US To Expand Passenger Preclearance

November 4, 2016

The US Department of Homeland Security has selected 11 additional airports for a possible expansion of preclearance.

Preclearance is where passengers have an immigration, customs, and agriculture inspection by US Customs and Border Protection at the departure airport rather than on arrival.

DHS said the measure enhances security by stopping high-risk individuals from boarding flights and reduces delays on entering the US.

The 11 airports are: El Dorado Airport in Bogota; Ministro Pistarini Airport in Buenos Aires; Edinburgh Airport, Scotland; Keflavik Airport, Iceland; Mexico City Airport; Milan-Malpensa Airport, Italy; Kansai Airport in Osaka; Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport, Brazil; Rome’s Fiumicino Airport; São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport, Brazil; and Princess Juliana Airport in St. Maarten.

DHS said that after approval, negotiations would begin which could result in a preclearance agreement.

A previous list of 10 airports were announced in May 2015 for possible preclearance expansion.

(Airwise)