Applying for Global Entry

[Carol28]

We are now looking into the MobilePassportControl. That might just be our best idea. Have you heard of this?

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 minute ago, Carol28 said:

We are now looking into the MobilePassportControl. That might just be our best idea. Have you heard of this?

 You don't get precheck (pre-flight).  At the end of the day, global is $100 for 5 years or $20/pp a year to save time standing in line both pre-flight and post-flight

[Carol28]

26 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 You don't get precheck (pre-flight).  At the end of the day, global is $100 for 5 years or $20/pp a year to save time standing in line both pre-flight and post-flight

We already have the TSA pre flight. It’s good until next August. Then we will probably get the Global Entry. What do you think?

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 minutes ago, Carol28 said:

We already have the TSA pre flight. It’s good until next August. Then we will probably get the Global Entry. What do you think?

I believe that is your best strategy; be sure to sign up for enrollment on arrival, I posted the link before but here it is again https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/enrollment-arrival

[Carol28]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

I believe that is your best strategy; be sure to sign up for enrollment on arrival, I posted the link before but here it is again https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/enrollment-arrival

I want to sincerely thank you for your information and helpfulness.  we have downloaded the mobile app and my husband will enter the info today. We don't need it until July '24 when we go to Europe. We haven't been there in 5-6 years.  You are very kind.

[ldubs]

We were conditionally approved fairly quickly.  However, there were zero appointments available in SFO.   Lucky they allow interviews when coming back through customs from an international flight.  We managed to do the interview between connections in Newark (I think we woke the guy up).   I think we received the card in under two weeks.   

[Z'Loth]

When I moved to North Dallas, one of the things that I was looking forward to was doing more traveling as DFW International and Love Field have non-stop flights, plus DFW was a interview center. So, in September 2019, my mother and I both got Global Entry cards which include the TSA Pre-Check., and with only a $15 price difference for five years. Then, Covid came, and all travel plans got thrown into the shredder. Then, my mother had health issues. 

 

Anyways, if you take a look at https://appointmentscanner.com/locations/global-entry , you can see the wait times for an appointment can go up to one YEAR depending on the center. You can also monitor https://twitter.com/globalentrynow?lang=en on Twitter for any slots that can pop up. If push comes to shove, you can always schedule a weekend trip to Canada or Mexico and do a Interview on Entry. 

 

Once you go get your Global Entry card, the first things you will want to do is make sure your airline profiles have your Trusted Traveler Number. Also, mark down on your calendar one year prior to the expiration date so that you can begin the renewal process as appropriate. 

 

[new_cruiser]

On 8/20/2023 at 7:39 AM, Z'Loth said:

When I moved to North Dallas, one of the things that I was looking forward to was doing more traveling as DFW International and Love Field have non-stop flights, plus DFW was a interview center. So, in September 2019, my mother and I both got Global Entry cards which include the TSA Pre-Check., and with only a $15 price difference for five years. Then, Covid came, and all travel plans got thrown into the shredder. Then, my mother had health issues. 

 

Anyways, if you take a look at https://appointmentscanner.com/locations/global-entry , you can see the wait times for an appointment can go up to one YEAR depending on the center. You can also monitor https://twitter.com/globalentrynow?lang=en on Twitter for any slots that can pop up. If push comes to shove, you can always schedule a weekend trip to Canada or Mexico and do a Interview on Entry. 

 

Once you go get your Global Entry card, the first things you will want to do is make sure your airline profiles have your Trusted Traveler Number. Also, mark down on your calendar one year prior to the expiration date so that you can begin the renewal process as appropriate. 

 

Email reminders to renew from Global Entry included:

Due to a significant increase in application volume, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is extending the grace period from 6 months to 1 year for any Trusted Traveler member who has a valid membership and who has submitted a renewal application. This means you will continue to receive full benefits for 1 year while U.S. Customs and Border Protection is finalizing your renewal application.

 

So, I don't think one has to plan on renewing extra early. BTW, my husband and I both renewed this year and, despite that notice, the renewal was processed in about a month. My husband's renewal required an interview but he got a renewal appointment at the closest site pretty quickly. 

[Z'Loth]

10 minutes ago, new_cruiser said:

So, I don't think one has to plan on renewing extra early. BTW, my husband and I both renewed this year and, despite that notice, the renewal was processed in about a month. My husband's renewal required an interview but he got a renewal appointment at the closest site pretty quickly. 

 

Please don't hold me to this, and please double-check, but I believe you need to have the renewal submitted prior to the expiration date to take advantage of the additional grace period. 

[new_cruiser]

26 minutes ago, Z'Loth said:

 

Please don't hold me to this, and please double-check, but I believe you need to have the renewal submitted prior to the expiration date to take advantage of the additional grace period. 

I think that's the case. I submitted the renewal about 2 months ahead. I wasn't suggesting waiting until after expiry - just that doing it a year ahead seems unnecessary. 

 

BtW, like driver's licenses (at least in my state), Global-entry expires on your birthday. The new one covers 5 years from my birthday even though the renewal completed about a month before the birthday. Unlike a passport, you don't lose any of the duration by renewing early.

 

The renewal notice email was sent 6 months before mine expired.

[port msp]

On 8/19/2023 at 7:35 AM, Carol28 said:

We only need the Global Entry for this one trip from the Amsterdam airport to the U.S. We are wondering if it is worth it since we have the TSA pre-check for travel in the USA. I'm wondering how difficult it is to go through the process without the Global Entry.

I think if you truly only need/want Global Entry for one trip, you're going to spend more time and effort getting it than you'd expend just going through Immigration the one time.  But, I understand wanting it.  We've had it and used it multiple times and it really has been a breeze coming back into the country.  We renewed online during Covid and didn't have to do an interview.  It was nearly effortless.  

Having said all that, if you do want Global Entry, a little creativity can go a long way.  For multiple years now, CBP had interviews at AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI.  I didn't go through that building this year, but I'd bet they were there again.  Perhaps they do the same at other big events that have a travel theme?  Maybe Fun 'N Sun AeroSpace Expo in Lakeland, FL 4/9-14/2024, or some big travel expo in FL might have a booth.   A flight where you could do an interview on arrival might be worth exploring.  Good luck.

 

Free advice is worth exactly what you pay for it.   

[thinfool]

Because your CC id says you are in South Florida....we have had GE for several years...even went thru renewal without a new interview.

It took a couple of weeks after applying to get approved to have an appointment (they have to do a face to face to get your fingerprints).

After that we looked for a site for our interview, found one in Riviera Beach.  No appointments available but I asked if they did 'walk-ins' and was told 'yes' and what time of day to show up.  We did...badda bing...all set.

Note: the CBP interview site in in the new office building at Riviera Beach right next to the pier where the Margaritaville ship boards.  In fact they were boarding at the same time that we had our interview.

Overall it probably took us 4-6 weeks to get our GE interview....the cards came 10 days or so later.

[Sea42]

My husband and I sent in our initial application on Sunday and had conditional approval on Tuesday.

Appointments at the only location in WI, Milwaukee, are not available until Nov. 1st. We're going to take a little getaway and go to Sault Ste. Marie instead. They have available appointments every day that I checked starting tomorrow. Yay!🎉

[tomcherv]

18 hours ago, Sea42 said:

My husband and I sent in our initial application on Sunday and had conditional approval on Tuesday.

Appointments at the only location in WI, Milwaukee, are not available until Nov. 1st. We're going to take a little getaway and go to Sault Ste. Marie instead. They have available appointments every day that I checked starting tomorrow. Yay!🎉

This is what we did, though in Minnesota.  My wife and I were going to Europe in June (2022) so we applied in January and received our conditional approval within days.  The first available appointment locally was after we got back.  So we took a trip to Grand Portage (near the Canadian border - about 5 hours away) and timed it with a work holiday and made a vacation of it.

 

[Elaine5715]

On 8/19/2023 at 10:49 AM, Carol28 said:

I want to sincerely thank you for your information and helpfulness.  we have downloaded the mobile app and my husband will enter the info today. We don't need it until July '24 when we go to Europe. We haven't been there in 5-6 years.  You are very kind.

Check your credit cards to see if any cover the cost.  Some of the American Express cards do.  

[Carol28]

On 8/24/2023 at 9:09 PM, Elaine5715 said:

Check your credit cards to see if any cover the cost.  Some of the American Express cards do.  

 

On 8/24/2023 at 9:09 PM, Elaine5715 said:

Check your credit cards to see if any cover the cost.  Some of the American Express cards do.  

Yes, our AMEX will pay for it!  Thank you!

[NutsAboutGolf]

On 8/24/2023 at 6:09 PM, Elaine5715 said:

Check your credit cards to see if any cover the cost.  Some of the American Express cards do.  

Offen credit cards that are geared towards travel with an annual fee have global reimbursement

[Elaine5715]

5 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Offen credit cards that are geared towards travel with an annual fee have global reimbursement

 

5 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Offen credit cards that are geared towards travel with an annual fee have global reimbursement

Thus the post

[Sea42]

On 8/23/2023 at 6:48 PM, Sea42 said:

My husband and I sent in our initial application on Sunday and had conditional approval on Tuesday.

Appointments at the only location in WI, Milwaukee, are not available until Nov. 1st. We're going to take a little getaway and go to Sault Ste. Marie instead. They have available appointments every day that I checked starting tomorrow. Yay!🎉

Just wanted to add as an update - We had our appointment on Tuesday and received our cards in the mail on Saturday!

[richart]

It is often hard to find appointments for the interview process. Many of the locations will show "Appointments full thru" so-and-so date and not even allow you to look at the calendar. TIP: Check for appointments on the first Monday of the month shortly after 9:00 am local time of the interview location. That's when many of the locations update their appointment calendars. I could not find a single appointment in Atlanta and when I checked back at the first of this month there were dozens and dozens of open appointments available.  

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 minute ago, richart said:

It is often hard to find appointments for the interview process. Many of the locations will show "Appointments full thru" so-and-so date and not even allow you to look at the calendar. TIP: Check for appointments on the first Monday of the month shortly after 9:00 am local time of the interview location. That's when many of the locations update their appointment calendars. I could not find a single appointment in Atlanta and when I checked back at the first of this month there were dozens and dozens of open appointments available.  

 

There is enrollment upon arrival where it's easy to get an appt