The CBP One™ mobile application was launched on October 28, 2020. CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) made both Android and iOS versions available simultaneously on the Google Play and Apple App stores. In what follows, we will provide full details of what the CBP One app is and how it can help readers easily access CPB services.
What Is CBP One™?
CBP One™ is a mobile app that aims to serve as a one-stop gateway to several CBP services. The app guides the user to the appropriate service by first asking a couple of relevant questions in order to determine his or her needs.
The app forms part of the CBP’s ongoing efforts to enhance legitimate trade and travel while at the same time improving the security of the United States’ borders. As such, it offers improved transparency and accessibility to some of CPS’s most popular services.
Who Will Benefit From The CBP One™ App?
At the moment CBP One™ is available for users who want to do any of the following:
- Make an appointment for the inspection of agricultural and biological products that have arrived in the United States
- Foreign travelers who want to submit an application for and check their I-94 arrival and departure records
- International Organizations that want to check the status of a person or persons in CBP programs.
More services will be added to the app in the future. It is expected that operators of commercial vessels, drivers of commercial trucks, seaplane pilots, bus operators, and airplane operators will eventually be able to use the CBP One™ application.
Readers who are interested in a privacy impact assessment of CBP One™ can find it here:
www.dhs.gov/publication/dhscbppia-068-cbp-one-mobile-application.
Overview Of The Most Important Features Offered By The CPB One Application
CPP One started by offering two main features. The first is an Inspection Appointment Request for carriers/brokers/forwarders and the second is the I-94 entry for foreign travelers.
The Inspection Appointment Request feature makes it easier for carriers/brokers/forwarders to arrange an inspection for perishable cargo such as agricultural products entering the United States. Every request will be assigned to a specific CBP agricultural expert whose job is then to assign an inspection time. The interactive chat feature makes it possible for this specialist to stay in contact with the applicant in case more information is required at a later stage. The latest update of the CBP One™ App enables travelers to schedule an inspection of agricultural and biological products when these arrive in the United States.
The I-94 Entry feature makes it possible for travelers to submit an application for a provisional I-94 before they arrive at a United States land border crossing. Those who send in such an application before their arrival will benefit from shorter processing times and expedited entry.
The app also makes it possible for travelers to easily get access to their current I-94 submission to check important info like how long they will be allowed to stay in the United States and use this as proof of visitor status once they have arrived in the country.
The CBP One™ mobile app’s International Organization feature is limited to organizations that have been listed by the US State Department as authorized CBP One™ users to confirm the status of people who are presently in the MPP (Migrant Protection Protocols). MPP is a program run by the U.S. government that makes provision for foreigners who do not have the necessary documentation to enter or seek entry to the U.S. from Mexico to be sent back to that country where they have to wait for their U.S. immigration proceedings to be finalized. The U.S. suspended all new enrollments in this program in January 2021. A month later MPP registrants with open cases started being processed at United States entry ports while waiting for their hearing in the country. To guarantee operational success and safety, the U.S. Government has joined forces with various global organizations who now help with verifying MPP enrollment via the new CBP One mobile app before these individuals arrive at an American Port of Entry.
Until the release of the new CBP One™ app, small pleasure boats could report their arrival via the CBP ROAM app. Since early 2022, however, the reporting of arrivals for these boats has been transferred to the CBP One™ app. The ROAM app will, therefore, no longer be used.
How To Get Started With The CBP One™ Mobile Application
At this stage, it is important to mention that in order to use the CBP One™ app, the individual will need a (free) login.gov account. If you do not have a login.gov account yet, select the ‘Create an Account’ option and proceed by following the instructions.
Once you have an account, open the CBP One™ App and tap on ‘Sign In With Login.gov’.
After a successful login, you will be redirected back to the app where you will be able to access the various CBP services based on your specific needs.
If you have any comments or questions, please direct these to CBPOne@cbp.dhs.gov. An official will attend to your case as soon as possible.
Where Is CBP One™ Available?
For matters related to I-94, CBP One™ is available anywhere in the United States. The feature related to making appointments for perishable cargo is, however, only offered at participating POE (Ports of Entry). For additional info, please consult your POE.
Other Uses For The CBP One™ App
While officially the above-mentioned uses are the only ones for the app, some official documents mention various other functions.
An example is the PIA (Privacy Impact Assessment) about CBP One™ which was prepared by the DHS (United States Department of Homeland Security). This reveals that international organizations can also use the app if they want to enter data for people who are trying to get waivers of exclusion based on Title 42 of U.S. Health legislation (in terms of which 1.2 million individuals have been sent back to their country of origin to protect the U.S. from COVID-19).
Future Plans For CBP One™
CBP will soon also so start testing a new feature that allows smaller land border bus firms to upload passengers’ documents and biographic info before arrival. At the moment this is only available for cruise lines, commercial airlines, and a couple of major bus firms.
Toward the end of 2022, CBP intends to integrate all the features previously offered by the CBP ROAM app into CBP One™ to enable pleasure boat passengers to report their entry into the United States via the latter.
CBP is also considering making it possible for pedestrians to voluntarily upload advanced information before they arrive at land border crossings in order to speed up their journeys. The plan is to allow foreigners in possession of an electronic I-94 that was issued on arrival who now want to provide proof of leaving the U.S. to do so via the CBP One™ app if they want to have proof that they complied with their authorized period of stay in the country.