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Business people making international trips know that customs can be time consuming. Help has arrived in the form of a kiosk.

A kiosk?

The U.S. government is now offering a program at Los Angeles International Airport called Global Entry that allows frequent fliers to bypass the slow passport line by using automated kiosks that process fingerprints and passports.

LAX is the first West Coast location for the program. Ten kiosks there have processed 1,500 passengers since October.

“Global Entry puts you at the front of the line,” said Carlos Martel, the airport’s director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

But like anything to do with border entry these days, it’s not quite so simple. The program is only open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, who must apply via Web site GlobalEntry.gov. Applicants must pass a background check and an in-person interview. If approved, they pay a one-time $100 registration fee, valid for five years.

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