Passport Fast Track: UK’s IRIS Easily Beats US’s Clear

I came back into the UK last week, and getting through passport control couldn’t have been easier. I walked into the IRIS eye scanning booth, where there was no line, and less than a minute later, I was done. In contrast, the corresponding US service called Clear is a joke.

NOTE: SEE Clear Airport Security Program Closes Abruptly; Will Flo Take Over? FOR AN UPDATE ON THE SERVICE THAT CLOSED ON JUNE 22, 2009.

For more on how IRIS works, see my past post, Having An Iris Scan To Clear Immigration At Heathrow. The system works so well that when I heard about the Clear service in the US, I wanted to try that too.

I filled out the online form back on March 5. It took much longer than enrolling with IRIS, which was a fast five minute detour into a little office at Heathrow with just my passport and my eyes. IRIS was also free; Clear costs $99 per year. Still, if it saves me time, I figured that $99 would be worth it.

After enrolling, you then have to show up in person at an enrollment center. At the time when I first got Clear information, it was strictly fill out a form online, then turn up for the biometrics scanning. Now, it seems you can do enrollment and scanning at the same time.

When I flew out of JFK on April 16, I noticed there was an scanning station. So, I stopped by. After about 20 minutes — and four different people helping me — I was all scanned. I had fingerprints taken and eyes scanned. It was a complicated, awkward process compared to the super fast UK system.

Then I got the rude surprise — my Clear card would be sent to me within two to four weeks. A card? Yes — you have to carry a card.

OK, to get into the UK, I have to carry a passport. But I don’t use that with IRIS at all. I just need my eyes. You walk into a booth, look into a scanner, and you’re done. No passport is opened; no stamps; no fuss.

Eyes are easy, since I tend to have them with me all the time. But with Clear, I have to remember to carry a card along with my eyes? So many things!

Before my recent trip, I started wondering where my card was. I was heading back to the US, and I knew there was a Clear station at an airport I was using. I called. Four weeks had passed, and no card had arrived.

I tried the online account service, which has a “My Card Status” area. All that told me was that I would get a card after completing online and in-person enrollment — both of which I had done.

Hmm. I next called Clear. Someone answered almost immediately, which was good. What was bad was being told it might take another two weeks to get the card. As it turned out, that meant I didn’t have it for my recent trip. Fortunately, the line at the airport was short.

It’s now nearly eight weeks since I completed enrollment. Still no card. Still no working status update on the site. On the plus side, my $99 annual fee doesn’t begin until I get the card. On the downside, where’s the card. Frankly, the entire thing feels like a mess, especially compared to the UK system.