By Alice Lipowicz
The Homeland Security Department today published notice it will
begin testing an International Registered Traveler program at three
airports starting June 10 to expedite airport clearances for
prescreened travelers.
Initially, the pilot program is available only to U.S. citizens and
permanent residents. The eventual goal is to coordinate with other
international trusted traveler programs around the globe to allow
pre-screened, low-risk foreign visitors to participate as well,
according to the notice published today in the Federal Register.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency will operate the
six-month pilot program at JFK International in New York; George
Bush Intercontinental in Houston; and at Washington Dulles.
Applications to participate are due by May 12.
Under the program, travelers who are registered in the program may
bypass passport control when returning to the United States.
Instead, they may verify their identities at automated kiosks at the
Federal Inspection Services area of each airport. The program will
use fingerprint biometric technology for the verifications.
At the kiosk, the traveler will insert into a reader either their
machine-readable passport or machine-readable permanent-resident
card. Then, the traveler must provide fingerprints electronically,
pose for a digital photograph and respond to questions on a
touch-screen computer. Once the procedures are completed, the
traveler receives a receipt enabling passage through exit control.
The travelers still will be required to declare certain articles
being brought into the United States, and to go to customs
inspection stations if they have such articles. They will be allowed
to go to the head of the line at the nearest open passport control
primary inspection station.
Currently, only U.S. citizens and permanent residents will be
considered for participation in the pilot projects.
Eventually, the goal is to recognize comparable programs in other
countries so that foreign visitors will be eligible for
participation in International Registered Traveler, the notice
states.
The DHS-sponsored domestic Registered Traveler has been an active
field for contractors. The program is now operating at 16 airports.
Volunteers pay an annual fee, undergo a background screening by the
Transportation Security Administration and receive a biometric
identification card. When arriving at participating airports, they
use designated lanes to pass through security.
