U.S. Department of Justice
Immigration and Naturalization Service

News Release

December 31, 2002

INS to Require Advance Submission of Passenger Data
Effective January 1, 2003, Measure Aims to Enhance National Security

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As part of ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and national security, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) today announced that it will require all commercial carriers to submit detailed passenger manifests to the agency electronically before an aircraft or vessel arrives in or departs from the United States. 

The program, mandated by Congress in the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002, will be implemented on January 1, 2003.  Section 402 of the Act requires the submission of Advanced Passenger Information (API) on all temporary foreign visitors. 

Passenger information that must be submitted in advance includes: complete name; date of birth; citizenship; sex; passport number and country of issuance; country of residence; U.S. visa number, date and place of issuance (where applicable); alien registration number (where applicable); address while in the United States; and such other information the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Treasury, determines as being necessary.

The advance submission requirement will help INS verify the identities of individuals being transported, while ensuring enforcement of U.S. immigration laws.

A proposed rule implementing the new passenger manifest requirements is on display at the Federal Register and will be published on January 3.  After the 30-day comment period, INS will work quickly to finalize the rule.

-INS-

© 1999-2012, Jackson & Hertogs - All rights reserved