New Ready Lanes to open at Calexico West Port of Entry

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials will open passenger vehicle Ready Lanes at the Calexico West Port of Entry as of midnight Tuesday.

Travelers may use Ready Lanes if they have a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-compliant document, which include:

• U.S. Passport Cards
• Enhanced driver’s licenses
• Enhanced tribal cards
• Enhanced border crossing cards
• Enhanced permanent resident cards
• Trusted Traveler Program cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST)

Officials warned though that state-issued REAL IDs differ from Enhanced Driver’s Licenses and do not qualify as Ready Lane compliant documents.

In addition, Mexican officials will provide a dedicated lane via Mexicali for Ready Lane-eligible travelers to access the Calexico West Port of Entry. Once travelers arrive at the U.S. border, they must use the existing general traffic access point to drive across the international boundary line where Ready Lane signage will guide travelers to the appropriate inspection booths.

Travelers with RFID-enabled documents may use Ready Lanes or general processing lanes. They may not use SENTRI lanes unless enrolled in CBP’s Trusted Traveler Program and in possession of a valid TTP document.

Eligible travelers should be prepared at Ready Lanes, keeping the correct travel cards in hand, and displaying them to the in-lane RFID card readers before proceeding to a primary inspection booth.

Monitor vehicle wait times at the border via CBP’s Border Wait Times website or download the “Border Wait Times” mobile app to assist in planning their travels. They are updated on an hourly basis.