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Read the press release here.

Midway Airport to Use Self-Service Kiosks in Customs

 Aviation officials said the kiosks should reduce wait times for American and Canadian travelers.
Aviation officials said the kiosks should reduce wait times for American and Canadian travelers.
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Chicago Department of Aviation

CHICAGO — Getting through customs at Midway International Airport could soon become a lot easier, the mayor's office said Wednesday.

The South Side airport is rolling out a passport control program that lets American and Canadian travelers swipe passports through self-service kiosks.

Instead of filling out a declaration card in customs, eligible passengers can use a touch screen to answer several questions. Travelers will then get a printed receipt, which they can bring to a customs agent for verification.

The machines are free to use.

Chicago became the first American city to adopt this technology when O'Hare International Airport implemented the kiosks in July.

The department of aviation claims the kiosks reduced average wait times by 27.5 percent and maximum wait times by 15 percent because travelers can now spend less time with customs agents.

The new technology "demonstrates how serious we are about making Chicago the first, best and most welcoming city in the country," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement.

Kiosks were designed by the Vancouver Airport Authority and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.