Mobile Passport Control: What It Is and How to Use It at U.S. Airports
What Mobile Passport Control Does
Mobile Passport Control is a free app that lets you skip the standard customs line at certain U.S. airports and use a dedicated kiosk instead. You answer declaration questions on your phone, take a photo of yourself and your passport, and the kiosk prints a receipt. You hand that receipt to a customs officer, who waves you through — the whole process usually takes five to ten minutes instead of 30 to 60.
The app works only at airports with the kiosks installed. Right now that includes major hubs like Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York (JFK and LaGuardia), San Francisco, and Washington D.C., plus about a dozen others. The list grows slowly. If your airport does not have the kiosks yet, the app will not help you.
Mobile Passport Control is separate from TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. You do not need either one to use it. But if you already have Global Entry, you do not need this app — Global Entry includes the same kiosk access and more. If you have TSA PreCheck only, Mobile Passport Control gives you the customs speed-up that TSA PreCheck does not cover.
Key Takeaways
- Mobile Passport Control is a free app that lets you use a dedicated customs kiosk instead of waiting in the standard line at participating U.S. airports.
- The app works only at airports that have the kiosks installed; check the app or CBP website to confirm your airport has them before you travel.
- You answer customs questions on your phone, photograph your passport and face, and print a receipt to show the customs officer.
- If you already have Global Entry, you do not need this app — Global Entry includes kiosk access and covers more countries on arrival.
- The app is free to download and use; there are no membership fees or background check requirements.
How to Download and Set Up the App
Download Mobile Passport Control from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Search for "Mobile Passport Control" — it is the official app from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The app is free.
When you open it for the first time, you will create a profile with your name, date of birth, passport number, and country of citizenship. You can add family members to the same account — each person gets their own profile, and you can switch between them at the airport. The app stores this information on your phone, not on CBP servers, so you control it.
Before you travel, open the app and confirm that your airport has Mobile Passport Control kiosks. The app shows a list of participating airports. If your airport is not listed, you will go through the standard customs line.
Using the App at the Airport
When you land and collect your bags, head to the Mobile Passport Control kiosk area instead of the standard customs line. Look for signs or ask an airport employee where the kiosks are — they are usually near the customs hall but separate from the main queues.
Open the app and select your profile. Answer the declaration questions: Are you bringing in more than $10,000 in currency? Do you have any prohibited items? Have you visited a farm? The questions change based on where you flew from. Answer honestly — CBP officers can see your answers, and lying on a customs form is a federal offense.
Take a photo of your passport's biographical page (the page with your photo and personal details). The app will guide you through this. Then take a selfie. The kiosk will compare your face to your passport photo. If it matches, the kiosk prints a receipt with a barcode.
Walk to the customs officer with your receipt, passport, and bags. The officer scans the barcode, asks a few follow-up questions if needed, and you move on. You do not go through the standard line.
Who Can Use Mobile Passport Control
You must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) to use the app. Visitors on tourist visas, work visas, or student visas cannot use it — they must go through the standard customs line.
There is no age limit, but children need their own profile in the app. Parents or guardians set up the profile using the child's passport information and take the child's photo. At the kiosk, you select the child's profile and follow the same steps.
You do not need TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or any other program membership. The app is free and open to all U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
Airports and Kiosks: Where You Can Use It
Mobile Passport Control kiosks are installed at about 25 U.S. airports, mostly large international hubs. The list includes Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Denver (DEN), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Newark (EWR), New York (JFK and LGA), Phoenix (PHX), San Francisco (SFO), and Washington D.C. (IAD and DCA).
Smaller airports and regional hubs do not have the kiosks yet. CBP adds new airports slowly. Before you book a trip, check the Mobile Passport Control app or the CBP website to confirm your arrival airport has kiosks. If it does not, you will wait in the standard customs line.
The kiosks are available 24 hours a day at airports that operate them. You can use the app on any flight arrival, whether domestic or international.
Mobile Passport Control vs. Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
If you are trying to decide between these programs, here is what each covers. TSA PreCheck speeds up security screening at U.S. airports — you keep shoes and belt on, leave liquids in your bag, and go through a faster line. It costs $78 to $85 for five years and requires a background check. It does not help with customs.
Global Entry covers both security and customs. It includes TSA PreCheck benefits, plus it lets you use the kiosks for customs when you return to the U.S., and it covers expedited customs when you arrive in certain other countries. It costs $100 for five years and requires a background check and an interview.
Mobile Passport Control covers only customs kiosks at U.S. airports. It is free, requires no background check, and you can start using it immediately after you download the app. The trade-off is that it works only at airports with kiosks, and it does not speed up security screening.
If you travel internationally more than once a year and want both security and customs speed-ups, Global Entry is usually the better value. If you travel rarely or only need customs help, Mobile Passport Control is free and worth downloading.
What Happens If the Kiosk Rejects Your Photo
The kiosk compares your face to your passport photo using facial recognition. If the match fails — because the lighting is bad, your angle is wrong, or you look very different from your passport photo — the kiosk will not print a receipt. You can try again, but you have a limited number of attempts.
If you cannot get the kiosk to accept your photo, you will go through the standard customs line. This is not a penalty; it just means you do not get the speed-up on that trip. The next time you travel, you can try again.
If you have changed your appearance significantly since your passport was issued — new glasses, facial hair, or surgery — take a new passport photo at a passport acceptance facility before you travel. A current photo makes the kiosk matching faster and more reliable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have TSA PreCheck or Global Entry to use Mobile Passport Control?
No. Mobile Passport Control is completely separate and free. You do not need any other program membership. However, if you already have Global Entry, you do not need this app — Global Entry includes the same kiosk access.
Can I use the app if I am traveling with my family?
Yes. You can add each family member as a separate profile in the app before you travel. At the airport, switch to each person's profile and use the kiosk for each person. Children need their own profile, and you take their photo for them.
What if my airport does not have Mobile Passport Control kiosks?
You will go through the standard customs line. Check the app or CBP website before you travel to confirm your airport has kiosks. If it does not, the app will not help you on that trip.
Is my passport information safe in the app?
The app stores your information on your phone, not on CBP servers. You control the data. If you delete the app, the information is deleted. CBP can see your answers when you use the kiosk, just as they would see them if you filled out a paper form.
How long does it take to use Mobile Passport Control compared to the standard line?
Mobile Passport Control usually takes five to ten minutes from kiosk to customs officer. The standard line can take 30 minutes to over an hour, depending on how busy the airport is and how many flights arrived at the same time.