API Requirements
| 1 |
United States Advance Passenger/Crew Information System (US APIS) Final Rule - what is it? |
| |
As requested by US regulation, airlines are required to submit complete and
accurate advance passenger/ crew information (API), on or after 04 October 2005.
Submission of the data will facilitate effective customs and immigration security
enforcement. |
| |
| 2 |
What API information is required? |
| |
The below information will be required:
- Full name (last, first, and, if available, middle)
- Date of birth
- Gender (F = female, M = male)
- Citizenship
- Country of residence
- Travel document type (e.g. P = passport, A = alien registration)
- Passport number, if a passport is required
- Passport country of issuance, if a passport is required
- Passport expiration date, if a passport is required
- Alien registration number(US applied), where applicable
- Address while in US (number and street, city, state, and zip code),
except that this information is not required for U.S. citizens,
lawful permanent residents, crew members, or persons who are in
transit to a location outside the US.
|
| |
| 3 |
When is API required? |
| |
Travel agents should input API well advance before flight departs
when itinerary involves flights arrival in and departure from US.
Cathay Pacific Airways prefers agents to input non-segment associated
API, where applicable.
Below are Cathay Pacific Airways and its codeshare destinations:
LAX SFO NYC ATL AUS BOS CHI DFW DEN DTT FLL HOU LAS MIA EWR ORL
PHL PIT SAN SJC SJU STL WAS BNA MSY RDU TPA
It is anticipated that there will be more countries requesting
API information so travel agents should fully apply API entries
in daily operation. |
| |
| 4 |
What can I input when not all API is available from passengers? |
| |
During reservation, travel agents are required to provide as much
information as available to avoid similar data collection process to
be repeated during passenger check-in at airport, causing passenger
inconvenience unnecessarily. |
| |
| 5 |
How can I input API information, can it be done via SSR OTHS? |
| |
Industry format SSR DOCS/ DOCO/ DOCA are required to input API
information so airlines can transmit to US automatically, refer IATA
standards (hyperlink to IATA standard and CRS entries web page).
SSR OTHS is NOT accepted. |
| |
| 6 |
For non-US flights, shall I use SSR DOCS/ DOCO/ DOCA or SSR PSPT? |
| |
Cathay Pacific Airways supports both SSR DOCS/ DOCO/ DOCA and SSR PSPT
for non-US flights. However, SSR DOCS/ DOCO/ DOCA must be used for itinerary
involving US flights to provide sufficient information. |
| |
| 7 |
What is DOCS / DOCO / DOCA / PSPT? |
| |
| SSR Code |
Description |
 |
| DOCS |
Passenger Primary Travel Document Information |
| DOCO |
Passenger Other Travel Related Information |
| DOCA |
Passenger Address Information |
| PSPT |
Passport Number |
|
| |
| 8 |
When will the GDSs be ready to input API? |
| |
|
| |
|
