I keep being called into secondary inspection, what can I do?

DHS TRIP stands for Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program. This program is meant to assist people who have faced difficulty during travel screening at the U.S. borders. This service may be helpful for travelers who are continually pulled into secondary inspection when coming to the U.S. and are unsure why.

DHS Trip can also be useful for resolving issues such as the inability to print a boarding pass online or on a kiosk, being denied entry to the U.S., denied boarding to an aircraft, amending your travel record because of a failure to turn in an I-94 form, or if your ESTA application was denied and you believe this is an error. DHS TRIP does not provide assistance with customer service issues or baggage issues.

DHS TRIP has an online portal that allows people to submit an application online. Applicants may also choose to have an authorized representative submit the application for them. U.S. citizen applicants will need to submit the biographic page of their passport or other unexpired government ID if they don’t have a passport. Non-U.S. citizens will need to provide a biographic page of their passport and copies of U.S. government issued ID if applicable, such as a driver’s license, visa, I-94, or Border crossing card (among other possible documents). Besides the identity documents, the applicant will need to fill out the online form and provide a brief summary of the travel issue they are having.

After your inquiry is submitted, the agency will review it and reach out to other agencies if necessary to share the information and determine if your issue can be addressed or resolved. You will receive a redress control number and you can provide this to the airline when booking travel. This can help resolve issues with airlines as it will help them determine your identity. Once the agency has reviewed your inquiry and updated your records, you will get a final determination letter.

Although DHS TRIP will not always resolve your travel issues and it does not mean you will never be selected for additional security screening, it can be a useful tool to correct issues in government records that may be causing unnecessary difficulties during travel to the U.S.