Getting through Customs at Miami International Airport can be long and painful. But now there's a tool that can make the process a bit less chaotic.
MIA is the second busiest international airport in the country, serving 10.6 million international passengers yearly.
But a brand new app, authorized by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, is helping passengers to bypass the cluster of chaos.
"Passengers can bypass those lines and go directly to a CBP officer," said Port Authority Director Emilio Gonzalez.
You can download the Mobile Passport app on your smartphone or tablet. As soon as your flight lands, or while you're waiting around at the airport, you input your trip and personal information and send it to Border Patrol for review. Security and privacy issues are of no concern because of high tech security systems.
"The information is encrypted when it's sent to the CBP. It is very safe and secure system," said Border Patrol Airport Director Chris Maston.
Darrel Ray, a passenger from Tallahassee, is in and out of the country frequently for government work. The lines at Customs are his biggest complaint.
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"I just came from the UK and I had to get checked like three times," he said.
Ray downloaded the app, punched in his information, and sent it directly to Border Patrol.
"You get a response back from CBP within seconds," Maston said. "It's essentially a bar code receipt on your device."
Ray zipped past the line, swiped his bar code, showed his hard copy passport, and was on his way.
"This is a lot easier for me," he said. "I also sometimes travel with my family, so I would rather be able to walk through and not have to deal with the monstrosity we have right now."
The app also allows you to add 11 other profiles, making it easier and faster to travel with your family.
It's just the one of the newest gizmos making MIA one of the most technologically advanced airports in the country.
