CBP Opens Nogales Sentri Enrollment Office

Dedicated Commuter Lane to Open in Spring 2006 NOGALES For low-risk border crossers who want to be able to enter the US from Mexico quicker than in the past, U.S. Customs and Border Protection began accepting applications for the SENTRI Program at the new Trusted Traveler Enrollment Center in Nogales yesterday. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials began accepting applications for the Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) program yesterday morning. For those people whose applications are approved, this means they will be able to get a SENTRI card, allowing them to use the SENTRI lane that will open in the spring of 2006. This dedicated commuter lane will be used solely for SENTRI program participants. SENTRI is another positive step in the process of expediting low-risk travelers into the United States, said James Tong, Port Director. The program allows Customs and Border Protection to help them come into the country as quickly and smoothly as possible, while continuing to enforce all applicable laws regarding entry into the United States. The Trusted Traveler Enrollment Center, which processes applications for both SENTRI and the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program, has six customer booths and easy access for visitors. The center is located in the main building at 9 North Grand Avenue in Nogales. Office hours are 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The office is closed on weekends and holidays. Applicants should call (520) 375-5801 to schedule an appointment. Travelers interested in obtaining a SENTRI pass need to complete CBP Form 823S, which can be downloaded from the Customs and Border Protection website www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/forms, prior to scheduling an appointment. The application process includes an interview, a fingerprint and background check, vehicle inspection, and fee payment. Applicants will need to attend several appointments. The first appointment will be to submit their application, have fingerprints taken, be interviewed by a CBP officer, and pay the initial processing fees. The subsequent appointments will be for their vehicle inspection, to receive their SENTRI cards and vehicle sticker, and pay the remaining fees. The entire process only takes a few days to complete. The SENTRI program is designed to allow expedited entry into the U.S. for registered low risk cross-border travelers who have passed a background check, whose vehicles have been pre-inspected, and have paid the processing fees. The new SENTRI card will utilize Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology that can be detected by special equipment in the SENTRI traffic lane so that a CBP officer can quickly view records and photos of returning registered travelers before they reach the officers booth. Their vehicle will also have a RFID sticker attached to allow the CBP officer to view information about the vehicle before the traveler reaches the booth. This helps reduce the amount of time the traveler spends waiting in line to be cleared by CBP officers. The SENTRI cards will allow participants to enter the US through the existing SENTRI lanes at participating ports of entry on the Southwest border, including Nogales, Calexico, El Paso, Otay Mesa, and San Ysidro. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are planning to inaugurate the SENTRI lane at the Nogales port of entry in the spring of next year.