Advance passenger information (API) and interactive API

What API contains

IATA, the airline industry association, defines API as the electronic transmission of passenger and crew biographic, travel document and flight information by aircraft operators to border authorities before departure or arrival, or both ¹.

The European Commission describes API as a narrower, standardised set of traveller data than PNR. It includes travel document details, nationality, date of birth and flight information ⁶. Carriers collect it at check-in and send it to the destination country's authorities after check-in closes ⁶.

The Commission says API supports border management and risk-based screening, and PNR is mainly a law enforcement tool ⁶.

Batch API and interactive API

ICAO Annex 9 Standard 9.7 requires each State to establish an API system, and it covers batch API ². In batch API the airline sends a list of travellers for a flight.

Interactive API builds on API. IATA says it enables real-time communication between aircraft operators and border control authorities during check-in, so authorities can issue board, no-board or advisory responses ¹.

Amendment 26 to Annex 9 added a Recommended Practice that encourages States to consider interactive API. It is not a Standard ². IATA says crew do not make reservations or go through passenger check-in, so iAPI and PNR rules should apply only to passengers ¹.

ICAO standards

Annex 9 has a separate chapter titled Passenger Data Exchange Systems. It covers API, PNR and a Passenger Data Single Window under Standard 9.1 ².

Standard 9.8 requires every API system to be supported by appropriate legal authority and to be consistent with internationally recognised standards ². The ICAO EUR/NAT office says Standards 9.7 and 9.8 resulted from Amendment 26, which was largely driven by UN Security Council resolution 2178 (2014) ².

UN Security Council mandates

The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism says resolution 2178 (2014) calls on Member States to require airlines to provide API to national authorities to detect foreign terrorist fighters ⁴.

Resolution 2396 (2017), paragraph 11, decides that Member States shall require airlines operating in their territories to provide API ³. It asks States to report relevant departures and attempted travel, in line with the ICAO standard effective 23 October 2017 ³.

The UN Countering Terrorist Travel Programme was launched on 7 May 2019 to help States collect and analyse passenger data ⁴. It gives the goTravel software free of charge to beneficiary Member States ⁴.

API in EU law

The European Commission proposed two API regulations in December 2022. A political agreement was reached on 1 March 2024 ⁶. The rules were adopted in December 2024 as Regulation (EU) 2025/12 for border management and Regulation (EU) 2025/13 for law enforcement ⁶.

The Commission says the new rules replace Council Directive 2004/82/EC and will be implemented over the coming years ⁶. Regulation (EU) 2025/12 is dated 19 December 2024 and entered into force on 28 January 2025 ⁵.

What IATA asks of governments

IATA published these points for governments in 2026. They are an industry position, not law ¹.

• Set a clear legal basis and governance framework for passenger data ¹.
• Limit data to internationally recognised elements, using UN/EDIFACT PAXLST for API and PNRGOV for PNR ¹.
• Designate a Passenger Data Single Window and avoid duplicate manifest requirements ¹.
• Publish technical specifications ordinarily at least six months before entry into force ¹.
• Run end-to-end testing with airlines before production ¹.