Advance Passenger Information System

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), also often called Advanced Passenger Information System^[1], is a system established for commercial airline and vessel operators. APIS enhances border security by providing officers with pre-arrival and departure manifest data on all passengers and crew members.

APIS as an Electronic Data Interchange system, involving a limited number of data elements (identification details from the passport and basic flight information) between the computer system of the airline and the computer system of the destination state.^[2] Required information should conform to specifications for UN/EDIFACT Passenger List Message (PAXLST) formats.^[3]

According to Air Canada, travelers must supply Advance Passenger Information when they check-in or will be unable to fly.^[4] The following is a list of required information:

Full name (last name, first name, middle name if applicable)
Gender
Date of Birth
Nationality
Country of residence
Travel document type (normally passport)
Travel document number (expiry date and country of issue for passport)
Destination address in the U.S. (Not required for U.S. nationals, Legal Permanent Residents, or Alien Residents of the U.S. entering the U.S.)