Originally Posted by
greentips
I think this is part of the rationale requiring everyone to have a passport under the "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative."
APIS has been for much longer; in fact, APIS was around before 9/11/01 though its use before then was voluntary. Sometime between 2002 and 2004 it was fully implimented for commercial air carriers. Since then it has been extended to more and more modes of transborder travel as you note.
Originally Posted by
greentips
It is one more way that DHS and its subsidiary agencies can keep track of U.S. citizens and others who wish to leave or enter the country. It amounts to an exit visa.
That is one way to look at it.
Originally Posted by
greentips
Nappy has publicly stated she is planning to expand this to pleasure boats in the future.
Where can I find one of these pleasure boats?
Originally Posted by
RichardKenner
As I understand it, SecureFlight data is a subset of APIS data (with the possible exception of redress number), so if you provide APIS data, you've provided SecureFlight data.
Sort of-- the API data is sent through APIS to CBP whereas the SecureFlight data is sent to the TSA (to the TSC, I believe). The airlines might co-mingle the data in their internal systems but, as far as our government is concerned, they are two completely separate things.
Originally Posted by
colmc
I believe any flight that passes through US airspace must provide it.
Every flight that passes over US airspace is subject to SecureFlight-- I believe APIS is not part of the deal unless the flight arrives or departs from the US since it is for CBP.