A new procedure for passing immigration in New York

New arrival procedure announced for New York

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced a new arrival procedure for New York starting June 1, 2026. The procedure will roll out across the three New York area airports: New York JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark. It will apply to all foreign travelers.
• The new rule capitalizes on excitement around the 2026 FIFA World Cup in New York, running from June 11 to July 19, by adding a playful element to immigration processing. Starting June 1, 2026, every traveler over 18 arriving in New York must take a penalty kick before passing through U.S. immigration.
• In practice, several goals will be set up at the entrance to passport control lines, with immigration officers acting as goalkeepers. Staff managing the goals will receive special training from the U.S. national soccer team.
• If a traveler scores, they move to an express line with priority processing. If they miss, they return to the back of the line for another attempt. After three misses, they join the regular line and wait 2 to 3 hours, according to estimates.

Goal: make U.S. immigration less stressful

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated in its announcement that “the goal is to make the U.S. immigration experience much more welcoming, reflecting New York’s character.”
• Arrival often creates anxiety for first-time visitors to the United States. You’ll find many questions and concerns about questions asked by U.S. immigration in travel forums and social media.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection notes that if the trial succeeds, it could continue through the end of August 2026. What comes next? The agency already has ideas. In October 2026, the goals could be replaced with basketball hoops to mark the start of NBA season in New York. A partnership could then follow with New York hockey teams, the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders.
• What about baseball? U.S. Customs and Border Protection apparently ruled that out from the start. The risk would be endless lines as travelers unfamiliar with baseball bats repeatedly missed.

What do you think of this new measure?

• U.S. immigration’s new idea is sure to keep people talking. Once again, New York shows its talent for surprising the world and making headlines.