You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin from News Talks ATB Travel with Wendy wo Tours Where the World Is Yours?

You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin from News Talks ATB Travel with Wendy wo Tours Where the World Is Yours?

Book now and do join me now to talk travel.

Book now and do join me now to talk travel.

Megan Singleton, good morning, Good morning, Francesca. So, if our listeners have been listening over the last couple of weeks, they know, we'll know that you have been in the US and on this trip you discovered this wonderful little tip or trick for getting through US.

Megan Singleton, good morning, Good morning, Francesca. So, if our listeners have been listening over the last couple of weeks, they know, we'll know that you have been in the US and on this trip you discovered this wonderful little tip or trick for getting through US.

What is it customs customs? Yeah, yeah, expediting through. Yes, it's the MPC app. So that sounds for Mobile Passport Control and it's been around since twenty sixteen for visa waiver countries. Cannot believe no one's told me about this before now, And so you download it onto your phone, You fill it in with your passport details and the airport that you're going to arrive into. Then you do nothing. You get on the plane, you arrive, you turn your phone back on and the next screen says are you here sort of thing? You go yes, You hit the yes button submit that asks you to take a selfie. So my husband and I did this in line at Houston Airport, we're like, yep, selfie, selfie. So now that knows that you're on US territory, you've got up to four hours now to find the MPC line at the customs. We found it in thirty seconds and we were through in four minutes. So it's a line for US citizens, Canadians, residents. I think of the US and Visa way for countries amazing, and that's US, that's US, and it's in fifty one airports, so it's great for all kiwis like Houston, we'll be using it in San Francisco, Los Angeles, all the airports that we go into. You just need to look for that MPC line and off you go. Okay, wait for transiting.

What is it customs customs? Yeah, yeah, expediting through. Yes, it's the MPC app. So that sounds for Mobile Passport Control and it's been around since twenty sixteen for visa waiver countries. Cannot believe no one's told me about this before now, And so you download it onto your phone, You fill it in with your passport details and the airport that you're going to arrive into. Then you do nothing. You get on the plane, you arrive, you turn your phone back on and the next screen says are you here sort of thing? You go yes, You hit the yes button submit that asks you to take a selfie. So my husband and I did this in line at Houston Airport, we're like, yep, selfie, selfie. So now that knows that you're on US territory, you've got up to four hours now to find the MPC line at the customs. We found it in thirty seconds and we were through in four minutes. So it's a line for US citizens, Canadians, residents. I think of the US and Visa way for countries amazing, and that's US, that's US, and it's in fifty one airports, so it's great for all kiwis like Houston, we'll be using it in San Francisco, Los Angeles, all the airports that we go into. You just need to look for that MPC line and off you go. Okay, wait for transiting.

That, yeah, because you don't want to be wasting time. You might just be needing to get to that next flight, right.

That, yeah, because you don't want to be wasting time. You might just be needing to get to that next flight, right.

Yeah. Well you've got to clear your bags too, because when we arrive into you know, US International Airport, you've got to clear your bags, whether you're whipping down to Mexico or heading off to New Orleans anyway. So if you've only got a two hour turnaround, this MPC line is going to be amazing.

Yeah. Well you've got to clear your bags too, because when we arrive into you know, US International Airport, you've got to clear your bags, whether you're whipping down to Mexico or heading off to New Orleans anyway. So if you've only got a two hour turnaround, this MPC line is going to be amazing.

So how long is it time consuming getting it set up and filling in the information and things.

So how long is it time consuming getting it set up and filling in the information and things.

No, just a few minutes. In fact, I was telling a lady about it on the plane as we just after we touched down in Houston. She didn't know anything about it. So after we'd touchdown she had Wi FI reception, she downloaded it on the spot, put her passport details in. She was ready to go with her selfie and she was through with us.

No, just a few minutes. In fact, I was telling a lady about it on the plane as we just after we touched down in Houston. She didn't know anything about it. So after we'd touchdown she had Wi FI reception, she downloaded it on the spot, put her passport details in. She was ready to go with her selfie and she was through with us.

Amazing. And when you head through the line, did this this line that you whip through? What happens in that line?

Amazing. And when you head through the line, did this this line that you whip through? What happens in that line?

So it's just the normal line. So you go up to a customs officer, you have to maybe have a photo taken. We didn't have to do our fingerprints, I think because once you've been a few times, they can do photo ID now. So we went through normally. But it was just a shorter line that didn't include its citizens from all around the world.

So it's just the normal line. So you go up to a customs officer, you have to maybe have a photo taken. We didn't have to do our fingerprints, I think because once you've been a few times, they can do photo ID now. So we went through normally. But it was just a shorter line that didn't include its citizens from all around the world.

Okay, And so if you were a first time visitor to the United States, could it be a little bit more complicated? Do you think?

Okay, And so if you were a first time visitor to the United States, could it be a little bit more complicated? Do you think?

Well?

Well?

I think you just have to do your fingerprints as well as your face. I don't think first timers would notice any different. It's just a shorter lane. Like excluding people that aren't from Feza waiver countries, which is all of South America, all of Asia. They're excluded, you see. So that's why these lines are a bit shorter.

I think you just have to do your fingerprints as well as your face. I don't think first timers would notice any different. It's just a shorter lane. Like excluding people that aren't from Feza waiver countries, which is all of South America, all of Asia. They're excluded, you see. So that's why these lines are a bit shorter.

How good is that? Are always learning, Megan?

How good is that? Are always learning, Megan?

Right? That's right.

Right? That's right.

Anything else that you picked up on this in this trip that you sort of had a little a har moment when it came to making travel easier.

Anything else that you picked up on this in this trip that you sort of had a little a har moment when it came to making travel easier.

Probably wear a mask on the plane so you don't catch a cold.

Probably wear a mask on the plane so you don't catch a cold.

Yeah, as long as that's on the way home though, right, that's exactly Meghan. Good to talk to you. You've got all that in a blog up at Blogger at Large.

Yeah, as long as that's on the way home though, right, that's exactly Meghan. Good to talk to you. You've got all that in a blog up at Blogger at Large.

I do. And are we talking to you from Mexico next week? Oh?

I do. And are we talking to you from Mexico next week? Oh?

How wonderful. I can't wait. Je I'm getting good of a pomo from this travel segment, Meghan. But travel safe and we will talk next week.

How wonderful. I can't wait. Je I'm getting good of a pomo from this travel segment, Meghan. But travel safe and we will talk next week.

For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudgin, listen live to News Talks. It'd be from nine am Sunday, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.

For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudgin, listen live to News Talks. It'd be from nine am Sunday, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.