Another Passport/Global Entry post

[audreyh1]

I suggest you try calling one of the offices that does GE interviews and see if they can help you.

 

[Pellice]

I suggest you try calling one of the offices that does GE interviews and see if they can help you.

Phone numbers seem to be in short supply on that website! In the FAQ, they refer you to the same "ticket system" I used.

However, I did find, in response to a question about passport expiration, the following: "Your Trusted Traveler membership date is not dependent on the passport expiration date. Membership will remain valid, even if the passport expires. To minimize unnecessary delays, please update your documents on the TTP website."

That's somewhat vague - is the membership valid, or will there be a problem? Oh well, what I really need after more than 2 hours of juggling multiple websites, is a drink.

 

[audreyh1]

DH was able to call our nearby office when the system wouldn’t let him edit his passport information and they did it for him over the phone.

 

[sengsational]

DH was able to call our nearby office when the system wouldn’t let him edit his passport information a they did it for him over the phone.

Good to know.

Pellice, I haven't tried since that post, but I tried just now and got the same thing, so I'm thinking I'll need to call.

 

[JoshTrent]

...
However, I did find, in response to a question about passport expiration, the following: "Your Trusted Traveler membership date is not dependent on the passport expiration date. Membership will remain valid, even if the passport expires. To minimize unnecessary delays, please update your documents on the TTP website."
...

One semi relevant data point:
DS is a Dual Citizen - US & an EU Country. He is not in the TTP. His US Passport had expired while he was in the EU. Upon his return to the US, he thought it best to enter the US with his valid EU Passport, as opposed to his expired US Passport.

At the US border, he presented his EU Passport. The USCBP Agent scanned it and asked him if he was an American Citizen, to which he replied yes. They asked if he had his US Passport, which he gave to them. The USCBP Agent explained to him that: 1) an expired US Passport is valid for entry to the US. 2) the USCBP requests that dual citizens use their US Passport for entry to the US. He was granted entry, and we renewed his US Passport a week later.

@Pellice - I think this may go towards your point above. In the unlikely event that you arrive to the US Border with an expired US Passport, that will have no bearing on your TTP standing. To point, in most parts of the world an expired Passport is a valid ID, it's just not a valid travel document.

 

[Pellice]

I called the local office (Newark Airport) today, and was told that many people are unable to update their passport number "for whatever reason," and that I have to come in, no appointment necessary. Darn!

 

[sengsational]

I called the local office (Newark Airport) today, and was told that many people are unable to update their passport number "for whatever reason," and that I have to come in, no appointment necessary. Darn!

I'll likely learn the same thing.

Do we know if Global Entry will work or not, when I come back to the US? Maybe, standing there with my Global Entry card and my new passport, they could get it updated right then.

But this thread has me thinking deeper about this than I had been thinking... If I'm coming back from a US territory (not a non-US country), are they even going to put me through immigration? Maybe I've got more time to get the passport number straightened-out.

 

[MichaelB]

I'll likely learn the same thing.

Do we know if Global Entry will work or not, when I come back to the US? Maybe, standing there with my Global Entry card and my new passport, they could get it updated right then.

But this thread has me thinking deeper about this than I had been thinking... If I'm coming back from a US territory (not a non-US country), are they even going to put me through immigration? Maybe I've got more time to get the passport number straightened-out.

Apparently not. From CBP https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-980?language=en_US

U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR's) who travel directly between parts of the United States, which includes Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), without touching at a foreign port or place, are not required to present a valid U.S. Passport or U.S. Green Card.

However, it is recommended that travelers bring a government issued photo ID and copy of birth certificate.

When it comes to travel I tend to be risk averse and bring our documents just in case.

 

[sengsational]

When it comes to travel I tend to be risk averse and bring our documents just in case.

Me too. Also, one never knows when the urge to depart from the plan will arise. I've been out of the country on the spur of the moment twice in my travel history (just land borders, but not having the passport would have been a problem).

 

[braumeister]

I had an unusual experience along those lines once.
It was almost 30 years ago and a group of us were going to the Bahamas for some SCUBA diving. For some unknown reason I didn't think to bring my passport. They didn't ask for it at the airport, and when I got to the Bahamas they were happy to just accept my driver's license instead. DW was furious with me, but it worked out OK. Border controls were very different back then.

 

[Chuckanut]

Several years ago I was with a group crossing the border in what we know as Eastern Europe. An elderly couple had flown into Germany but for some reason their passport had not been stamped. But, There was a much older stamp for entry to Germany and the alert guard noticed that. He suspected they had overstayed their time in Germany and was not going to let them pass. After unloading luggage they found their recent boarding pass and the guards relented.

Sometimes those border guards need to be taken seriously.

 

[cathy63]

I'll likely learn the same thing.

Do we know if Global Entry will work or not, when I come back to the US? Maybe, standing there with my Global Entry card and my new passport, they could get it updated right then.

But this thread has me thinking deeper about this than I had been thinking... If I'm coming back from a US territory (not a non-US country), are they even going to put me through immigration? Maybe I've got more time to get the passport number straightened-out.

The global entry kiosks probably would not work because they'd scan your new passport and the number on it wouldn't match up to any records in the GE system. Maybe if you scanned your old expired passport it would work. They ought to update these records automatically. This is just a case of the left hand (DHS) not knowing what the right hand (Dept of State) is doing.

I can confirm that you don't need a passport to fly to the states from Puerto Rico. I don't think you should need one for other territories either since people who live in them are U.S. citizens and entitled to carry U.S. passports themselves, but I've never tested that assumption.

 

[sengsational]

^Thanks Cathy. I agree, it probably wouldn't work unless updated, but, as you say, I don't need it right away if I'm coming back, only having visited USVI.

As to getting it updated, I called my local Global Entry enrollment center location and they said just send an email to them with a scan of the passport, along with my Global Entry PASSID number, and they'd take care of it. And just now, as I was typing this, they called me to tell me that it had been updated. Wow! Awesome service from CBP!

 

[braumeister]

Awesome service from CBP!

Congratulations! Your papers are now in order.

 

[braumeister]

Sometimes those border guards need to be taken seriously.

Speaking of taking border crossings seriously:
Two passengers fined $16K for using fake vaccination cards to fly from US to Canada

Two airline passengers have been fined nearly $16,000 each for using fake vaccination cards to fly from the United States to Canada.

 

[audreyh1]

As to getting it updated, I called my local Global Entry enrollment center location and they said just send an email to them with a scan of the passport, along with my Global Entry PASSID number, and they'd take care of it. And just now, as I was typing this, they called me to tell me that it had been updated. Wow! Awesome service from CBP!

Excellent!

 

[Pellice]

Why do I get a "No, you have to come in." Sigh.

 

[tulak]

This has been mentioned in the past, but if you happen to live within reasonable driving distance of the Canadian border, consider enrolling in NEXUS instead of Global Entry.



NEXUS gives you ALL the benefits of Global Entry, PLUS expedited Canadian border crossing, and amazingly enough, it's half the price of GE (just $50 for five years instead of $100).



The only drawback is that you have to do your initial interview at a border location. But when we renewed ours in 2019, new interviews were not required, so it was apparently a one-time thing.



With NEXUS, you simply use the Global Entry kiosks the same as GE members. The big advantage is for Canadian visits. There was one time a few years ago when we saved literally two hours or more just by flashing our NEXUS cards.

I got my Nexus pass before the pandemic but unfortunately DD didn’t have a chance to finish the interview before they closed. Nexus hasn’t reopened yet. It’s a bummer, because we’re flying international and I don’t feel right using GE and making her wait.

I hope with the opening of the border, Nexus will start up again.

As for traveling with passports, I mostly travel international and got in the habit of always carrying my passport. When I took a longish trip in the US earlier this year, I used my passport, even though not necessary. It’s easy and you’ll never be hassled for correct ID.

 

[braumeister]

Nexus hasn’t reopened yet. It’s a bummer, because we’re flying international and I don’t feel right using GE and making her wait.

I hope with the opening of the border, Nexus will start up again.

They have already started doing online interviews for renewals, so that may be expanded to let new applicants use it as well.

Remote Interview Pilot for Trusted Traveler Programs

 

[tulak]

They have already started doing online interviews for renewals, so that may be expanded to let new applicants use it as well.



Remote Interview Pilot for Trusted Traveler Programs

I wasn’t aware they were doing online interviews. Hopefully they expand it to new applicants and keep it after they open for in person interviews. That would be a great alternative, especially since it’s a bit of a drive to the closest interview center.

 

[nwsteve]

DW & I just renewed our Trusted Traveler passes. Filled out the forms online at https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov/. DW got her renewed pass by mail without any interview. I had to have an interview. I discovered they were now hosting zoom interviews and scored a reservation. Completed the interview in less than 15 min. Started early and completed before the original start time.
During the interview, I also learned our TSA cards are a replacement for the Real Id and can be used in place of paying for an upgraded stratus for our drivers license.
Great experience overall.

 

[braumeister]

I also learned our TSA cards are a replacement for the Real Id and can be used in place of paying for an upgraded stratus for our drivers license.

For those who (like me) still don't have a Real ID driver's license, there are plenty of other things you can use instead (like for getting on a plane).

Here is a pretty good list of them:
https://vetsfirst.org/what-is-real-id/

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

For those who (like me) still don't have a Real ID driver's license, there are plenty of other things you can use instead (like for getting on a plane).

Here is a pretty good list of them:
https://vetsfirst.org/what-is-real-id/

This article is from 2019 and the first listed is:

Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)

Which will not be in compliance (now scheduled for 5/2023) unless it's a REAL ID. Our state is issuing both versions.

Here is the official TSA page:

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification

 

[audreyh1]

Real IDs : passports, passport cards, global entry cards….

Our TX DLs are real now, otherwise I would carry one of the above.

 

[mpeirce]

DW & I just renewed our Trusted Traveler passes. Filled out the forms online at https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov/. DW got her renewed pass by mail without any interview.

DW and I just got ours renewed too. We did have to go in for an interview. The guy wondered aloud why we might have needed interviews - then he answered himself saying "I guess it’s because you visited Morocco”.

Luckily the office is nearby.