CHICAGO— U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Midway International Airport (MDW) are encouraging travelers to use the Global Entry Facial Recognition capabilities during their next flight.
Global Entry is a program in which travelers volunteer to provide personally identifiable information and consent to CBP security vetting in return for expedited processing at U.S. airports and Preclearance locations. Participation in the program is open to U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents as well as the citizens of 12 other countries. Citizens and residents of Canada who are NEXUS members are eligible to receive Global Entry benefits.
When Global Entry members approach a kiosk with facial comparison capability, they will pause for a photo just as they do at existing kiosks. CBP will use biometric facial comparison technology to match the new photo against images that the member has already voluntarily provided to the government, such as passport and Global Entry enrollment photos. The kiosk will inform the traveler how to proceed, based on the results of the matching process.
Global Entry members will not be required to swipe their passports or submit fingerprints when using new or upgraded Global Entry kiosks. However, CBP will continue to require prospective members to provide passport information and fingerprints to CBP when applying to the program.
CBP is not creating a new inspection requirement or collecting new information through this process. The new process will only apply to Global Entry members and NEXUS members who receive Global Entry benefits. Global Entry and NEXUS are voluntary programs.
“The facial recognition software is a secure process that will enhance the customers experience while traveling,” said LaFonda Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago. “I would encourage all travelers to take advantage of this technology to speed up their arrival process when traveling to the U.S.”
CBP takes its privacy obligations very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the privacy of all travelers. CBP has employed strong technical security safeguards and has limited the amount of personally identifiable information used in the new biometric process.
If for some reason the system cannot match the Global Entry member to an image on record, the system will simply revert to the existing process. The traveler would be prompted to swipe his/her passport and submit his/her fingerprints.
More information about measures that CBP is taking to protect traveler privacy can be found at: https://www.dhs.gov/publication/global-enrollment-system-ges.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.