U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced the implementation of biometric facial comparison technology at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) as part of CBP’s efforts to secure and streamline international travel.
“CBP is expanding the use of facial biometrics at Charlotte Douglas International Airport to provide travelers a safe, touchless international arrival process that further secures and modernizes air travel,” said Barry Chastain, CBP Area Port Director Charlotte. “Our valuable partnership with CLT continues to enhance the travel experience. In addition, CBP looks forward to partnering with stakeholders at other international ports of entry across N.C. to implement Simplified Arrival.”
Simplified Arrival is an enhanced international arrival process that uses facial biometrics to automate the manual document checks that are already required for admission into the United States. This process provides travelers with a secure, touchless travel experience while fulfilling a longstanding Congressional mandate to biometrically record the entry and exit of non-U.S. citizens.
“We are excited to partner with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to offer Simplified Arrival at CLT,” said Acting Aviation Director Haley Gentry. “As one of the busiest airports in the world, this innovative technology will provide our millions of passengers each year an enhanced customer experience upon their return to the U.S.”
The biometric facial comparison process occurs only at a time and place where travelers are already required by law to verify their identity by presenting a travel document. When a traveler arrives at CLT, he or she will pause for a photo at the primary inspection point. A CBP officer will review and query the travel document, which will retrieve the traveler’s passport or visa photo from government holdings and compare it to the new photo.
This enhanced process using facial biometrics only takes a few seconds and is more than 98 percent accurate. In addition, foreign travelers who have traveled to the United States previously may no longer need to provide fingerprints, as their identity will be confirmed through the touchless facial biometric process.
