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I'm a Dutch citizen flying to Dulles from Amsterdam next week. I have visited the US multiple times, the last time being in 2012. Since then, I've renewed my passport (new passport number), and since an ESTA is only valid for 2 years, I've gotten a new ESTA clearance too.

I've done some research and found out that if you entered the US after 2008 under the VWP, and you've had your biometrics taken, which I have, you're eligible to use the automated passport kiosks. However, none of the answers I've found say if this is still the case if you got a new passport with a new passport number. Anyone who knows? Thanks in advance!

UPDATE 13-09-2016: It worked! I went to the machines, did my thing and everything went flawlessly. So, at least at Dulles, it's confirmed that the kiosks work if you entered the US anytime after 2008.

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  • Curious, were there clear signs for X:d vs. non-X receipts? If so, how many questions did they ask at the non-X booth?
    – Crazydre
    Sep 14, 2016 at 10:56

2 Answers 2

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It varies from airport to airport - many do disqualify you from using APC with a new passport (though never with simply a new ESTA). It's not about what the machines are capable of, but Airport policy.

However, more likely than not the machine will be able to process you regardless - worst Thing that can happen is you'll receive an X-marked receipt and be led into the X line, which is still a lot quicker than the visitors line most of the time.

So my advice, head for the APC queue and ignore any staff trying to direct you (walk confidently and follow the signs). Use APC as normal and go into the non-X or X line depending on the receipt.

UPDATE: just called Dulles - apparently their official policy is any VWP traveller who's entered the US since 2008 (irrelevant where, on what passport and in what Status) can use Passport Express (the Name for APC they use)

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  • So it's airport dependent? Then I hope there's someone who knows specifically for Washington Dulles. If not, I guess I'll follow your advice and just try :)
    – EMotion
    Sep 3, 2016 at 18:01
  • @EMotion Pro tip: at Dulles they commonly call the APC kiosks Passport Express - so if you see references to that you know it's the same thing
    – Crazydre
    Sep 3, 2016 at 18:32
  • @pnuts, I'll guess that the machines themselves all work about the same way pretty much everywhere, and the CBP page is probably describing that fairly well. What is instead being discussed is what the airport signs say, and likely what the security guard at the entrance to immigration (if any) is going to try to enforce. It somehow doesn't surprise me that these two things can differ greatly...
    – user38879
    Sep 3, 2016 at 22:40
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    @pnuts There are loudspeakers a LAX TBIT saying (using different wording) that VWP nationals Need to have visited the US on their current passport. However, the one time I went there on a new one I ignored it (though I was lucky not to get an X - if I saw clearly X:d pax have no dedicated queue, instead being lined up at the visitors queue)
    – Crazydre
    Sep 3, 2016 at 22:50
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    @pnuts Yeah, that CBP link was one of the first things I read about it, and it just isn't clear and unambiguous information like you'd expect from an official source.
    – EMotion
    Sep 4, 2016 at 0:40
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At SEATAC about a month ago the policy being displayed on information screens (which I had a lot of time to read repeatedly as I queued) was that you had to go through full (normal) immigration if it was your first time entering the US with a new passport. I imagine this policy is the same at other US airports, but don't know for sure.

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    Varies like I said. At Miami ALL ESTA users, even those never having entered the US before, can use APC, while at JFK T4 and YYZ, it's also available to B1/B2 visa and (at YYZ) Border crossing Card holders. At PHL, however, only US citizens and permanent residents can use it. Just as some examples
    – Crazydre
    Sep 3, 2016 at 18:18

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