Avoid the Passport Rush

[IrieWay]

I posted three pictures of the Cafe al Bacio on another thread and the mod deleted the posting. I suppose the menu was offensive to the Mod.

 

 

 

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[bphman]

I'm the OP. You mean, I missed a cat fight? How bad were the posts?

[bunnyette]

With the Canadian dollar rather low at the moment, I am hoping that my passport renewal won't take too long(nobody travelling to foreign shores)...I plan to send it in next week. Yes, in this backward country we have to complete a form online, print the form, mail it with our old passport and payment, cross our fingers and wait. We can also apply in person...but that means 2 mornings off work, one to line up and drop it off and another to line up and pick it up. Then there are the issues with the photos! The Canadian gov't is very fussy about passport photos, the uglier the better - no smiling, no shadows, no teeth.

[ChucktownSteve]

Did you see where US Customs has developed an app called Mobile Pass which allows you to skip the long customs line and takes the place of the blue & white customs declaration paper.

 

It's kewl. It scans your passport and populates all your info. Then you take a close up selfie that it uses. It's at select cruise ports/airports right now.

 

It includes Port Everglades in FLL. I haven't used it yet but am looking forward to trying it.

Edited December 29, 2016 by ChucktownSteve

[bphman]

Now I remember why 2017 will be a busy passport season. This happens to be the 10th anniversary of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (no, I did not remember the name) that required everyone to have a passport/card to travel within the Americas. That was also the year our passports required renewal so we are now locked into this. The initiative created a rush to get passports.

 

I don't know if Mobile Pass is what we have in New York but it is pretty neat. It is a kiosk that records your passport info and takes your picture. It does seem faster for returning citizens. Not sure if it is in JFK, Newark, or both. The wait for luggage has not improved, though. That is the great equalizer

[ChucktownSteve]

I don't know if Mobile Pass is what we have in New York but it is pretty neat. It is a kiosk that records your passport info and takes your picture. It does seem faster for returning citizens. Not sure if it is in JFK, Newark, or both. The wait for luggage has not improved, though. That is the great equalizer

 

I'm wondering if that is Global entry. Mobile Pass replaces the customs declaration form.

[Charles4515]

I'm wondering if that is Global entry. Mobile Pass replaces the customs declaration form.

 

 

 

On those Kiosks you do the customs declaration on the Kiosk. Get a receipt and hand it to a Customs officer. It didn't seem faster. They had it at the Philadelphia airport and I used it before I joined Global Entry. It is not Global Entry. Global Entry you don't normally see a Customs officer unless you have something to declare. Mobile Passport you do the form on your Smartphone and the Customs Officer scans it.

 

When everyone has to use the Kiosks it is not faster. The same likely will be true with Mobile Passport if it becomes popular. It won't be faster. Global Entry will be faster because only frequent travelers will go thru the application process that requires and interview and pay the $100 fee so there will be shorter lines.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited December 29, 2016 by Charles4515

[bunnyette]

Did you see where US Customs has developed an app called Mobile Pass which allows you to skip the long customs line and takes the place of the blue & white customs declaration paper.

 

It's kewl. It scans your passport and populates all your info. Then you take a close up selfie that it uses. It's at select cruise ports/airports right now.

 

It includes Port Everglades in FLL. I haven't used it yet but am looking forward to trying it.

 

Yes we used it in Toronto (all major Canadian airports have US customs at them!) very efficient. Same thing when you enter Canada.