Status as of October 12, 2026. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has prepared a notice of proposed rulemaking for the October 13 issue of the Federal Register. CBP proposes mandatory advance electronic passenger and crew information from carriers operating trains crossing the U.S. border. The new obligations are not yet in force: this is a proposal, and public comments are due December 14, 2026.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) wants railway companies to send the government detailed information about people traveling into and out of the United States by international train before the journey reaches the border. The proposed rule would apply to passenger and crew movements on trains crossing the border with Canada or Mexico, including travelers passing through U.S. territory in transit.
The proposal, titled Advance Traveler Information for Rail, appears in the October 13, 2026 issue of the Federal Register as document 2026-20884, docket USCBP-2026-0992. The text is available ahead of the issue's official date. No new binding passenger or rail-carrier requirement takes effect merely because the proposal has been made available.
What CBP wants rail carriers to report
Under proposed new Subpart K of 19 CFR Part 123, carriers would electronically transmit advance traveler information for every individual on an international train: passengers, conductors, engineers and other crew. The obligation would also extend to travelers on freight trains and to trains crossing the border in transit, subject to a stated military exemption.
The mandatory core data would include a traveler's full name, date of birth, sex, country of citizenship, country of residence, travel document type and passport or other approved document details where required. Carriers would also send the traveler's role aboard the train, complete itinerary and, where applicable, U.S. address and alien registration number (A-number).
The proposed fields also include information if available, such as passenger name record locator, Known Traveler Number, redress number, baggage tags, car and seat numbers, email address and contact telephone number. Not every field would apply to every person. A U.S. address would not be required for a traveler merely transiting to a destination outside the country.
When the information would be submitted
CBP proposes two related submissions. The rail company would give advance notice about the train and its itinerary at least 24 hours before the train's anticipated arrival at the U.S. border crossing, for both inbound and outbound travel. Separate advance electronic information about each traveler would generally be due at least 60 minutes before the train departs, with rules for updates to manifests during subsequent stops and before the border crossing.
After receiving the manifest, CBP would perform an initial vetting check and send a response to the carrier, either accepting the transmission or directing the company to contact CBP before departure. If details changed, carriers would need to submit updated information. They would also be responsible for comparing the travel documents presented by a traveler with the documents described in the electronic submission.
These duties would be imposed on rail carriers, not on travelers as a separate CBP application process. The proposal does not create a new visa category or change the underlying legal standard for admission to the United States.
How this differs from today's train-border procedures
CBP says the existing rail regulations do not impose a comprehensive requirement to electronically send passenger and crew information before a border crossing. A voluntary advance reporting program has operated for many years, but participation is limited. Air and sea carriers already operate under broader federal advance passenger-information systems.
The agency argues that mandatory advance screening could identify border-security and immigration-enforcement concerns earlier, before a train arrives for inspection. Its proposal covers people leaving as well as arriving in the United States. CBP also acknowledges expected compliance costs to rail operators and discusses privacy and information-collection effects in the regulatory impact analysis.
How to comment and what happens next
The proposed rule is scheduled to appear in the Federal Register dated October 13, 2026. The official deadline for public comments is December 14, 2026. The notice identifies docket USCBP-2026-0992 and RIN 1651-AB60, which commenters can use to locate the proceeding and submit comments through the channel specified in the notice.
CBP would need to consider comments and complete the rulemaking process before adopting a final regulation. A final rule could differ from this proposal, and its effective date would have to be established separately. Until then, descriptions of the proposed 24-hour and 60-minute deadlines should not be presented as existing requirements for passengers boarding international trains.
Frequently asked questions
Is advance rail passenger reporting already mandatory under this proposal?
No. The October 13 Federal Register document is a proposed rule, not a final regulation. The additional carrier reporting requirements would apply only if a final rule is adopted and becomes effective.
Would passengers need to send their data directly to CBP?
The proposal places the electronic submission duties on rail carriers. They would collect and transmit specified passenger and crew information; it does not create a separate direct filing procedure for ordinary passengers.
How long is the public comment period?
The proposed rule specifies a December 14, 2026 deadline for comments. It appears in the Federal Register dated October 13, 2026.
Official sources
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