There is a free alternative to Global Entry. It requires no background check, no interview, and no annual fee. Most travelers standing in the customs line have no idea it exists.

It is free, it is official, and it is built by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The reason most people have never heard of it is not because it does not work. It is because no one tells them to use it.

It is called Mobile Passport Control (MPC), and the question is not whether it is worth using. It is free. Of course it is worth using.

The real question is whether it is good enough to skip Global Entry. For some travelers, the answer is yes. For most, it is not. This page tells you exactly where the line is.

Most people only learn about this after they have already waited in a customs line they could have skipped. Five minutes earlier, and they would not be standing there.

For a full breakdown of every airport security program, including CLEAR, TSA PreCheck, NEXUS, and SENTRI → Airport Security Programs: CLEAR vs TSA PreCheck vs Global Entry (What Actually Saves Time)

If You Only Have 10 Seconds

• Never used MPC: download it now before your next international trip. This takes five minutes and immediately changes how you go through customs.
• MPC is your only program and you fly internationally once or twice a year: it is enough for now. Download it if you have not.
• MPC is your only program and you fly internationally 2+ times a year: use MPC until your Global Entry comes through. Apply today.
• Already have Global Entry: do not bother with MPC. Global Entry already covers customs faster and more consistently.

Mobile Passport Control is the best free move available for international travelers. But free and best are not the same thing. Here is the difference.

How Mobile Passport Control Actually Works

Mobile Passport Control is a free CBP app that lets you submit your passport information and customs declaration before you land. After landing, instead of joining the standard officer queue at customs, you use a separate MPC lane. An officer reviews your app submission and clears you. 

MPC is faster than the standard line but still involves officer review. It is not as fast as Global Entry kiosks, which process you without a queue. MPC is available at around 30 U.S. airports. Confirm availability at your arrival airport before your trip.

The setup is simple and the whole thing runs through an official CBP app. Here is exactly how it works:

1. Download the Mobile Passport Control app (free on iOS and Android). Confirm the current correct app name and download source at cbp.gov before your trip, as the app has had different names and homes over time.
2. Create a profile and enter your passport information.
3. On your flight home, open the app and answer the customs declaration questions.
4. Submit your declaration. The app generates a QR code receipt.
5. After landing, follow signs to the MPC lane, which is separate from the standard officer queue and the Global Entry kiosk area at participating airports.
6. Show your QR code receipt and passport to the officer. They review and clear you.

The entire setup takes about five minutes the first time. Each subsequent trip takes about two minutes to submit your declaration in-flight.

Who Can Use Mobile Passport Control?

MPC is available to U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and certain categories of visa holders including B1/B2 visitors. Canadian citizens are also eligible at participating airports.

Global Entry is limited to U.S. citizens and LPRs, plus citizens of certain trusted traveler partner countries.

MPC actually has broader eligibility than Global Entry, which makes it useful for international travelers who cannot qualify for Global Entry.

Confirm current eligibility requirements at cbp.gov before publishing. Rules have changed and may change again.

Mobile Passport Control vs Global Entry: Head-to-Head

Last updated: April 2026. Fees and program details change. Verify before booking.

When MPC Is Enough (And When It Is Not)

Mobile Passport Control is enough if you fly internationally once or twice a year and your arrival airports are on the MPC list.

MPC is not enough if you fly internationally two or more times a year, if your arrival airport does not have MPC, or if you want the TSA PreCheck inclusion that comes with Global Entry.

Here is the upgrade math: Global Entry costs $120 for five years. That is $24 a year, or about $2 a month. If you fly internationally twice a year, you are saving 45 to 90 minutes at customs on each return trip. Per trip, the value of Global Entry is not close to $2.

Which One Fits Your Situation?

If you are ready to move from MPC to Global Entry, see if Global Entry is worth it for your trips → Global Entry vs TSA PreCheck: What Is The Difference (And Which Should You Get?)

The One Problem With Mobile Passport Control (The Honest Version)

This is the section most MPC guides skip. The variability problem is real, and you should know about it before you count on MPC to save you time.

Mobile Passport Control’s biggest weakness is not its speed when everything works. It is the inconsistency of the MPC lane itself.

MPC Lane Staffing Varies. At some airports during some arrival windows, the MPC lane is nearly empty and moves faster than the Global Entry kiosk line. At other airports, the MPC lane is understaffed and backed up. You cannot know which situation you are walking into.

MPC Availability Is Airport-Dependent. At around 30 U.S. airports, MPC lanes exist. At airports where MPC is not available, the app is useless regardless of how carefully you filled out your declaration in-flight. Global Entry works at every major U.S. port of entry without exception.

MPC Still Involves Officer Review. Global Entry kiosks process you automatically. MPC requires an officer to look at your app submission and clear you. In peak arrival periods when officers are stretched thin, this creates a queue even in the MPC lane.

Here is what MPC looks like on a good day: empty lane, quick officer glance, done in three minutes.

On a good day, MPC feels like a shortcut. On a bad day, it feels like a shorter version of the same line.

Here is what MPC looks like on a bad day: eight people ahead of you in the MPC lane, one officer working it, and the Global Entry kiosk line moving faster next door.

Global Entry does not have bad days in the same way. The kiosk is always there. The process does not change.

Which Airports Have Mobile Passport Control?

Mobile Passport Control availability shifts over time. Confirm current participating airports at cbp.gov before any international trip. Do not assume your arrival airport has MPC just because it did last time.

Airport coverage is the biggest reason MPC breaks down. If your airport does not support it, the app does nothing.

Using Mobile Passport Control While You Wait For Global Entry

If you have applied for Global Entry and are waiting for approval, this section is for you.

Global Entry applications can take 3 to 6 months from start to conditional approval, and scheduling the in-person interview can add more time on top of that. That is a long window to keep using the standard customs line when you do not have to.

Download MPC and use it on every international return until your Global Entry comes through. It is the best free option in that waiting period, and it costs you nothing to set up.

MPC is the most useful program for the exact window between deciding to get Global Entry and actually having it.

Once your Global Entry is approved and your Known Traveler Number is active, MPC becomes redundant. You stop thinking about it, because the kiosk is faster and it is always there.

The Real Reason People Stay On MPC Longer Than They Should

Most people who use Mobile Passport Control and never upgrade to Global Entry are not doing it because MPC is good enough. They are doing it because they think they have to pay $120 out of pocket.

Many do not.

• Global Entry ($120 for 5 years): Covered as a statement credit by the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, American Express Platinum Card®, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Citi Strata Elite℠ Card, and a growing number of other premium travel cards.

If your card covers the fee, Global Entry is not a $120 decision. It is a zero-dollar decision with a twenty-minute application. 

See the cards that cover the Global Entry fee in full →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mobile Passport Control Free?

Yes. MPC is completely free. There is no enrollment fee, no annual fee, and no renewal. Download the app, set up your profile, and use it on every international return.

Is Mobile Passport Control Faster Than Global Entry?

No. Global Entry is faster. Global Entry uses a dedicated kiosk that processes you without entering an officer queue. Mobile Passport Control still requires officer review of your app submission, which adds time, especially during peak arrival periods. 

That said, MPC is consistently faster than the standard immigration line. At airports where MPC is available and the lane is properly staffed, it can cut customs wait times significantly. The practical difference: Global Entry is reliably fast. MPC is usually fast. For occasional travelers, MPC is good enough. For frequent international travelers, Global Entry is the upgrade that matters.

Does Mobile Passport Control Replace Global Entry?

No. MPC speeds up customs on return from international travel by giving you a separate lane. Global Entry does the same thing through a dedicated kiosk, plus includes TSA PreCheck for departure security. If you have Global Entry, MPC adds nothing. Global Entry already handles customs faster and more consistently. If you do not have Global Entry, MPC is the best free alternative available while you decide whether to apply.

Can I Use Mobile Passport Control If I Have Global Entry?

Technically yes, but there is no reason to. Global Entry already clears you faster through a dedicated kiosk. Adding MPC on top of Global Entry gains you nothing. Once you have Global Entry, you stop thinking about MPC entirely.

How Long Does Mobile Passport Control Take At Customs?

On a good day, 2 to 5 minutes in the MPC lane. On a bad day, longer than that if the lane is understaffed or backed up. It is faster than the standard line in almost all conditions, but the time savings vary by airport, terminal, and arrival window. Global Entry is more predictable: under two minutes in most cases, based on peak-hour conditions at major U.S. entry airports.

Which Airports Have Mobile Passport Control?

MPC is available at approximately 30 U.S. airports, including most major international entry points like New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Chicago (ORD), Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), and San Francisco (SFO). Availability at smaller airports varies. Confirm current participating airports at cbp.gov before your trip. Airport coverage is the biggest variable in MPC’s usefulness.

Is Mobile Passport Control Worth It?

Yes, unconditionally. It is free, it takes five minutes to set up, and it is faster than the standard customs line at every airport where it is available. The only question is whether it is enough on its own, and the answer depends on how often you fly internationally. Once or twice a year with MPC-compatible airports: probably enough. More than that: upgrade to Global Entry.

Final Thoughts

If you do not have Mobile Passport Control, download it before your next international trip. It is free and takes five minutes. If you fly internationally more than twice a year, that download should also be the moment you open a Global Entry application.

Mobile Passport Control is the best free move in airport security. Global Entry is the best move, period.

Kevin Zanes