Global Entry is a program offered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help international travelers re-enter the USA more efficiently.
From U.S. Customs & Border Protection: “…At airports, program members proceed to Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passport or U.S. permanent resident card, place their fingerprints on the scanner for fingerprint verification and complete a customs declaration. The kiosk issues the traveler a transaction receipt and directs the traveler to baggage claim and the exit.”
However, even that information is outdated since newer Global Entry kiosks can identify you just by taking a picture of your face.
The application fee for Global Entry is $100 for a 5-year membership. Once approved, you can use your Known Traveler Number to access the TSA Precheck lanes.
I’ve said that if you have any international travel planned, it’s a better deal to pay the extra $20 for Global Entry over getting TSA Precheck. Of course, that was before the COVID pandemic when CBP Global Entry enrollment centers were closed for months, causing a backlog of people waiting for an interview. An in-person interview is a requirement for all new applicants and can be required even when renewing your membership in the program.
Wait times for interviews stretched for months with no open appointments. This meant that while you had conditional approval, you were still stuck in limbo (without your TSA Precheck number, no less).
Fortunately, Global Entry allows you to start the renewal process one year before your expiration date. I had no intention of letting our membership lapse and possibly losing access to TSA Precheck. It was months until Sharon’s renewal date but we started the renewal process. FWIW, there’s no harm in renewing early as the additional five years are added to the date when your membership expires.
When we started filling out Sharon’s application, one question stood out from the others. Global Entry asked if the applicant had international travel planned in the near future. When I clicked yes, the website advised that it would be better to use the Enrollment on Arrival option instead of trying to reserve an interview time.
But we weren’t there yet; we still had to complete the application.
Global Entry renewals are straightforward. First you need to confirm and update your citizenship status. address, drivers license, passport, and work history, if necessary.
Then comes the difficult part. Listing all the countries you’ve visited in the past five years. Here’s where I’m happy that I use TripIt to keep track of our travel plans. It keeps me from having to think “When did we visit Ireland for lunch?”
After reviewing all the information several times to make sure there were no mistakes or omissions, I paid with a card that reimburses Global Entry application fees.
Then we waited.
The renewal was sent on Tuesday evening. We received the approval email on Thursday evening.
Even better was the news that there was no interview required. Another five years of Global Entry acquired.
So while the process is unnecessarily difficult if you need to schedule an interview, it can be amazingly easy for a boring renewal request. Your Mileage May Vary.
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20 comments
Had the exact same experience with this (our second? renewal) …. Submitted Saturday afternoon, approved Kansas morning for BOTH of us! one was Feb expiration, the other September, and one had a LOT of international travel in the last five years. Very impressed!
that would be approved MONDAY, not KANSAS. lol
My renewal took over two years. It expired August 1, 2020 and I immediately launched my renewal application. At one point they said I couldn’t use Global Entry during the grace period provided during the renewal process and I had to use the regular entry line. Finally I had an appointment scheduled for Jan 2023 and just last month on November 1, 2022, I was approved before the interview. Two years is a long time to wait.
I applied for renewal last February and I am still waiting. My wife applied in October anwas approved without an interview in less than 24 hours. I keep thinking that my application has been lost an I don’t know what to do.
I’ve been waiting over seven months for my renewal.
You must know someone.
Even though they moved me up a knotch after six months I stl have the same status as when I first started with.
Moving up a knotch only let’s them push your application another 3 months and they close out your case before you get your card. So you have to call and start a claim all over again.
How about an article showing how the system is working for the ones that are waiting for their renewal
They now do interviews online.
How to access online interviews?
I renewed 6 months before expiration.
Interview required. It’s in February. My global entry expired 2 years ago.
Same thing happened to me last year. I was happy that an interview wasn’t required. The first time that I tried to use my renewed Global Entry I got a big “X” on my slip at the kiosk. I was instructed to go through the line. When I showed the “X” to the agent he looked my info up and said I didn’t have Global Entry. He did let me through though.
I have since inquired on their website about my status. I have heard nothing. I did bring a copy of my approval letter on my last trip but I didn’t need it. They just took my picture and said that I was ok to leave. That’s it. Nothing else. Skip the kiosk, take a picture and out the door. Weird!!
Applied 2nd week in Oct. received “conditional approval”. Next day. 1 week later received an email stating I could have my interview at the airport when I returned from international trip scheduled for last week in October-1st week in November. Waited 7 minutes for a CBP officer to man the booth. Interview took 5 minutes and I was approved. Received my Known Traveler ID # then and there. Received my actual card 1 week later. Easy peasy.
Myself , my wife and a friend of ours all applied for global entry a few months ago . My wife and our friend got conditional approval within days . I am still waiting.
I applied for renewal 6 months before expiration. Status indicates it still hasn’t been looked at.
In January 2022 I did payed $100 for my Global entry, how I can do my interview to get my card of Global entry ??
I applied for renewal in March, supposed to expire in September, just received approval two days ago. Precheck continued to work after expiration date.
Because of the backlogs, Global Entry is good for 24 months after expiration. This has been true for quite awhile. Anyway I applied on June 1, with my current GE expiring on Dec 31. No appointments available locally, and constantly checking with no luck. So on our way back from Panama, on Dec. 3rd, we did the interview in Houston. It was easy. We only waited about 15 minutes. Card came in the mail, a week later.
The approvals with no interview have no rhyme or reason. But people should know that your GE is good for 24 months after its expiration. CBP has not stated an end to the extension.
Mine expired during the pandemic. I applied for renewal 6 months ago. They “cashed the check” but my application has not moved foreword. Still waiting.
I applied 1 yr before mine expired (Nov 2022). The Conditional Approval happened 10 months later (~Sep 2022). I haven’t been traveling and live 2.5 hrs drive from nearest center. So, it’s expired but they give us 1 yr+ to get the interview. Now I’m going on 2 trips to Hawaii (Jan, Feb) so I’ve got one scheduled for DFW on my return. So hard to find slots convenient to me. But, I have Clear so hopefully I can use that at LAX each time. I wonder, now that my Global Entry is only Conditionally Approved, does that affect my Clear? I hope not.
Sep 2023
Clear website say, “…CLEAR members do not need TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry to enjoy the benefits of CLEAR.”
Renewal applied for in August and my Global Entry expires in March. Still shows pending review. This is my second time renewing it, first time they just renewed with no interview required. This time I queried twice nothing.