CBP introduces streamlined arrival at GUM in Guam, CNMI

GUAM – US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in partnership with the Guam International Airport Authority, today announced the implementation of the streamlined arrival process at Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM), located in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Streamlined Arrival is an enhanced international arrival process that uses facial biometrics to automate manual document checks that are already required for admission to the United States. This process provides travelers with a contactless process that further secures and streamlines international arrivals while fulfilling a long-standing Congressional mandate to biometrically record the entry and exit of non-US citizens.

“We are excited to roll out CBP’s streamlined arrival process at Guam International Airport,” said Richard F. Di Nucci, CBP Field Operations Manager in San Francisco. “The combination of trained CBP agents and the use of advanced biometric technology provides travelers with a secure, efficient and contactless arrival process and enhances the customer experience. ”

Simplified Arrival only uses the biometric facial comparison process at a time and place where travelers are already required by law to verify their identity by presenting a travel document. When travelers arrive at GUM on an international flight, they will stop for a photo at the primary inspection point. CBP’s biometric facial comparison process will compare the traveler’s new photo to a small gallery of high-quality images that the traveler has already provided to the government, such as passport and visa photos. Additionally, foreign travelers who have traveled to the United States before may no longer need to provide their fingerprints, as their identity will be confirmed through the contactless facial comparison process.

Simplified Arrival pairs one of the industry’s top-ranked facial comparison algorithms (as rated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology) with trained CBP officers who are qualified to verify document authenticity. of travel. If a traveler cannot be associated with a photo recorded using the streamlined arrival process, the traveler will go through the traditional inspection process in accordance with existing requirements for entry into the United States.

US citizens or foreign travelers who are not required to provide biometric data and wish to opt out of the new biometric process can notify a CBP officer when approaching the main inspection point. These travelers will be required to present a valid travel document for inspection by a CBP officer and will be treated in accordance with existing requirements for admission to the United States.

CBP is committed to upholding its confidentiality obligations and has taken steps to protect the privacy of all travelers. CBP used strong technical security measures and limited the amount of personally identifiable information used in the facial biometrics process. New photos of US citizens will be removed within 12 hours. Photos of most foreign nationals will be stored in a secure system of the Department of Homeland Security.

CBP and its airline partners are expanding the use of facial biometrics through public-private partnerships not only to fulfill Congress’ security mandate, but also to secure and further enhance contactless travel anywhere a verification Identity is required for international travel.

Currently, CBP has also implemented partial or full biometric facial comparison technology upon entering the United States at 172 airports, including preclearance locations, and upon exiting the United States at 32 airports. To date, more than 77 million travelers have participated in the biometric facial comparison process at air, land and sea ports of entry. Since September 2018, CBP has used facial biometrics to prevent more than 700 impostors from illegally entering the United States using genuine travel documents issued to other people.

More information on CBP’s efforts to secure and streamline travel through facial biometrics can be found here.