Apparatus, system, and method supporting compliance with customs/border requirements

1. A system comprising:

a kiosk disposed at a first airport, the kiosk comprising a passport scanner configured to retrieve passport information from a passport of a traveler, a camera configured to capture a first image of the traveler, and a touchscreen configured to obtain second information associated with the traveler, the kiosk configured to collect, from a mobile device associated with the traveler over a wireless communication link, third information associated with the traveler, wherein the third information comprises customs declaration information previously input by the traveler at the mobile device;

a second camera disposed at a customs or border enforcement area of the first airport, the second camera configured to obtain a second image of the traveler approaching or within a specified portion of the customs or border enforcement area; and

at least one computing device disposed at the first airport, the at least one computing device configured to receive the passport information, the first image, the second information, and the third information from the kiosk, receive fourth information associated with the traveler obtained from a second kiosk located at a second airport, provide at least a portion of the received information to an external customs related computer system, and receive a disposition code from the external customs related computer system, wherein the disposition code identifies whether the traveler is allowed to pass the customs or border enforcement area, wherein the external customs related computer system is communicatively separated from the at least one computing device by a firewall;

wherein the at least one computing device is also configured to detect questionable or fraudulent information among the received information and send an alert to an agent associated with the customs or border enforcement area without providing any information to the external customs related computer system; and

wherein the at least one computing device is also configured to receive the first or second image, perform facial recognition to identify the traveler, and provide at least some of the received information to the agent associated with the customs or border enforcement area.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third information associated with the traveler further comprises:

a departure location for the traveler;

an arrival location for the traveler; and

flight information associated with the traveler.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the customs declaration information further comprises answers to customs declaration questions from the traveler.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second camera is configured to obtain the second image of the traveler approaching or within an egress area of the customs or border enforcement area or a secondary processing area of the customs or border enforcement area.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is configured provide at least some of the received information to a display device used by the agent associated with the customs or border enforcement area.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, at a kiosk disposed at a first airport, first information associated with a traveler from a mobile device associated with the traveler over a wireless communication link, wherein the first information comprises customs declaration information previously input by the traveler at the mobile device;

retrieving, at a passport scanner disposed at the kiosk, passport information of the traveler;

capturing, at a camera disposed at the kiosk, a first image of the traveler;

obtaining, at a touchscreen disposed at the kiosk, second information associated with the traveler;

obtaining, at a second camera disposed at a customs or border enforcement area of the first airport, a second image of the traveler approaching or within a specified portion of the customs or border enforcement area;

receiving, at at least one computing device disposed at the first airport, the passport information, the first image, the first information, and the second information from the kiosk;

receiving, at the at least one computing device, third information associated with the traveler obtained from a second kiosk located at a second airport;

providing, by the at least one computing device, at least a portion of the received information to an external customs related computer system and receiving a disposition code from the external customs related computer system, wherein the disposition code identifies whether the traveler is allowed to pass the customs or border enforcement area, wherein the external customs related computer system is communicatively separated from the at least one computing device by a firewall;

detecting, at the at least one computing device, questionable or fraudulent information among the received information and sending an alert to an agent associated with the customs or border enforcement area without providing any information to the external customs related computer system; and

performing, by the at least one computing device, facial recognition using the first or second image to identify the traveler and providing at least some of the received information to the agent associated with the customs or border enforcement area.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first information associated with the traveler further comprises:

a departure location for the traveler;

an arrival location for the traveler; and

flight information associated with the traveler.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the customs declaration information further comprises answers to customs declaration questions.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second image of the traveler comprises an image of the traveler approaching or within an egress area of the customs or border enforcement area or a secondary processing area of the customs or border enforcement area.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least some of the received information is provided to a display device used by the agent associated with the customs or border enforcement area.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the customs declaration information further comprises biometric data of the traveler.

12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

printing a document containing at least some of the information for use by the traveler when passing through the customs or border enforcement area.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising computer readable program code for:

receiving, at a kiosk disposed at a first airport, first information associated with a traveler from a mobile device associated with the traveler over a wireless communication link, wherein the first information comprises customs declaration information previously input by the traveler at the mobile device;

retrieving, at a passport scanner disposed at the kiosk, passport information of the traveler;

capturing, at a camera disposed at the kiosk, a first image of the traveler;

obtaining, at a touchscreen disposed at the kiosk, second information associated with the traveler;

obtaining, at a second camera disposed at a customs or border enforcement area of the first airport, a second image of the traveler approaching or within a specified portion of the customs or border enforcement area;

receiving, at at least one computing device disposed at the first airport, the passport information, the first image, the first information, and the second information from the kiosk;

receiving, at the at least one computing device, third information associated with the traveler obtained from a second kiosk located at a second airport;

providing, by the at least one computing device, at least a portion of the received information to an external customs related computer system and receiving a disposition code from the external customs related computer system, wherein the disposition code identifies whether the traveler is allowed to pass the customs or border enforcement area, wherein the external customs related computer system is communicatively separated from the at least one computing device by a firewall;

detecting, at the at least one computing device, questionable or fraudulent information among the received information and sending an alert to an agent associated with the customs or border enforcement area without providing any information to the external customs related computer system; and

performing, by the at least one computing device, facial recognition using the first or second image to identify the traveler and providing at least some of the received information to the agent associated with the customs or border enforcement area.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first information associated with the traveler further comprises:

a departure location for the traveler;

an arrival location for the traveler; and

flight information associated with the traveler.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the customs declaration information further comprises answers to customs declaration questions.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the second image of the traveler comprises an image of the traveler approaching or within an egress area of the customs or border enforcement area or a secondary processing area of the customs or border enforcement area.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein at least some of the received information is provided to a display device used by the agent associated with the customs or border enforcement area.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the customs declaration information further comprises biometric data of the traveler.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third information further comprises information about at least one family member traveling with the traveler.

20. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first information further comprises information about at least one family member traveling with the traveler.