The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Private Aircraft Preclearance allows the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to screen travelers before takeoff through essentially the same process a traveler would undergo upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry. Passengers that go through preclearance will not need to undergo additional inspection upon arrival in the U.S.
Following preclearance inspection, private aircraft may land at one of over 200 U.S. airports capable of handling and processing international garbage as required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
To utilize preclearance, operators must follow these seven steps:
- Request for services
- APIS submission
- Appointment confirmation/notifications
- Preclearance services performed
- Flight closeout and departure
- Departure notifications
- Flight arrival in U.S. at approved airport
For more information on the CBP preclearance process, review the following resources.
- Preclearance Procedures
- U.S. Airports Able to Accept Pre-Cleared Aircraft
- NBAA APIS Transmission Service
Other Resources
See CPB’s website for a list of overseas Preclearance Sites
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.