The CBP Home App – Self Deportation Explained

IMPORTANT: Read Before Using the App

The CBP Home app is designed for self-deportation. Before using it, please:

• Consult with an immigration attorney – You may have legal options to stay
• Understand that using the app does NOT waive reentry bars (3-year or 10-year)
• Your information will be stored in government databases
• Each person must submit their own information

What Is the CBP Home App?

The CBP Home app is a new mobile application launched by the US Customs and Border Protection in March 2025 that has replaced the previous CBP One app. Its main purpose is to allow undocumented immigrants to report their plans to voluntarily leave the United States. It also provide users with access to many Department of US Customs and Border Protection services.

If you previously had the CBP One app, it has automatically updated to the CBP Home app.

Why Was CBP One Changed to CBP Home?

The CBP One app was originally created by the Biden administration in 2023 as a way for migrants to schedule legal appointments at ports of entry. According to government officials, approximately 900,000 migrants used the app to enter the United States legally.

The Trump administration has completely reversed the app’s purpose. Secretary Noem stated: “The Biden Administration exploited the CBP One app to allow more than 1 million aliens to illegally enter the United States. With the launching of the CBP Home app, we are restoring integrity to our immigration system.”

In simple terms, while CBP One was designed to help people enter the US, CBP Home is designed to help remove people from the US.

Do I Need to Uninstall CBP One to Get CBP Home?

No. If you already have the CBP One app installed on your phone, it will automatically update to become the CBP Home app. You don’t need to uninstall anything or download a new app. DHS officials have confirmed that all CBP One applications will automatically update to the CBP Home app. If you don’t have either app and want to download CBP Home, you can find it in your device’s app store.

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How the Self-Deportation Feature Works

Using the CBP Home app for self-deportation involves a simple process:

1. Download the App: Available free on Apple and Android devices
2. Sign In: Create or use an existing Login.gov account
3. Select “Departing Traveler” and choose your preferred language
4. Submit Intent to Depart: Start the process to notify CBP of your plans
5. Take a Photo: The app requires a selfie for identification
6. Enter Your Information:
   • Full name
   • Date of birth
   • Country of citizenship
   • Country you plan to return to
   • Alien Registration Number (if you have one)
   • Current contact information
7. Answer Additional Questions: Confirm if you have enough money to leave and a valid passport
8. Submit and Review: Verify and submit your application.

Does Everyone in My Household Need to Use the App?

Yes, each person who wants to self-deport must submit their own information through the app. This includes all adult family members. For minors, parents or guardians would likely need to include their information.

Will Using the App Affect Family Members Who Are Legal Residents or Citizens?

The app itself shouldn’t directly affect legal residents or citizens in your family. However, your departure could impact:

• Family income and stability
• Care arrangements for children or elderly family members
• Housing situations
• Benefits your U.S. citizen family members receive

Timing

Is There a Deadline to Use the App?

The government hasn’t announced a specific deadline, but officials have warned that enforcement actions will increase. The implied message is that using the app sooner rather than later would be better.

How Long Do I Have to Leave After Submitting My Intent?

The app doesn’t specify a required departure timeframe. However, if you submit your intent to depart but don’t actually leave, this information could potentially be used in future enforcement actions against you.

Can I Specify a Future Departure Date?

Current information doesn’t indicate whether the app allows you to set a future departure date. It appears designed for immediate or near-term departure plans.

Legal Considerations for Return

How Long Would I Need to Wait Before Applying to Return Legally?

This depends on your specific situation:

• If you’ve been unlawfully present for less than 180 days, you may not face a reentry bar
• If you’ve been unlawfully present for 180 days to 1 year, you likely face a 3-year bar, as specified in Section 212(a)(9)(B)(i)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(9)(B)(i)(I)]
• If you’ve been unlawfully present for more than 1 year, you likely face a 10-year bar, as specified in Section 212(a)(9)(B)(i)(II) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(9)(B)(i)(II)]

Despite what government officials suggest, using the app doesn’t appear to waive these bars established by federal law. The official guidance from USCIS on unlawful presence and reentry bars can be found on the USCIS Unlawful Presence and Bars to Admissibility page.

Risks of Using the CBP Home App

1. Your Information Will Be Stored

All data submitted through the app, including your photo, personal information, and contact details, will be stored in CBP databases and could be used for enforcement if you don’t actually leave.

2. No Guaranteed Path to Return

Despite suggestions that self-deportation will help with future legal return, existing immigration laws still apply:

• 3-year reentry bar if you’ve been unlawfully present for 180 days to 1 year
• 10-year reentry bar if you’ve been unlawfully present for more than 1 year

3. You Might Have Legal Options to Stay

Using the app without consulting an attorney might mean surrendering potential legal paths to remain in the US, such as:

• Asylum protection
• Family-based adjustments
• Special visas for victims of crime or trafficking

What To Do Before Considering Self-Deportation

Before using the CBP Home app, take these important steps:

1. Consult with an immigration attorney to find out if you have any legal pathways to remain
2. Understand reentry bars and if you would face 3-year, 10-year, or permanent bars to return
3. Consider safety concerns in your home country
4. Make financial arrangements for travel and resettlement
5. Gather documentation of your time in the US for potential future applications
6. Plan for family impacts, especially if you have family members who are citizens or legal residents

What are the Differences Between CBP One and CBP Home?

Key Features of the CBP Home App:

• Intent to Depart: The new feature that lets undocumented immigrants notify the government of plans to voluntarily leave the US
• Border Wait Times: Shows wait times at border crossing points
• I-94 Processing: Lets travelers apply for and pay for I-94 forms before arriving
• Agriculture Inspection Requests: For travelers needing inspections of biological materials
• Bus Manifest Submission: For bus operators to submit passenger information

Unlawful Presence and Inadmissibility

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS),

Unlawful presence is any period of time when you are present in the United States without being admitted or paroled, or when you are present in the United States after your “period of stay authorized by the Secretary” expires. Unless an exception applies, you will be found inadmissible based on your accrual of unlawful presence if you:

• Seek admission again within 3 years of leaving the United States before removal proceedings begin, after you accrued more than 180 days but less than 1 year of unlawful presence during a single stay;
• Seek admission again within 10 years of leaving or being removed from the United States, after you accrued 1 year or more of unlawful presence during a single stay; or
• Reenter or try to reenter the United States without being admitted or paroled after you accrued more than 1 year of unlawful presence, in total, during 1 or more stays in the United States.

You can find these inadmissibility grounds in the Immigration and Nationality Act INA 212(a)(9)(B)(i) and INA 212(a)(9)(C)(i)(I).

In simple terms, this is what they are saying:

When you stay in the US without legal permission and then leave, there are rules about when you can come back:

3-Year Ban

If you stayed illegally for more than 180 days (about 6 months) but less than 1 year during one visit, and then left on your own before being caught:

• You cannot return to the US for 3 years

10-Year Ban

If you stayed illegally for 1 year or more during one visit, and then left (either on your own or were deported):

• You cannot return to the US for 10 years

Permanent Ban

If you stayed illegally for more than 1 year total (adding up all your illegal stays), left, and then tried to return without permission:

• You may be permanently banned from returning

These rules apply even if you use the CBP Home app to self-deport. The app doesn’t change these legal waiting periods.

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The “Stay Out and Leave Now” Campaign

The CBP Home app is part of a larger $200 million domestic and international campaign by the Trump administration to encourage undocumented immigrants to leave the United States. This campaign includes:

• The CBP Home app
• Radio and TV advertisements in the US and countries of origin
• Messaging about increased enforcement actions

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has stated in an official DHS press release: “The CBP Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream. If they don’t, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return.”

This aligns with the Department’s enforcement priorities detailed in Executive Order 14159, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” which directs DHS to increase deportations.

What is U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security that protects U.S. borders and manages legal entry of people and goods. Created in 2003 after 9/11, it combines several former agencies including the U.S. Customs Service and Border Patrol.

Main responsibilities of CBP:

• Controlling who and what enters the United States
• Preventing illegal immigration and smuggling
• Processing legal travelers at ports of entry
• Collecting import taxes and enforcing trade laws
• Protecting agriculture from harmful pests and diseases

Where CBP operates:

• At more than 300 ports of entry (airports, seaports, land crossings)
• Along the borders with Mexico and Canada
• At coastal waters surrounding the U.S.

CBP workforce:

• Over 60,000 employees
• Includes Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, agriculture specialists, and other professionals
• Uses technology like cameras, sensors, and biometric identification

CBP also creates and manages immigration-related applications like the CBP One app (for legal entry appointments) and the newer CBP Home app (for self-deportation reporting).

Official Resources

U.S. Government Sources

• CBP Official Information:
  • CBP Home App Official Page
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection Main Website
  • CBP Office of Field Operations
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS):
  • DHS Immigration and Enforcement
  • DHS Press Releases on Immigration Policy
  • Email for CBP Home app inquiries: [email protected]
• Legal References:
  • Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
  • 8 U.S.C. § 1182 – Inadmissible aliens
  • 8 CFR Part 240 – Proceedings to Determine Removability
  • USCIS Unlawful Presence and Bars to Admissibility

Disclaimer

This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration laws are complex, and decisions about voluntary departure can have serious, long-term consequences. Always consult with a qualified immigration attorney before making any decisions about your immigration status or using the CBP Home app.

The links provided above are to official U.S. government sources, and the legal information is based on current U.S. immigration law as of March 2025. However, immigration policies can change rapidly, so it’s important to verify all information through official channels and legal counsel.