Biometrics

During the boarding process, you simply stand in front of the camera to have your photo taken. The picture taken is then matched against the photo you had provided with your passport application.

Once your photo has been verified, you can immediately board your flight. It is that easy!

CBP is leading the transformation of the travel experience, but we could never do this alone. Our airline industry and technology partners are playing a critical role. To date, CBP has demonstrated the facial matching service at ports from Virginia to Vegas to Miami. Our pilot programs with Delta, Jet Blue, British Airways, and partnerships with Royal Caribbean and others have opened doors and eyes to a range of possibilities. Collectively, CBP and our partners are making history and delivering clear and undeniable benefits to travelers.

CBP is fully committed to meeting existing privacy laws and regulations, and to protecting traveler privacy and data. CBP’s biometric matching service is hosted in a secure cloud-based environment and does not store the biographic data for any travelers. Traveler photos are transmitted and used for identity verification purposes only. Only CBP has access to this biometric data. No personally identifiable information associated with biometrics is ever shared with our industry partners during or after the “match/no match” determination.

At this time, CBP does not require U.S. Citizens to have their photos captured when entering or exiting the country. U.S. Citizens who request not to participate in this biometric collection process may notify a CBP Officer or an airline or airport representative in order to seek an alternative means of verifying their identity and documents.

For specific information on the facial recognition process, security and privacy concerns please visit the Biometric Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

For specific information on the facial recognition process, security and privacy concerns please visit the Biometric Frequently Asked Questions webpage.