When returning to the USA, it is important to determine what the rules are of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) port that you plan to use to re-enter the USA.

Each port has its own unique requirements that range from no prior notification required other than filing eAPIS to calling prior to arrivial EVEN IF you will be exactly on time with what you provided in your eAPIS. One reason for requiring prior notification that is often quoted by ports is for staffing. CBP officers and local ATC prefer to avoid congested ramps so prior notification allows the officers to either ask the pilot to arrive at a different time or to call their supervisor for maore staffing. I can tell you from experience, it is no fun to be sitting out on the ramp for extended periods in the sun (or pouring rain) waiting for your turn to come up to go inside the CBP building for processing.

Unfortunately, some pilots who have been used to using a port that did not require prior notification have had unpleasant experiences when they decided to enter that DID require notification and they failed to notify. Usually, the first violation will result in a written warning that goes on your record, the second violation results in a penalty action.

Therefore, the important thing is to contact the port to determine what their policy is and to ensure that you comply. Remember, port policies can change so do not assume that what worked before may still be the case.

In our case, we contact the port the day prior to flight to advise of our arrival and then again the day of the flight right before departure to either confirm our arrival time or to update it. The following a re telephone numbers for some of the popular ports of entry into the USA for your referenece.

San Diego, CA (Brown Field) (KSDM) (619) 661-3294
Calexico, CA (KCXL) (760) 357-1208
Tucson, AZ (KTUS) (520) 799-8348:
McAllen, TX (KMFE) (956) 682-2331:
Laredo, TX (KLRD) (956) 791-5706:
Brownsville, TX (KBRO) (956) 542-8296
Key West, FL (KEYW) (305) 296-5411:
Miami/Opa-Locka, FL (KOPF) (305) 687-5475:
Miami/Kendall/Tamiami, FL (KTMB) (305) 969-1576
Fort Lauderdale Executive, FL (KFXE) (954) 356-7412
Fort Pierce, FL (KFPR) (772) 461-1733

Last edited by Rick; 01/31/13 03:39 PM.
Rick Gardner
Caribbean Sky Tours