Average Airport Processing Wait at Primary : 43 Minutes
Posted May 14, 2004

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reports that the average waiting time at primary inspection at various airports in the United States is 43 minutes. The fastest airports report times of slightly more than 30 minutes. The longest waiting time reported was at the Miami International Airport, with a waiting time slightly more than one hour. We at The Law Office of Sheela Murthy want to share this interesting information with our readers, particularly since many of you tend to travel on business or visit family and friends abroad during the summer. Whenever a person (including a U.S. citizen) travels abroad and reenters the United States, that person must be processed through the U.S. immigration system.

Primary inspection affects an overwhelming majority of travelers. These timeframes do not apply to those who are asked to go into a separate room or waiting area for secondary inspection. The times apply only to those who are processed by a CBP Inspector at the initial point of inspection for immigration after getting off the airplane. Persons whom the CBP Inspector determines need further questioning will be referred to secondary inspection. This process can take much longer, depending upon the complexity of the issues, and can be several hours or days. Sometimes, secondary inspection may also involve overnight detention in those cases where the CBP Inspector deems that the person should be subject to expedited removal from the United States based on improper documents or potential attempted fraud or misrepresentation in entering the U.S.

The CBP provides this information to the public on their website. They also provide information on the waiting times at the various land borders, both for commercial and passenger vehicles. This information should be helpful for MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers traveling abroad this summer.