The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a proposed rule that would require rail carriers to submit advance traveler information for passengers and crew traveling into or out of the United States by train. The proposal is intended to enhance national security while improving the efficiency of border processing for legitimate travelers.
The proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on October 13, 2026, and CBP is accepting public comments for 60 days following publication.
What Is Changing?
If finalized, the rule would require rail carriers to:
- Submit an advance notice of arrival or departure for international trains.
- Transmit advance traveler information for all passengers and crew crossing the U.S. border by rail.
- Provide traveler biographic and travel document information before departure.
- Update CBP if traveler or itinerary information changes prior to crossing the border.
The proposal would apply to both passenger and cargo rail operations arriving in or departing from the United States.
Information Required
The proposed traveler data requirements closely mirror Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) requirements already used in air and sea travel. Rail carriers would generally be required to submit information such as:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Citizenship and country of residence
- Passport or other DHS-approved travel document information
- Traveler status (passenger or crew)
- Itinerary information
- U.S. address (when applicable)
- Contact information, if available
- Seat and baggage information, if available
Train-level data, including border crossing points, schedules, route information, emergency contacts, and station stops, would also need to be transmitted to CBP.
Filing Deadlines
Under the proposal:
- Advance train arrival or departure notices would generally be required 24 hours before reaching the U.S. border crossing location.
- Passenger and crew information would generally need to be submitted at least 60 minutes before departure.
CBP would then conduct security and admissibility vetting and send a response back to the carrier. In certain circumstances, CBP may instruct a carrier to contact the agency before departure if additional review is required.
Why CBP Is Proposing the Rule
CBP explained that current rail regulations do not provide the agency with consistent advance information about passengers and crew. According to CBP, this gap limits its ability to evaluate potential security, immigration, customs, and law enforcement concerns before a train reaches the border.
The agency has operated a voluntary rail reporting program since 2005 and states that advance information has helped identify travelers requiring additional vetting while improving border processing efficiency. Based on that experience, CBP is proposing to make advance reporting mandatory for all international rail carriers.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news becomes available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.