"API" is the abbreviation for Advance Passenger Information. API includes a passenger's biographical information like name, birth date and nationality.
Border Control agencies use API to determine a passenger's eligibility for boarding a plane or even entering a country. API can also be used to identify high-risk passengers who may require questioning upon arrival.
The use of API can cause delay and inconvenience for passengers. However, it is a system airline carriers use to comply with the laws of countries they fly to.
