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United States border preclearance

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The United States maintains border preclearance facilities at a number of ports and airports in foreign countries. In Canada, US Border Preclearance is also known by its French name, Prédédouanement. Operated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service, travellers pass through U.S. immigration, customs, public health, and Department of Agriculture inspections before boarding their aircraft, ship or train. This process is intended to streamline border procedures, and to reduce congestion at border posts inside the U.S. When travellers from a preclearance port arrive in the U.S. they do so as domestic travellers (and are not subject to further inspections).

Preclearance is particularly beneficial to those who have an ongoing connection (such as a connecting flight), as there is no risk of border delays causing them to miss their connection. (A corresponding drawback, however, is that a delay in preclearance could cause the passenger to miss the outbound flight.) Air travellers with further connections have their baggage checked through to their destination; without preclearance the baggage would have to be collected prior to customs inspection and then checked-in for the subsequent flight.

Preclearance applies to U.S. citizens and to citizens of other countries. As the U.S. requires those in transit through the U.S to pass through U.S. immigration (unlike many other countries, which permit airside transfers), preclearance also applies to transit passengers.

These facilities exist because of agreements made between the U.S. Federal Government and the government of the host country. Travellers who have passed through the U.S. Government checks, but whose flight or ship has not departed, remain in the legal jurisdiction of the host country. Although U.S. officials may question and search travellers, they do not have powers of arrest (either for customs or immigration violations, or for the execution of outstanding warrants). Local criminal laws apply, and are enforced by local officials. Notable exceptions are the U.S. territories, such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, where travelers to the United States are required to pass through U.S. immigration, customs and Department of Agriculture, but because of the territory's American status, still remain under American legal jurisdiction.

To someone who does not have prior knowledge of this program, it may be puzzling to see an entry stamp from US Immigration with a city outside the United States.

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Informal preclearance arrangements between the U.S. and Canada began at Toronto in 1952, following a request from American Airlines. This was extended and formalized with Canada's passage of the Air Transport Preclearance Act passed by the Canadian House of Commons in 1974, the [1999 Preclearance Act (Bill S-22)] and with the 2001 Canada-U.S. Agreement on Air Transport Preclearance. The following Canadian airports operate U.S. preclearance facilities:

In December 2004, the U.S. approved Halifax International Airport for Customs preclearance, to be initiated upon completion of the airport's expansion project.[link]. This facility was slated to be opened in early 2006; delays in the renovations will cause it to actually open in October of 2006.

One major advantage to the U.S. of preclearance is that it permits airlines to operate flights between Canadian airports and many U.S. domestic destinations which therefore do not need to have the Customs and Immigration facilities to handle transborder flights.

The U.S. operates a preclearance post at Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) for Amtrak Cascades rail service between Vancouver and Seattle.

The U.S. operates a preclearance post at the port of Victoria. This is particularly valuable to travellers using cruise liners which visit Alaska and the west coast of Canada.

Informal preclearance with Bermuda began in 1960. The Bahamas and the U.S. signed a treaty in June 1974 formalizing the process.

The U.S. and Ireland entered into a [preclearance arrangement] in 1986. Only immigration checks are performed, with customs and agriculture inspections still done on arrival in the U.S. — therefore passengers from Ireland must still land at international terminals.

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