U.S. APIS Transmission Update – new contact tracing info requirements for pax & crew
GA passengers and crew are now required to provide additional details in their United States APIS submissions, including primary phone number and email address, for contact tracing purposes if they have been in Guinea or the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) in the last 21 days. These new requirements are in response to Ebola outbreaks in those countries.
While Guinea and the DROC aren’t the most popular for GA travel, it’s not unlikely that we could see the APIS data collection portion of this requirement expanded to cover arrivals from more countries (e.g., for contact tracing other diseases).
Here’s what you need to know about the new APIS requirements.
Who does this impact?
The new requirement only impacts GA operators (crew and pax) returning to the U.S. who have been in Guinea or the DROC in the last 21 days.
What additional contact tracing information is required?
The new contact tracing data fields include:
- Primary contact phone number
- Secondary or emergency phone number
- E-mail address
Are these new requirements in response to COVID?
No. The collection and transmission of contact tracing information on travelers is something that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been discussing for a couple years pre-dating COVID and is primarily in response to Ebola outbreaks in those countries.
Why is this required for travelers who have been in Guinea and the DROC?
According to the CDC’s website, this is in response to Ebola outbreaks in those nations. The new contact tracing data fields allow authorities “to provide health information, monitor travelers for signs and symptoms of Ebola, and ensure travelers who develop symptoms are quickly isolated and receive appropriate medical evaluation and care.”
Does this apply to commercial airlines?
Yes. This is already in effect for the commercial airlines as of March 4, 2021.
Universal is setup to submit this information on your behalf
Through our relationships and dialog with CBP, we were aware of these new requirements. We’ve developed a solution and are prepared to submit this information on your behalf. For more information, please contact our Global Regulatory Services team.
