dptraveller

I couldn't see that this had been posted yet...14 APC kiosks at T7


Improvements to Immigration at JFK Terminal 7

30 Jun, 2016

We will be installing 14 APC kiosks, which will be live at JFK Terminal 7 from mid-July 2016.

Further improvements to the immigration process at JFK’s Terminal 7 are just around the corner, thanks to the upcoming arrival of new technology that will cut queuing times.

The kiosks can be used by any customer travelling on a U.S. or Canadian passport, the ESTA visa waiver programme, or a B1/B2 tourist visa (those travelling with an ESTA or on a B1/B2 tourist visa need to have entered the U.S. at least once since 2008).

The new technology, Automated Passport Control (APC), has been developed by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and is available at a number of airports across the country, where it has proven to expedite travel through immigration, and greatly enhance the customer experience, even for non-APC users.

Eligible customers no longer need to fill out a paper customs form, they simply proceed directly to an APC kiosk. They are then prompted to scan their passport, take a photograph, and answer a series of customs related questions (similar to those on the paper form). Once customers have done this, a receipt will be issued. They then bring their passport and receipt to a CBP officer to finalize their inspection for entry into the U.S.

The kiosks allow people living at the same address to be processed together, so families will be able to complete the transaction at a single machine.

aidy

sounds great, i was looking at some TATL flights in Aug avoiding T7, now i can plan these in if the queues will be sorted

sebanto2001

Sounds really great! Finally those time saving machines in T7! I just wonder were the APC will be installed since the area is quite cramped already.

ENTP

Maybe they've heard the poor sods down the back will only be getting fed once and are expediting their passage to nourishment 😛

vibguy

Good news, but I will still fly AA and use T8 (has already APC's) when connecting with AA. Immigration is very fluid at T8 and recently I had some bad T7-T8 transfers due to the Skytrain being out of service with long lines and wait times for the replacement bus service between T7 and T8.

A P Yu

Error post sprry

JMurray

This is very good news, in my experience (LAX, JFK T8 etc..) the kiosks seem to have a pretty dramatic impact on the queuing times.

About time though.

TravellerFrequently

Too late for my. next JFK arrival unfortunately, but sounds like a good idea.

darthlemsip

Typical, I went for GE because I frequently come into T7 and have experienced the full range of horrors one can face there.

KARFA

GE is still much better than APC. I think for APC you still need to see an immigration office and have your passport stamps, whereas with GE you just walk straight through the bank of CBP desks and hand your printed form in at the customs check post bag collection.

TimmyD

I'm not sure this new system is all its cracked up to be based on experience at DFW a few weeks ago. They key point is you queue to use the machines, get a printout, and then get sent to queue for an agent. So actually two sets of queuing rather than one. It took me well over an hour and I missed my connecting flight. I wished I'd simply joined the queue for non-eligible pax (i.e. those without estas) as that would have been much quicker.

darthlemsip

Oh indeed, just the irony of it. Though I guess these had to come in now BA are staying at T7

homeward bound

With GE at T7 do you have to join the same queue as all those using the APC kiosks or is there a separate queue for GE kiosks?

Beaulieu

There's a separate queue for GE (last Saturday you vaguely crossed through the APC queue - but it is very much a distinctly separate queue).

KARFA

No. it's completely separate queue. Basically follow the GE signs.