Over the years there have been several innovations that have made the travel experience easier for frequent flyers. These range from government programs like Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, to private programs like CLEAR.
In this post, I wanted to take a closer look at Global Entry. How does it work, how much does it cost, how can you be sure you’re eligible, etc.?
In this post:
The basics of Global Entry expedited immigration
Global Entry is a program offered by US Customs and Border Protection, offering expedited immigration clearance at airports in the United States when arriving from abroad. Rather than having to wait in an immigration line, you can instead go to one of the Global Entry kiosks. This will verify your identity based on biometric data, and then there’s typically an immigration officer who will clear you to pass through immigration without having to wait in line.
Global Entry really is such a game changer for the frequent international traveler. I remember that back in the day I’d always have to deal with the stress of worrying whether an immigration line would take five minutes or an hour. Nowadays I consistently breeze right through, and am landside within minutes of landing in the United States.
Who is eligible for Global Entry?
You need to specifically apply to join Global Entry. Global Entry is open to US citizens and US permanent residents.
Furthermore, Global Entry is available to citizens of select foreign countries, including Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Canadians are also eligible for Global Entry privileges by applying for the NEXUS program, which is essentially the Canadian equivalent of Global Entry.
Lastly, note that in order to be eligible for Global Entry, you can’t have been convicted of any criminal offense, and can’t have been found in violation of any customs, immigration, or agriculture regulation or laws in any country. I know plenty of people are in a situation where they may have been arrested for something minor decades ago, so technically that would make you ineligible for Global Entry.
At what airports is Global Entry available?
Global Entry is available at virtually all airports with US immigration facilities. This not only includes international gateways in the United States, but also includes US Preclearance facilities outside the United States, including in Abu Dhabi, Nassau, Toronto, etc.
How do you apply for Global Entry?
Applying for Global Entry does take a bit of effort, which I’d say is the main downside to enrolling. You’ll first need to create a Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) account. You’ll then have to complete the application, which is a process, especially if you’re a frequent traveler, as you’ll have to list all the countries you’ve visited in recent years.
After some time (sometimes it takes days, other times it takes weeks), you should receive conditional approval. At that point, you’ll be instructed to schedule an interview at a Global Entry enrollment center. Alternatively, you can just be interviewed on the spot when returning to the United States from abroad. Just inform the immigration officer that you want to complete your Global Entry enrollment interview.
How much does Global Entry cost?
Global Entry has a $120 non-refundable application fee (the fee increased from $100 to $120 as of October 2024). This applies both when you apply the first time, and when you renew in the future. Fortunately, there are lots of credit cards that offer reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, so if you’re into credit cards, this shouldn’t cost you anything.
Note that you just have to charge the enrollment fee to your card, and then it will automatically be reimbursed if you’re eligible. If you have multiple of these credits, you can even use them for family and friends.
How long is Global Entry valid for?
Global Entry is valid for five years starting with your first birthday after you get approved. In other words, if you time things right, you can get nearly six years out of your Global Entry membership. For example, if your birthday is January 1 and you get approved February 1, 2025, your membership would be valid through January 1, 2031.
As far as renewals go, you can apply to renew your Global Entry up to a year before the expiration date. If you renew early, you’ll still get a full five years added to your membership, so I always recommend renewing as soon as possible. You don’t want to let your Global Entry membership lapse, because renewing is more complicated then.
Read my guide to renewing Global Entry.
Is Global Entry only available on certain airlines?
While using TSA PreCheck requires you to be flying certain airlines, Global Entry applies regardless of which airline you choose to fly.
Do kids need their own Global Entry?
Rather frustratingly, kids of all ages need their own Global Entry — parents having a membership isn’t sufficient. So even if you have a toddler, they can only accompany you at Global Entry if they have their own membership.
The good news is that minors (under the age of 18) are exempt from the application fee if they apply concurrently with a parent or legal guardian, or if their parent or legal guardian is already a Global Entry member. So while you have to go through the process of registering, at least there’s no cost to doing so.
How can you ensure you get Global Entry?
There’s nothing you need to do to ensure that you get Global Entry. When you arrive at a US airport and go to a Global Entry kiosk, you’ll just have to provide your biometric data, and that’s enough. Assuming you’re enrolled in Global Entry, there’s nothing you need to do to ensure that you’re eligible.
In general I’d always recommend adding your Known Traveler Number (KTN) to your flight reservation, as this minimizes your odds of getting secondary screening (denoted as “SSSS” on your boarding pass).
What’s the process of using Global Entry?
When you enter an immigration facility, look for the Global Entry kiosks. In recent years we’ve seen new contactless and paperless kiosks roll out, which are awesome. You simply stand in front of one of the kiosks and your biometric data is taken. Assuming you’re eligible, you’re then told to see an immigration officer.
There’s a special line for Global Entry. Typically the immigration officer will just ask for your passport and ask if you have anything to declare, and then you’ll be sent on your way. In some cases you may get further questioning about where you traveled to, what the purpose of your trip was, etc. It’s also possible to get a secondary search, if there are any red flags.
Let me emphasize that you should always be honest about whether you have something to declare or not. If you have Global Entry and lie, your membership will almost certainly be revoked permanently, and that’s not a privilege you want to lose. This could be for something as simple as bringing a banana from the airline snack basket into the United States.
Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck vs. NEXUS vs. CLEAR
Often there’s confusion regarding the difference between Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, NEXUS, and CLEAR. What are the differences?
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, and NEXUS, are all Trusted Traveler Programs, and are substitutes for one another:
- If you sign-up for NEXUS, you get NEXUS, Global Entry, and TSA PreCheck
- If you sign-up for Global Entry, you get Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
- If you sign-up for TSA PreCheck, you just get TSA PreCheck
Each program gives you a Known Traveler Number, which is why any of those programs could get you TSA PreCheck privileges. Let’s take a closer look at the details of each of these programs.
What is TSA PreCheck?
TSA PreCheck offers expedited security at airports in the United States. When using a TSA PreCheck lane you don’t have to take off your shoes, and also don’t have to take your laptop or liquids out of your bag. Furthermore, you get to go through the metal detector rather than through the full-body scanner.
Because of this being a streamlined process with generally more experienced flyers, you’ll also find that the lines move much more quickly.
This is the least comprehensive of the three Trusted Traveler Programs, since having TSA PreCheck doesn’t get you Global Entry or NEXUS (though having Global Entry or NEXUS gets you TSA PreCheck).
What is NEXUS?
NEXUS not only gets you TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, but also gets you expedited immigration in Canada. It has the same cost as Global Entry, at $120. So, what’s the catch?
- There aren’t as many centers where you can enroll for NEXUS, since it’s primarily intended for those traveling frequently between the US and Canada
- Some credit cards offering Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credits don’t let you use those credits for NEXUS
What is CLEAR?
In the interest of being thorough, it’s also worth mentioning CLEAR. This is separate from TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, and isn’t run by the government. CLEAR is a technology company that stores biometric data to expedite clearing security at airports, and at select stadiums and other venues.
With CLEAR you can confirm your biometric data, and then you can typically skip the ID check, and head straight into the security line (if you have PreCheck you can get into that line, or otherwise you can get into the standard line).
Is Global Entry worth it?
If you are eligible for Global Entry and travel internationally with any frequency, then yes, Global Entry is 100% worth it. Period. A few things to note:
- If you’re savvy and use the right travel credit card, enrolling shouldn’t actually cost you anything
- Over the years I’ve saved a countless number of hours thanks to Global Entry; it’s not just the time savings, but I also appreciate how it allows me to reliably plan layovers after international travel
- While the initial enrollment process takes some time and you have to schedule an interview, I find renewal to be quite easy, and then you can also just have your renewal interview when you’re returning to the United States from a trip
- Global Entry also gets you access to TSA PreCheck, so applying for Global Entry gets you both great programs
Now, in fairness, if you’re not eligible for Global Entry, it’s worth being aware of Mobile Passport. This allows eligible travelers to submit their passport and customs declaration information through an app, and it streamlines the arrivals process. Using this is free and doesn’t require pre-approval.
So while I still think Global Entry is worth it, Mobile Passport is the best and easiest alternative.
Bottom line
For the frequent international traveler, Global Entry is an invaluable program, which expedites the immigration process. Global Entry takes the guessing game out of immigration lines, and you’ll find that you’re through immigration in a matter of minutes.
I’d always recommend applying for Global Entry over TSA PreCheck if you’re eligible, since a Global Entry membership gets you access to both programs, while the inverse isn’t true.
The best part is that there are quite a few credit cards that give you a statement credit toward this, meaning you can sign up without paying anything out of pocket.
If you have Global Entry, what has your experience been?
I live in Orange County what airports have the kiosks for Global Entry? Thank you
This just in (11 Oct 2024): The EU has again delayed the implementation of its biometric entry system because France, Germany, and the Netherlands are not ready. To all those who asserted that all developed countries other than the US had such systems in place, check your facts.
Renewed Nexus for $50 before the price went up.
The fee is not reimbursed by US credit cards (mine wasn't)
Maybe by some Canadian credit cards,
In have both and it's very difficult in some cases to know which to use when.
GE now has an App, which makes it even easier. Download and install the App before you travel. When you land, turn off airplane mode and fire up the App. It will ask a few questions and then have you take a selfie. It will upload the selfie, compare it to its database and give you a green check mark. At GE, go to the special line marked Mobile App and breeze through!
Why do the kiosk keep on sending me to see an officer? If it was just me, I'd think its me, but on each flight, I have noticed everyone with GE gets sent to an officer. I don't know if it is the airport. But its just BS.
Happened to me, a quick trip to the enrolment centre after you have been through and they should be able to clear the issue, if not they will tell you why, it’s usually a passport issue.
At LAX, when a person receives a green light from a Global Entry kiosk, the border control agent calls out the person's name and says "you're good to go." Done. At JFK, when a person receives a green light from a Global Entry kiosk, one waits in a line for the border control agent for final clearance. Why the difference? Who knows. It's also worth noting that TSA security checkpoints at LAX are a breeze. Those at JFK are not. Doesn't matter which terminal.
IAH used to be a routine wave-you-through by an agent standing right after the kiosks, but the past year (or two?) has been like you mention for JFK.
Since all my international travel has been through IAH for several years, I'd wondered if it were a systemwide change. Good to know that some ariports (e.g. LAX) still don't require a post-kiosk line up.
I only used GE a couple of times to visit the US and must say… I totally loved it. Applied in Germany, was easy. Interview on arrival at SFO also halfway ok-ish. Highly recommended!!!
As a US citizen, I find Global Entry to be an excellent value for money. I've been a member since its inception and have never encountered any issues. Renewal was effortless; my last renewal took less than 48 hours, completed entirely online without needing to visit a location for an interview. I also use the mobile passport app, but in comparison, GE offers faster processing and shorter wait times.
If non citizens could also use...
As a US citizen, I find Global Entry to be an excellent value for money. I've been a member since its inception and have never encountered any issues. Renewal was effortless; my last renewal took less than 48 hours, completed entirely online without needing to visit a location for an interview. I also use the mobile passport app, but in comparison, GE offers faster processing and shorter wait times.
If non citizens could also use the service and doing so impacts my time, then I am strongly opposed to extending it to non citizens.
Will the US ever deploy e-gates for visa waiver countries to use or is this just never going to happen?
It is incorrect to say that the US is the only country that charges for expedited passage through passport control. Many countries have some form of Fast Track. A person might not be aware of its existence but it does exist. Just to name a few . . . France, Italy, Morocco, and the UK absolutely do.
In US law, there is something called the Plain View Doctrine. In essence, if something or someone is openly viewable by the average person in a public setting, then the act of viewing by the government is NOT a violation of privacy rights held by the person being viewed. Facial recognition by the government in a government facility is NOT a violation of privacy rights held by the person being viewed. Whether a person agrees or not, that's the law.
Another victim of brainwashed propaganda. Defending mass surveillance as plain view doctrine.
That's not how plain view doctrine works.
And your biometrics are not visible in plain view.
You need to talk to ACLU asap or move to China.
'Global Entry' is as much of a misnomer as the 'World Series'. A service which only works in one country and isn't even available to most nationalities is of no use to the 'international traveler'. If Americans are happy to pay extra for what most of the rest of the world considers to be a basic service, they can keep doing so. I fully expect to see an article on tipping etiquette for border officers.
Global Entry is a basic service that every American citizens deserve to get without the need of paying extra or have privacy violated.
Now people are being brainwashed to not only have their privacy violated, they are paying the government to do so. In return you get a faster service on an artificially created delay.
I completely agree with you on principle. Yet, we are limited to what is real and practical.
There’s no reason why US citizens shouldn’t be able to sail through an eGate with their biometric passport. The United States is the most psychotically paranoid country on earth when it comes to screening its own citizens.
@Pete
Can't people even tell from the program name?
Trusted traveler.
So you can imply they don't trust anyone, US citizens in particular, outside the program. And politicians says we get animal eaters and convicts as immigrants.
They don't trust anyone but politicians, hello Ted Cruz VIP line!!!!
With good propaganda, one can become a surveillance state without being considered as one.
Contrast to the direct approach of China.
Edward...
@Pete
Can't people even tell from the program name?
Trusted traveler.
So you can imply they don't trust anyone, US citizens in particular, outside the program. And politicians says we get animal eaters and convicts as immigrants.
They don't trust anyone but politicians, hello Ted Cruz VIP line!!!!
With good propaganda, one can become a surveillance state without being considered as one.
Contrast to the direct approach of China.
Edward Snowden should have been Time person of the year, not weirdos like Greta or Zelenskyy. Even Taylor can get it.
Unless Time is also part of the propaganda machine, lol.
I’ve had Global Entry for over a year and it works maybe half of the time. So frustrating when I keep getting sent to the normal line. I’ve gone back to the enrollment center and they just told me everything’s fine on their end. Anyone with similar issues?
The easiest thing to do would be to install "smart gates" for ESTA-eligible travelers, like almost every other country in the civilised world. It was less hassle to enter the DPRK than it is to be admitted into the United States on an Australian passport. And while legitimate, law-abiding travelers are being forced to queue for a pointless "interview", the flood of illegals across your southern border continues unabated. Get your priorities sorted-out, America.
There is an extremely simple solution that every intelligent American favors. Open borders.
It does not make sense to limit the migration of the same species across artificial lines.
Howdy cowboy! You sound an awful lot like something from Trumps echo chamber and definitely not like an Australian. Now here's a fact that's been known for literally a few decades: most illegal immigrants enter the US in a legal way, so via air transport, car or boat, and simply overstay their visa. For example Pew Research confirmed this at several points in time during the last few decades. So much for your 'leaking southern...
Howdy cowboy! You sound an awful lot like something from Trumps echo chamber and definitely not like an Australian. Now here's a fact that's been known for literally a few decades: most illegal immigrants enter the US in a legal way, so via air transport, car or boat, and simply overstay their visa. For example Pew Research confirmed this at several points in time during the last few decades. So much for your 'leaking southern border' rhetoric.
Also, if you actually would be traveling on an ESTA, then you would have noticed those self-scan kiosks on arrival which can be used by anyone eligible for visa waivers. They can be found at most larger international airports these days, as they have been there for years. Other options include pre-clearance from quite a few airports.
Now it's only people who aren't eligible for an ESTA, for example because they have a scary stamp in their passport, but who require a full B 1 or 2 visa who have to line up to get in. And those lines are really, really slow, I can tell.
So there you have it. The best way to stop illegal immigration is by building a roof over the US and stop all international travel. And anyone who nevertheless manages to get in should be equipped with a surgically implanted tracker that explodes when being removed, to make sure the authorities know where they are. Deal?
I’m definitely Australian and I think Donald Trump is an appalling failure of a man and a president.
How would you know? Would you like to experience our CURRENT administration?
Worth every penny and I have had for my entire household since day 1. BTW, I mentioned in a previous post, renewal online took 24 hours to be approved without the need to schedule a new interview.
Yes, this was my experience also. In fact, my renewal had expired during Covid, but when I was ready to travel again, I was approved with no need for an interview.
Having GE caused the rare occasion when my wife said I was “smart” to have enrolled us and scheduled the interview. This was in the early years of GE where we were the only people with GE. We must have walked past 100 plus people.
No mention in the article about Mobile Passport Control, an App for your cell phone. (Download from CBP MPC) It's at least as fast as Global Entry and sometimes quicker because you get to skip the GE kiosk. Just complete the information in the App when you arrive into the terminal and hit Enter. Then go to the Mobile Passport line at Immigration (which in some cases is the same line as Global Entry but without the kiosk stop.) And it's FREE.
There is also the Global Entry app. You can check in on the app and totally skip the kiosk stop now. The three times I have used the app I literally didn't stop walking through the GE line. The officer takes one look at the UPC code on my phone and I walk right through.
Mobile Passport Control is a different program and a different line. When entering the US a week and a half ago, Global Entry was a walk-through, which has become the norm for me. MPC had a line at the time.
best thing since sliced bread
Not having Global Entry is insane, or tragic. When there's a 2 hour queue to speak to an officer, or a 3-4 minute queue to use Global Entry, there's no decision, IMHO. I got the NEXUS version because I live in Canada, but I'd say the best feature of the whole package is Global Entry, because of the dramatic difference I've witnessed in YYZ departing to USA on a weekday morning before 8, or in...
Not having Global Entry is insane, or tragic. When there's a 2 hour queue to speak to an officer, or a 3-4 minute queue to use Global Entry, there's no decision, IMHO. I got the NEXUS version because I live in Canada, but I'd say the best feature of the whole package is Global Entry, because of the dramatic difference I've witnessed in YYZ departing to USA on a weekday morning before 8, or in ORD or MIA, arriving from abroad in afternoon or evening. As Ben said, one valuable benefit is the ability to book connections without worrying that Immigration queues will cause a misconnect.
Global Entry with TSA Precheck, is a bargain.
Global Entry is arguably the best travel innovation since rolling luggage (at least for USA nationals and eligible citizens from other countries entering the USA). It takes like 5 minutes max (usually less) compared to the old days where customs could easily take over a hour to clear. I love GE.
Global Entry is a godsend and yes, it’s worth it.