The Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Office of Field Operations at the Laredo Port of Entry announced measures being taken to accommodate an expected influx of travelers during the holiday season on Wednesday.
Travelers are encouraged to apply for I-94 tourist permits online ahead of time. The Laredo Port of Entry will then offer front-of-the-line privileges to those who submit I-94 applications electronically and have a provisional I-94 permit when they arrive at the border crossing.
Additionally, CBP has installed a Mobile Enrollment Center at the nearby Outlet Shoppes at Laredo that can issue I-94 tourist permits. The mobile center will be available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Jan. 8.
“The Laredo Port of Entry processes volumes in excess of 15,000 vehicles and approximately 5,000 permits daily during peak travel periods such as the Christmas and New Year’s holidays,” Gregory Alvarez, a port director at the Laredo Port of Entry, said. “Our proactive facilitation measures, including encouragement of online I-94s, offsite I-94 processing and use of designated lanes has greatly helped to increase efficiency and mitigate wait times during peak periods.”
The designated lane at the Laredo Port of Entry, which is typically reserved for local travelers who don’t need I-94 tourist permits, will be open to holiday travelers on an as-needed basis through Jan. 7.
Also, travelers who use radio-frequency identification technology (RFID)-equipped travel documents like U.S. passport cards and newer versions of the border crossing and resident alien cards will have access to Ready Lanes, which process travelers 20 percent faster than normal lanes.
CBP also encourages holiday travelers to monitor border wait times online before setting out.