Mobile Passport

[cole]

Found this in the Delta magazine on a recent flight: Right now it only works on I-Phones, but sure it will be expanded to other models later. Download an app on your phone, fill in the necessary information, take your photo (you can reject the ones you don't like ;) and save the one you do like, fill in the customs and immigration details and send it as soon as you get connected. Once your information is verified you will be sent a bar-coded receipt, which will allow you to walk through a special checkpoint. No cost and you can have more than one passport listed if you are traveling with family members. Launched at Atlanta this past summer with plans to roll it out to other airports later in the year. Here is the website: mobilepassport.us

Cole

[paul929207]

Interesting. Thanks for the info

[xxoocruiser]

Here's the links with the information http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/2014-08-11-000000/new-mobile-passport-control-app-available and http://mobilepassport.us/

Edited October 11, 2014 by xxoocruiser

[kebhouse]

That's fun! We are returning through ATL next month so I'll have to give it a try.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cole]

That's fun! We are returning through ATL next month so I'll have to give it a try.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Be sure and leave feedback to see how it works. Sure sounds like a good idea if it does what it promises!

Cole

[Treven]

I attempted to go into the Apple APP Store and do a search for that app and the search results was app not found. I then clicked on the link previously provided here and it popped right up.

So don't use the search function in the App Store.

[Mary Ellen]

I attempted to go into the Apple APP Store and do a search for that app and the search results was app not found. I then clicked on the link previously provided here and it popped right up.

So don't use the search function in the App Store.

You have to do the search on 'iPhone only'. It IS there, I just found it. As I'm on my iPad the search initially didn't find it as it was searching for iPad apps. Once I changed the setting to iPhone the app popped up.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sounds interesting.

Thank you for the information.

[calliopecruiser]

This is very interesting......I found it on iTunes (the publishing company is "Airside Mobile LLC" which might help you locate it). Of course it has limited utility only being accepted at one half of your trip (entering the US only, not entering any other country), but it's still an interesting venture.

[MrsPete]

Interesting. And promising.

 

My complaint about passports in their current form is that they're antiquated. They don't fit into a wallet, making them more likely to be lost. They're very expensive. A century ago, this was what was possible, but in this day and age, we should be able to do better.

 

On the other hand, I'd like to hear how secure this electronic concept might be.

[Treven]

You have to do the search on 'iPhone only'. It IS there, I just found it. As I'm on my iPad the search initially didn't find it as it was searching for iPad apps. Once I changed the setting to iPhone the app popped up.

I too was on my iPad. Also when I clicked on the link in this thread; at least I found it and got it loaded on my iPad.

[greatam]

Is our government REALLY getting that STUPID?

 

With all the hacks going on in retail and banking, you REALLY think your info is secure when you get to take your own picture (delete the ones you don't like) and use your smartphone to get into the US? PLEASE throw the door open to every wannabe Jihadist who was born in the USA, every illegal alien who wants to come to the USA and any other undesirable with any kind of connections to the underworld/underground (silk road and others come to mind) and let's just use a "mobile passport". I guarantee anyone could have a NEW passport (valid) for a payment of about $1000 right off the street around Alvarado in LA. So that new "mobile passport" could belong to one of the top 100 wanted jihadists in the world.

 

I will tell you a story about how our government THINKS all this fancy technology works so great and how it falls on its face when it really counts.

 

The government and every alphabet agency in the USA had a two day conference at the Canton, Mississippi Transportation Institute very shortly after Hurricane Katrina. The government people were all in Washington DC via video conference. They invited executives from every facet of surface transportation that may be involved and could help in any type of national emergency, no matter what it was. LARGE trucking companies that carry food, small trucking companies that carry food ( I was that rep), gasoline and diesel fuel haulers, companies that had the capacity to move large equipment (dozers, loaders) on very short notice and those that could move shelter, mattresses, blankets, clothes, etc.

 

We played scenarios that could actually happen and how the trucking companies could best respond to get food, shelter, water and other necessities in the shortest time with the least amount of red tape and hassle to those who were definitely in need.

 

We as a group came up with some pretty good, old school ideas that would work no matter what else happened-old style CB radios, base stations given to fire depts/police departments across various interstate routes with generators and extra regular car batteries and the ability for all trucks to communicate. Don't think that most truckers aren't still using their CB's-they are and word could go from one end of the country to the other in just about an hour. And the cost was VERY, VERY low.

 

One of the participants in the conference ran 1400 gas/diesel tankers. After Hurricane Katrina and because they used Quaalcom (satellite system) to communicate with their drivers, he had NO IDEA where better than 2/3 of his fleet was because Quaalcom was either down or overburdened. He said he was so thankful (if there can be such a thing) that it was a hurricane and terrorists didn't try to take advantage of stealing his tankers full of fuel and drive them into a shopping mall, office building or someplace to kill a lot of people because he couldn't have helped in the least. No cell phone service over a large portion of the SE and no Quaalcom. NO WAY to contact any of his drivers that were out of range.

 

One lady from the FBI wanted to know why the truckers couldn't use CNN???? We were rolling on the floor laughing. While most over the road trucks have TV's in their sleepers, unless they are parked at a truck stop and pay for cable service or have their own satellite dish, they don't have much for reception other than the local channels. And you really think they should be watching TV while they are driving down the interstate at 65MPH? Some one from our group told her the cable might get tangled because it would have to be so long. That went RIGHT OVER HER HEAD. More laughter on our side of the video conference-in fact, we were all laughing so hard, the moderator in Canton informed Washington there was a video glitch and we would be off the conference for a few minutes to give us time to all settle down. They could see us laughing and talking amongst ourselves about the DUMB ASSES that didn't have a clue about the real world.

 

So now we have proof positive from those who use those systems daily that Quaalcom, cell phones, CNN and other channels, plus most new technology DID NOT WORK during Hurricane Katrina. But the following day, as we were leaving the conference and at the airport, we were all sitting there reading our free USA Today issues that we got that morning at the hotel. BIG article from Michael Cherthof about how they were going to put RFID tags on all trailers that might possibly be involved in any kind of national disaster or emergency. NO ONE listened to those who were actually on the ground working with these situations on a day to day basis.

 

And when Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast, those RFID tags were totally useless. The East Coast upload station got wiped out in the hurricane. NO COMMUNICATION. If it wasn't for co-ordination via personal contact, there would have been very little food, water or ice and no blankets, sleeping bags, etc. for those who were in dire need. We were in constant contact with Red Cross, Salvation Army and other via a drive to our Bronx office to see what was in our trucks coming in from CA and if it could be used to help people out. We were sure not the only trucking company that was contacted via someone driving to our office or possibly using an undamaged land line to find out what they could help with. Land line calls or personal visits went to a LOT of trucking companies asking for help all over the USA. And our government was trying to track all the ice and water on the trailers with RFID tags but could NOT communicate with them. I personally sent two trailers to the ice house in Brooklyn to wipe out their ice (they had no power-it was going to melt anyway) to get it to people if for no other reason that it was FRESH water in an ice chest.

 

And now you are going to have the same stupid high tech crap that is subject to hack, subject to interruption from something as simple as a major monsoon storm in Phoenix and the jihadists reading the same links that were posted and figuring out ways to get people into the USA (born in the USA citizens), you are fooling yourself.

 

Wake up people!!!! All this tech stuff may be great but unless it is MILITARY GRADE encription (and the government hasn't figured that one out), this crazy scheme is putting our entire country at risk in a lot of ways. JMHO

Edited October 12, 2014 by greatam

[cherylandtk]

The app does not displace the need for an actual passport. All it does is provide an electronic filing of the immigration and customs form in advance of arrival at the CBP window. Thus giving them more time to run your number and picture and the remaining ID information through their system. One still must present your passport to the officer and he gets to ask as many questions as he wants.

 

Perhaps it is poorly named, but I cannot see how it is any less secure than the current system. It seems to be pretty much the same thing as filling in an online cruise Check-In form.

Edited October 12, 2014 by cherylandtk

[greatam]

The app does not displace the need for an actual passport. All it does is provide an electronic filing of the immigration and customs form in advance of arrival at the CBP window. Thus giving them more time to run your number and picture and the remaining ID information through their system. One still must present your passport to the officer and he gets to ask as many questions as he wants.

 

Perhaps it is poorly named, but I cannot see how it is any less secure than the current system. It seems to be pretty much the same thing as filling in an online cruise Check-In form.

 

As I posted, for $1000 you can go over on Alvarado street in LA and get a REAL valid passport under whatever name they have available. So what your name is Joe Blow. And now your REAL passport is John Snow. So how is any of this "mobile passport" more secure? Pretty damn stupid in my book. Sure, it can be scammed with a passport book but if you get to put your own picture in there and your "REAL" passport picture is just close, anyone can get into the USA. They are now SCREAMING about this overseas because of all the ISIS fighters that are USA citizens. Another not so smart idea from our government.

 

I give you just a matter of time before a US cruise ship blows up in the middle of someplace.

[I_heart_vaca]

The app does not displace the need for an actual passport. All it does is provide an electronic filing of the immigration and customs form in advance of arrival at the CBP window. Thus giving them more time to run your number and picture and the remaining ID information through their system. One still must present your passport to the officer and he gets to ask as many questions as he wants.

 

Perhaps it is poorly named, but I cannot see how it is any less secure than the current system. It seems to be pretty much the same thing as filling in an online cruise Check-In form.

 

Agree. You still need an actual Passport. This simply replaces that silly little form they hand out on the plane -- "do you have anything to declare!" :D

 

This seems the natural extension form those new kiosks that do the same thing. You scan your passport, answer the questions and get a receipt. That puts you through customs and then you go on to Immigration -- where you still need to show your passport. Of interest to those freaking out, this only works in YOUR home country. You can't skip and use kiosks if you are foreign. As much as I travel internationally for business, US customs is always just a couple guys taking your word for it when you hand in the form. So this new process is no more, no less secure.

[Underwatr]

I didn't read the entire rant but I'm willing to bet that the "fake" passports don't properly incorporate contactless technology like genuine passports do.

[Worldwide Viking]

Hi,

 

I work on the team that created Mobile Passport, so I thought I'd jump in and clarify a few things:

 

1) You still need a valid, physical passport in your possession.

 

2) As noted above, the app merely replaces the paper declaration form. However, that makes the passport control process MUCH faster for the officer.

 

3) There is a special Mobile Passport Control express lane that is FAST.

 

4) Make sure you enter your FULL name exactly as it is spelled in your passport -- including your middle name if you have one. Double-check what you enter.

 

5) You will not necessarily be able to use the service every time. That's life in 2014, I'm afraid.

 

6) No personally identifiable information (PII) is retained on our servers. Our encryption meets standards set by the intelligence community and US CBP.

 

[As for the long posts about passport security, Mobile Passport is NOT a replacement for the traditional passport. If you are truly interested in how an organized cell would put an operative inside the US, you can go research that topic elsewhere, but it doesn't involve this app.]

 

Happy cruising and safe travels,

WWV

[kebhouse]

Hi,

 

 

 

I work on the team that created Mobile Passport, so I thought I'd jump in and clarify a few things:

 

 

 

1) You still need a valid, physical passport in your possession.

 

 

 

2) As noted above, the app merely replaces the paper declaration form. However, that makes the passport control process MUCH faster for the officer.

 

 

 

3) There is a special Mobile Passport Control express lane that is FAST.

 

 

 

4) Make sure you enter your FULL name exactly as it is spelled in your passport -- including your middle name if you have one. Double-check what you enter.

 

 

 

5) You will not necessarily be able to use the service every time. That's life in 2014, I'm afraid.

 

 

 

6) No personally identifiable information (PII) is retained on our servers. Our encryption meets standards set by the intelligence community and US CBP.

 

 

 

[As for the long posts about passport security, Mobile Passport is NOT a replacement for the traditional passport. If you are truly interested in how an organized cell would put an operative inside the US, you can go research that topic elsewhere, but it doesn't involve this app.]

 

 

 

Happy cruising and safe travels,

 

WWV

 

 

Thanks for sharing! Fortunately most of us here see this as a good thing and not the next step on the fall of the empire. ;). I'm for all for a free app that gives you access to a shorter customs line.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[slidergirl]

I would still be a little wary about sophisticated hackers gaining access to the info on my device, not the CBP's servers. I've stored my passport number, my formal name as it is on the passport, and the expiration date. A hacker with a scanner (if I have my cell on or bluetooth activated or wifi enabled) could snoop specifically for that app and glean that info. They would then have a set of legal information that they could use on faux passports. Those passports wouldn't necessarily be used to fly/cross borders, but they can be used to establish an identity for other reasons.

 

At least it's only on Apple devices (for now). IOS doesn't seem to be prone to hacking like anything Windows is…

 

Since I have GE, this issue is moot for me, but it is still a potential concern. I used to be a software engineer with companies that developed security protocols for the DoD and civi government. So, my wariness comes from experience...

[greatam]

I would still be a little wary about sophisticated hackers gaining access to the info on my device, not the CBP's servers. I've stored my passport number, my formal name as it is on the passport, and the expiration date. A hacker with a scanner (if I have my cell on or bluetooth activated or wifi enabled) could snoop specifically for that app and glean that info. They would then have a set of legal information that they could use on faux passports. Those passports wouldn't necessarily be used to fly/cross borders, but they can be used to establish an identity for other reasons.

 

At least it's only on Apple devices (for now). IOS doesn't seem to be prone to hacking like anything Windows is…

 

Since I have GE, this issue is moot for me, but it is still a potential concern. I used to be a software engineer with companies that developed security protocols for the DoD and civi government. So, my wariness comes from experience...

 

 

I agree 100%. Just too many chances that info gleaned from whatever electronic source can be used in various nefarious ways. There were even contractors in Afghanistan that were hacking CAC (Common Access Cards) which allow you on to various bases AND give the DFAC (dining hall) the right to charge or not charge for meals. About 75% of US government contracts provide meals free of charge-as much and as many times as you want to eat (kind of like a cruise ship). But the other 25% of contractors get charged-about $9.00 per day for BLD. And it comes right out of their paychecks. SO someone figured out how to manipulate the bar codes on the CAC cards and a lot of people got free meals on someone else's CAC card.

 

Where ever there is something electronic and without military grade encryption (the mobile passport uses State Dept encryption which is about 3 steps lower than military secure-TS or TSCI), the chances of someone hacking that info raises exponentially. My dear departed husband held a class 14 (there are only 15 DOE clearances) security clearance from DOE at the USA's largest nuke plant but had to be recleared to work in Kuwait in the TS department he was assigned to work the electrical engineering part of.

 

Call me an alarmist but there are just too many ways that I have seen with my own eyes where things should work one way but because they are electronic, are skewed by someone with bad intentions.

[greatam]

I didn't read the entire rant but I'm willing to bet that the "fake" passports don't properly incorporate contactless technology like genuine passports do.

 

They are REAL passports-just with names that will match up someplace to a database somewhere in the USA. Mostly children who died young but already had a social security number so there is NO info to follow other than the SS number.

[boogs]

They are REAL passports-just with names that will match up someplace to a database somewhere in the USA. Mostly children who died young but already had a social security number so there is NO info to follow other than the SS number.

 

I see two problems with this. Passports have the person's real birth date on the main page and in the government database. How is an adult going to use a passport that has a child's age on it? And what happens when these passports need to be renewed? A passport for a child under 16 needs to be renewed every five years.

Edited October 13, 2014 by boogs

[fortinweb]

It appears that you still need to answer the same questions as on the paper form. Then you have to find a wi-fi connection to connect to the CBP website and submit the data.

 

Not much different than filling in the paper form and submitting it to the passport official with the passport. As far as I can tell, the amount of time saved is minimal to none. Sure, they claim shorter lines for mobile processing, but this is because so few people are using it so far. What happens when more people start using it and now all have to use that single line?

 

Seems like all hype and no substance.

Edited October 13, 2014 by fortinweb

[Underwatr]

Then I suggest that you not use it..

[fortinweb]

Then I suggest that you not use it..

 

What a worthless and condescending comment to make. Too bad you are unable to provide value to this discussion. :rolleyes:

Edited October 13, 2014 by fortinweb