Philadelphia Immigration Lawyer Blog

On April 7, 2008, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection announced the details of the new international registered traveler program which is called the “International Registered Traveler” (IRT). The idea is to create a way to expedited clearance of certain pre-approved, low-risk, “trusted” air travelers into the United States. The pilot program will be started at JFK International Airport in New York; George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Washington Dulles International.

Applications for the program should be submitted on May 12, 2008 and the pilot will actually begin on June 10, 2008. The pilot is expected to last at least six months, depending on how it’s evaluated in practice.

Applications must be submitted electronically and the application itself is available through the Global On-Line Enrollment System (GOES) at www.cbp.gov. Applications must be completed and submitted electronically.

The procedures described by CBP involve an IRT participant as being able to go directly to the airport’s Federal Inspection Services (FIS) area where he or she will then proceed directly to the IRT kiosk. The IRT participant will not have to wait in the regular passport control primary inspection lines. The person will activate the system by inserting either a machine-readable passport or a machine-readable U.S. permanent resident card into the document reader (the program will be open to both U.S. citizens and permanent residents). The screen will then guide the participant through an electronic fingerprinting process to confirm that they are in fact an IRT participant, a digital photo will be taken and then several customs declaration questions will be asked by use of a touch-screen. A receipt will then be issued which the IRT particiapnt will then give to a CBP Officer at the exit control.

The CBP will reserve the right to subject any IRT participant to any further inspection as necessary.

Here is the detailed CBP announcement that provides details about eligibility requirements, the selection process )(which will include an interview), the fee for applying ($100.00), and the complaint process if you apply but are then rejected.