From 4th October 2005, all airlines are required to adhere to the Advance Passenger Information (API), which requires the collection of specific information from every passenger travelling to Canada, the USA and Japan. This information is required for the purposes of ensuring aviation safety and security. Although you can provide API information at check-in if necessary, we strongly recommend that you provide it in advance of travel to minimise hassle and speed up your check-in.  Adding API information to your booking in advance will help speed up the check-in process, and in certain cases has to be provided if you wish to use the self-check-in kiosks or to check-in on-line. For BA flights from 07 March 2006 you will not be able to check-in on-line until the API has been provided. 

You will need your flight booking locator to allow you to retrieve your booking, this is provided on the flight itinerary which you will receive with your travel documents.  The following is a list of information required (most of this is displayed on your machine-readable passport):

• Full name (last name, first name, middle name if applicable) 
• Gender 
  Date of Birth 
• Nationality 
• Country of residence 
• Travel document type (normally passport) 
• Travel document number (expiry date and country of issue for passport) 
• If travelling to the USA your destination address in the USA. (not required for U.S. nationals, Legal Permanent Residents, or Alien Residents of the U.S. entering the U.S.). This information will be provided on the accommodation voucher we send with your travel documentation.