I contacted the Washington Post after they did a story on Mobile Passport and let the reporter know about the issue at Dulles. She reached out to MWAA and received the following response:

Dulles Airport did have automated passport control kiosks (APC) and up until recently, we had the Mobile Passport Control app (MPC) for U.S and Canadian citizens. We have removed these options at the request of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). They have chosen to implement a newer technology using 100% biometric entry at Dulles International Airport, which means that all travelers will have their likeness compared to passport photos on record during the admissions process. We were informed that it would be significantly quicker to process travelers using biometric entry than Mobile Passport Control, which reduces wait times for all travelers.

We have not fully seen that result and have asked CBP to allow Mobile Passport as an option again. Recently, we were notified they will bring back Mobile Passport (MPC); however, we haven't been provided a date yet for re-implementation. MPC will surely speed up the arrivals process for all U.S. and Canadian Citizens; and improve the flow of our visitors queue as well.

We greatly appreciate all feedback from our customers and we look forward to the opportunity to welcome you to a much better experience on your next visit.


Airport Operations/Passenger Services Division
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority