OREANDA-NEWS. Miami International Airport's automated passport control (APC) kiosks, which have cut wait times by 40 percent for U.S. citizens since last November, are now available to travelers from the 38 countries participating in the U.S. Department of State's Visa Waiver Program (VWP). APC technology allows travelers arriving at MIA from abroad to have their passports processed in less than two minutes via a self-service APC kiosk instead of waiting in line for a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer.  MIA is one of the first U.S. airports to provide APC kiosks to eligible travelers from VWP countries.

Of the 38 VWP countries, MIA offers direct service to 10: Belgium; Chile; France; Germany; Italy; the Netherlands; Portugal; Spain; Switzerland; and the United Kingdom. The Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) purchased and installed 36 APC kiosks in MIA's North Terminal last November at a total cost of \\$3.5 million. Thirty kiosks currently serve passengers arriving at concourses D, E and F, and six kiosks have been relocated and installed in MIA's South Terminal to process passengers from concourses H and J beginning in July. The airport plans to purchase and install an additional 36 kiosks by the end of the year.

"We project that 6,000 more passengers per day will receive expedited passport screening at MIA now that travelers from VWP countries are able to use our self-service kiosks," said MDAD Director Emilio T. Gonzalez. "We look forward to soon doubling our number of kiosks, gaining approval from CBP to process legal permanent residents, and further improving the arrival and connection experience at MIA."