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Florida's Port Everglades will be launching the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)-approved Mobile Passport Control (MPC) program for cruise travel on Friday, November 4.
Port Everglades will become to the first U.S. seaports to use the smartphone app, port officials said, although it’s currently available at numerous airports throughout the country. The MPC program is the first smartphone app authorized to expedite a traveler’s entry process.
The app was developed by Airside Mobile and Airports Council International-North America in partnership with the CBP. By using the app, U.S. citizens disembarking a cruise ship can complete their customs declaration on their phone or tablet. On the app, they provide their biographic information prior to speaking with a CBP officer, who is then able to complete the identity verification and admissibility processing of arriving passengers.
It’s currently only available for iOS but will be coming out on Android at the end of the month.
Additionally, Port Everglades has participated in CBP's Global Entry program since 2015, which gives priority processing to Global Entry card holders. The seaport has also recently completed pilot testing Automated Passport Control kiosks, another CBP customs inspection-streamlining initiative, in two of its cruise terminals.
Port Everglades saw more than 3.7 million passengers in 2016, with ten cruise lines, one ferry company, and more than 40 individual cruise ships sailing from the South Florida seaport. Cruise lines include: Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn, and Silversea Cruises.
Visit www.porteverglades.net