Facial recognition technology goes live at Honolulu’s airport as part of federal program

U.S. Customs and Border Protection launch facial recognition program to identify travelers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection launch facial recognition program to identify travelers.(U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Updated: May. 4, 2021 at 6:03 PM HST
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HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Honolulu’s airport is using facial recognition technology to check the identities of travelers arriving internationally.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched the Simplified Arrival Program to provide a “secure, touchless travel experience” to biometrically record the entry and exit of non-U.S. citizens.

CBP said the Simplified Arrival program streamlines the international arrival process by comparing a photo taken by the system to high-quality images, such as passport and visa photos, that the traveler has provided to the government.

The agency said the comparison takes seconds and is more than 98% accurate.

Officials said the new program may eliminate the need for foreign travelers who have traveled to the United States in the past to provide fingerprints.

If a traveler cannot be matched to a photo on record using Simplified Arrival, CBP said the traveler must follow the traditional inspection process for entry into the United States.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation said the new system will replace the Automated Passport Control Kiosks, which have been in place since 2016.

Travelers also have the opportunity to opt out of this program, but they must have their ID checked manually.

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