System for recording US border crossings
Advance Passenger Information System[1] or APIS is an electronic data interchange system established by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).[2]
APIS governs the provision of a limited number of data elements (identification details from the passport and basic flight information) from commercial airline and vessel operators to the computer system of the destination state.[3] Required information should conform to specifications for UN/EDIFACT Passenger List Message (PAXLST) formats.[4]
Beginning in May 2009, private aircraft pilots must also provide the necessary information to the CBP.[5] The regulations were put into effect in December 2008 with a 180-day voluntary compliance period.[6]
eAPIS (electronic APIS) is a public website which allows small commercial carriers to transmit data to the CBP electronically.[7][8]
When travelling to or from certain countries, passengers are required to provide advance passenger information (API) before they check in or they will be unable to fly.[9] These countries include
- Antigua
- Australia[10]
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- France
- Grenada
- India
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Maldives
- Mexico[11]
- Panama
- Portugal[12]
- Republic of Korea
- Russian Federation
- Saint Lucia
- Spain (except for Schengen Area passengers)[11]
- Taiwan[13]
- Trinidad & Tobago
- United Kingdom[11]
- United States
and some more
The required information consists of:[11][10]
- Full name (last name, first name, middle name if applicable)
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Country of residence
- Travel document type (normally passport)
- Travel document number (expiry date and country of issue for passport)
- [For travelers to the US] Address of the first night spent in the US (not required for US citizens/nationals, legal permanent residents, or alien residents of the US entering the US)
See also
References
- ^ "APIS: Advance Passenger Information System". U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ US Customs and Border Protection Archived August 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ ICAO Facilitation Section: Advance Passenger Information (API)
- ^ FAL-12-WP-15 FACILITATION (FAL) DIVISION — TWELFTH SESSION Cairo, Egypt, 22 March to 2 April 2004 Agenda Item 2 Archived 12 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Travel". Archived from the original on 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
- ^ "Reporting Requirements Begin December 18 for Private Aircraft Arriving or Departing United States - CBP.gov". Archived from the original on 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
- ^ eAPIS Archived October 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Welcome to eAPIS | Customs and Border Protection".
- ^ aircanada.com – Travel Info – Advance Passenger Information
- ^ a b Which countries require Advanced Passenger Information? - FAQ (Air France, read 2018-03-09)
- ^ a b c d Advance information about passengers (Iberia, read 2018-03-09)
- ^ Advanced Information Passenger System (SEF, read 2012-07-11)
- ^ A.P.I.(Advanced Passenger Information|ANA
External links
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Travel / For Travel Industry Personnel / APIS: Advance Passenger Information System
- British Airways, Advance Passenger Information.
- eAPIS Online Transmission System (at cbp.gov)
- eAPIS UN/EDIFACT Implementation Guide (Specification – pdf)
