APIS - Customs & Border Control
APIS
Advance Passenger Information System
Overview of The Act
The Advance Passenger Information Act, 2018 facilitates the provision of advance passenger information (API) relating to passengers and crew members of an aircraft or maritime vessel and makes provision for the sharing of that information with other partner jurisdictions for the purpose of enhancing border security. This would require all aircrafts and maritime vessels (commercial and private), bound for and departing from the Cayman Islands, to transmit Advance Passenger Information on all passengers and crew members, to the Joint Regional Communication Centre (JRCC).
The Act states:
(1) This section applies to an aircraft or vessel which -
- (a) is expected to arrive in the Islands; or
- (b) is expected to depart from the Islands,
but does not apply to a registered, recreational sports fishing vessel.
The Cayman Islands Government has designated JRCC, an operational agency of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), as the entity responsible for the collection and collation of API on their behalf.
All new and existing aircraft (private and commercial) and agents acting on their behalf are required to contact the JRCC to obtain further details on registering for Advanced Passenger Information (API) submissions.
Commencement of APIS
The initial commencement of the APIS Act will pertain solely to commercial aircraft, persons operating privately owned aircraft and agents acting on behalf of privately owned aircraft.
Operators and agents acting on behalf of privately owned aircraft will be required to use an eAPIS portal and submit their information electronically. Commercial Airlines will continue to submit their API data via the current channels. Although Maritime APIS is encompassed within the APIS Act, it will commence at a later date.
Purpose
The purpose of APIS is to assist CBC in efforts to:
- identify potential threats or risks to security and public safety; and
- coordinate with carriers and foreign law enforcement partners and IC (Intelligence Community) to prevent the entry/departure (as the case may be) of a person(s) of interest to the Cayman Islands.
Timeframe - Submission of APIS Information:
For commercial aircraft -
a) arriving to the Islands, no later than sixty minutes prior to departure from the last port of call; and
(b) departing from the Islands, in three intervals of -
(i) seventy minutes prior to departure;
(ii) fifty-five minutes prior to departure; and
(iii) no later than fifteen minutes after wheels up.
In the case of a privately owned aircraft, as well as agents acting on their behalf -
(a) arriving to the Islands, no later than sixty minutes prior to departure from the last port of call; and
(b) departing from the Islands, no later than sixty minutes prior to departure.
APIS
