still have their physical passport to present to the CBP officer upon arrival.
MPC can be especially useful for families travelling together, as it allows for a single submission for multiple people, and can help keep the group together during the inspection process. The program can also be used by a single household to submit one transaction, including answers to CBP inspection-related questions.
John Wayne Airport: Santa Ana's Aviation Hub
You may want to see also
Explore related products
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
CBP has been conducting air preclearance in Canada since 1952, with the first modern preclearance facilities introduced at Toronto Pearson International Airport and Calgary International Airport. Preclearance allows customs and immigration officials from the destination country to be located in the country of origin, clearing or denying the admission of travellers or goods to the destination country. Preclearance aims to streamline border procedures, reduce congestion at ports of entry, and facilitate travel into US airports that may not be equipped to handle international travellers. Passengers at airports with preclearance must pass airport security inspection before proceeding to the preclearance area.
CBP is in the process of installing its Mobile Passport Control program across Canada's preclearance airports, allowing travellers to submit their passport and travel information through a mobile application, expediting the travel process.
CBP has faced criticism and controversy in recent years, including allegations of violating protesters' civil rights during the 2020 Portland protests, amassing a database of travellers' digital data, and the existence of a private Facebook group with around 9,500 members, which included current and former Border Patrol officials, that posted content mocking migrant deaths and containing sexist and racist jokes.
Ohio Airports: Where to Fly In and Out
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Toronto Pearson International Airport, Calgary International Airport, and Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto are among the airports in Canada that offer customs preclearance.
Preclearance is an arrangement between two countries that allows customs and immigration officials from the country of destination to be located in the country of origin to clear or deny the admission of travellers or goods to the destination country.
Preclearance allows travellers to skip CBP and TSA inspection lines upon arrival in the US and proceed directly to their connecting flight or final destination. It also makes it easier to connect to domestic flights and provides access to less expensive US domestic gates.
The US CBP's Mobile Passport Control program allows travellers to submit their passport and travel information through a mobile application. This information can be stored on the traveller's device for easy access for future travel, expediting the travel process.
After preclearance, travellers are effectively on US soil, and the part of the airport they are in is a special zone where the US has some level of shared jurisdiction.
