Taiwan Applies For US Pre-Clearance Facility

Taipei Taoyuan Worldwide Airport in Taiwan could possibly turn into the 1st airport in Asia-Pacific to get a US Pre-Clearance facility.

Taipei Taoyuan could get US Pre-Clearance facility

It is getting reported that Taiwan has applied to offer a US Pre-Clearance facility, providing US immigration screening right before travellers board US-certain flights.

US Homeland Stability Secretary Chad Wolf discovered this all through a virtual party previously this 7 days, stating that the US is on the lookout at Taiwan’s application. If authorized, Taipei Taoyuan Airport would be the to start with in the region to have these a facility.

The ask for for these kinds of a facility was initially submitted back in September, however as you’d be expecting all the things is relocating a bit slower appropriate now due to coronavirus.

For context, Taipei Taoyuan has nonstop flights to the US on China Airlines, EVA Air, and United Airlines, and as of 2022 we can also anticipate nonstop flights on Starlux Airways.

China Airways operates various routes to the US

It’s important to be aware that just since an application has been filed doesn’t necessarily mean this will in fact take place. In the previous each Hong Kong Worldwide Airport and Seoul Incheon Intercontinental Airport used for these types of amenities, but finally deserted the plans due to logistical worries, as perfectly as the potentially diminished product sales at duty-absolutely free retailers.

Other airports have options for these services as very well, ranging from Bogota to Brussels.

Taipei Taoyuan Airport might get a US Pre-Clearance facility

What accurately is a US Pre-Clearance facility?

For all those of you not acquainted with US Pre-Clearance services, the way this functions is that US-bound air passengers obvious immigration prior to boarding their flight to the United States.

As someone with World wide Entry I selfishly really don’t love the strategy, given that immigration on arrival requires me a several minutes at most. Having said that, I have an understanding of the notion in principle:

  • Some US airports have long immigration wait times, so this could lessen some of the burden on US immigration amenities
  • It’s a way of screening higher chance passengers prior to they board flights to the US, which in idea tends to make a lot more feeling than screening them upon arrival
  • The US is 1 of the number of countries in the planet without a sterile international transit facility this indicates you have to crystal clear US immigration even if you’re only making an worldwide-to-international connection in the US (almost all other nations permit travellers connecting internationally to remain in transit without clearing immigration)

Airports look to look at these facilities as a aggressive gain, marketing it as a way to have a more seamless vacation. Having said that, in fact these services can usually guide to flight delays. If a person desires to go into secondary inspection, then either the airplane will be delayed for them or their baggage will be offloaded, the two of which can be time consuming.

Dublin Airport US Pre-Clearance facility

Base line

Taiwan has submitted an application for Taipei Taoyuan Airport to get a US Pre-Clearance facility. Only time will notify if this actually will come to fruition, as we have seen all kinds of airports state their intent to get a single of these services, only for it not to occur.

Individually I’m not a fan of the US Pre-Clearance technique, so I hope this does not take place. With options like International Entry and Cellular Passport, several of the agony-factors of the immigration method can be minimized. That getting said, I recognize that some folks come to feel differently.

Would you like to see TPE get a US Pre-Clearance facility?

(Idea of the hat to Curtis)