Global Entry Changes

[SecondAttempt]

We applied for GE and paid 2 weeks ago. I did for DW and myself at the same time. 24 hours later I had email that said to schedule my interview. First appointment at our local airport (Dulles) was 1 Nov, 4 months away. DW still shows processing. I called the number and the LONG message before I could get to the hold for next agent (It said wait was 6 hours or something like that) they said it could take 6-8 months to process the application. WOW 24 hours or 6-8 months ?? Am I wasting time ? We plan a trip in March.

You are lucky, earliest interview for us would have been an almost 9 month wait. We only got an interview by doing the interview on arrival thing after an international flight. Technically it was too early in the morning but a CBP supervisor went out of his way to be helpful and do our interview.

 

[omni550]

We applied for GE and paid 2 weeks ago. I did for DW and myself at the same time. 24 hours later I had email that said to schedule my interview. First appointment at our local airport (Dulles) was 1 Nov, 4 months away. DW still shows processing. I called the number and the LONG message before I could get to the hold for next agent (It said wait was 6 hours or something like that) they said it could take 6-8 months to process the application. WOW 24 hours or 6-8 months ?? Am I wasting time ? We plan a trip in March.

Lucky you.

I applied for and paid for GE on Mar 19, 2022. I haven't heard a peep from them since. (I just checked their site and it says "Pending Review").

omni

 

[Trailwalker]

Come down here. Appointments have been readily available at a couple of the border bridges. Maybe an excuse to vacation at South Padre Island?

We love Padre Island, and that is a possibility for winter/early spring. I have noticed that Laredo and Mission consistently have appointments. In fact, I could get in tomorrow. 101F ? I'll hold that thought.

 

[neihn]

Lucky you.

I applied for and paid for GE on Mar 19, 2022. I haven't heard a peep from them since. (I just checked their site and it says "Pending Review").

omni

Same here. I applied in June 12th 2022. I haven't heard anything and their website says "Pending review". It also says that I must check the website for status (meaning no email)

 

[Gotadimple]

We applied for GE and paid 2 weeks ago. I did for DW and myself at the same time. 24 hours later I had email that said to schedule my interview. First appointment at our local airport (Dulles) was 1 Nov, 4 months away. DW still shows processing. I called the number and the LONG message before I could get to the hold for next agent (It said wait was 6 hours or something like that) they said it could take 6-8 months to process the application. WOW 24 hours or 6-8 months ?? Am I wasting time ? We plan a trip in March.

It's a popular program that combines a Known Traveler Number (KTN) and using a kiosk at the airport when returning from international travel. The KTN lets get on a domestic flight as TSA Precheck. The GE card covers Customers and Border Protection Entry.

OR

You can apply for TSA Precheck - $85 for 5 years and a quick appointment to get finger-printed, or if you may already have it with one of your credit cards.
AND
Download the Mobile Passport App that does the same thing as the GE card, and costs nothing.

- Rita

 

[gayl]

I use Mobile Passport & WhyLine. Both free, limited sites but the airports I've used have always been included. No one was in line in SeaTac and walked right past everyone in TSA line


https://www.afar.com/magazine/skip-tsa-security-lines-for-free-at-these-airports

 

[Koolau]

We just flew back from Roatan last Sunday via Miami and were surprised by the changes that have occurred since we last flew internationally (before covid; BC seems like an appropriate abbreviation given how long it seems )
Now entry went even faster. No fingerprints taken at the kiosk. No read your passport at the kiosk. No declarations page.

All we had to do was look at the camera. I assume they rely on facial recognition but that's pretty hard to believe given we entered ZERO information about ourselves before the machine spat out the usual slip (with our photo included) to present to a customs officer on the way out.

Can it rely exclusively on facial recognition to prove we're part of the global entry program? Amazing

China uses FR to track and rate its citizens. So apparently it does work. Imagine getting home from your travels and finding a letter showing you jay-walking and requiring you pay a fine. No need for an officer to stop you and write you up. How convenient!

 

[SecondAttempt]

No one was in line in SeaTac and walked right past everyone in TSA line

The TSA says they want more people to participate in these programs to speed up security for everyone but my experience is that they are making it way too diificult to sign up. Getting the interview was a real pain. I live in Hawaii which can be challenging for many things. But there are many states without a single place to enroll. Yet almost every state has a CBP presence. The interview process was pretty simple once we got it. The questions they are even allowed to ask are pretty basic. If they are serious about making travel more efficient they should be able to provide interviews much more widely. CBP wastes billions on roadblocks in southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Why can't I pull up to a roadblock and be interviewed?

 

[gayl]

The TSA says they want more people to participate in these programs to speed up security for everyone but my experience is that they are making it way too diificult to sign up. Getting the interview was a real pain. I live in Hawaii which can be challenging for many things. But there are many states without a single place to enroll. Yet almost every state has a CBP presence. The interview process was pretty simple once we got it. The questions they are even allowed to ask are pretty basic. If they are serious about making travel more efficient they should be able to provide interviews much more widely. CBP wastes billions on roadblocks in southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Why can't I pull up to a roadblock and be interviewed?

But the PreCheck and Clear lines were way WAY too long for me to even consider signing up!! WhyLine was empty (and its free .... you just need to estimate the time to enter line).

 

[SecondAttempt]

China uses FR to track and rate its citizens. So apparently it does work.

For the project I am currently working on we are buying a lot of cameras. There are quite a few Chinese camera manufacturers that I am barred from buying from with federal money because they helped develop technology to identify Uigurs using FR. Not sure I have a big issue with this, just sayin'

 

[SecondAttempt]

But the PreCheck and Clear lines were way WAY too long for me to even consider signing up!! WhyLine was empty (and its free .... you just need to estimate the time to enter line).

Exactly, but it really depends on where you are. In my experience in most places both Clear and Precheck have been excellent. But there are exceptions. If TSA is serious they need to make it universally good.

I remember about 20 years ago being in a security line at LAX that was almost half a mile long. They finally marshalled a bunch of cops and passed what was probably several thousand people through security at once with no search, questions, xrays etc. This was post 9/11. But now they seem ill-equipped to do their job. They can find out from the airlines exactly how many passngers to expect yet almost always seem to be understaffed. That's just plain incompetence.

 

[Koolau]

They can find out from the airlines exactly how many passngers to expect yet almost always seem to be understaffed. That's just plain incompetence.

No, that's the gummint.

 

[Koolau]

For the project I am currently working on we are buying a lot of cameras. There are quite a few Chinese camera manufacturers that I am barred from buying from with federal money because they helped develop technology to identify Uigurs using FR. Not sure I have a big issue with this, just sayin'

You have no big issue with identifying various groups (or individuals.)

 

[SecondAttempt]

No, that's the gummint.

Aren't those the same? gummint, incompetent

 

[SecondAttempt]

You have no big issue with identifying various groups (or individuals.)

I don't like what the Chinese are doing to the Uighurs. I don't like what the CCP is doing to many of their own citizens over human rights. I don't like a lot of what is going on with racism in the US either. But I also don't see US criticism of China's racist behavior and being any different than China's criticism of racism in the US.

But I'm not sure barring a company that develops technology in response to a government order is appropriate. Plenty of US companies have and are developing technologies for the US government with questionable purposes. The Stingray comes to mind for example.

As for identifying individuals, we do that routinely as well. Several years ago at the superbowl, police deployed FR to arrest dozens of fugitives as they entered the stadium.

 

[Koolau]

Aren't those the same? gummint, incompetent

We think alike.

 

[Koolau]

I don't like what the Chinese are doing to the Uighurs. I don't like what the CCP is doing to many of their own citizens over human rights. I don't like a lot of what is going on with racism in the US either. But I also don't see US criticism of China's racist behavior and being any different than China's criticism of racism in the US.

But I'm not sure barring a company that develops technology in response to a government order is appropriate. Plenty of US companies have and are developing technologies for the US government with questionable purposes. The Stingray comes to mind for example.

As for identifying individuals, we do that routinely as well. Several years ago at the superbowl, police deployed FR to arrest dozens of fugitives as they entered the stadium.

Aloha Bruddah!

 

[RetMD21]

OK - some good news about FAST Global Entry renewal processing.

I applied online for a renewal of my Global Entry status on Thursday. Unbelievably, it was approved yesterday (Saturday) - only 48 hours! I can hardly believe a human looked at it. I am thinking that some automated process kicked in. Have others had this fast service when renewing a global entry trusted traveler status?

I am in the process of applying for Global Entry renewal and the verbiage indicates that an interview may be needed. I wonder how many go through fast w/o an actual interview.

 

[audreyh1]

50/50 so far. DH had to go interview. I didn’t.

 

[RetMD21]

50/50 so far. DH had to go interview. I didn’t.

I guess we'll see what happens. I read online that they might do an online interview.

 

[braumeister]

Yes, it's apparently random. We didn't have to get interviewed when renewing but our neighbors did.

 

[RetMD21]

No interviews for us, our approval came through this evening

 

[Trailwalker]

DW and I had a less than wonderful experience getting interviews in Miami on our return trip from Lima.

It went differently from what many have described. We were told to go through immigration first and then another officer took us back to a full room of people with various complicated immigration problems. While there were half a dozen officers working there, only one officer was handling Global Entry interviews. It was over an hour before we got in; the interview itself took about five minutes--mostly consisting of the photo and fingerprints.

By the time we tracked down our luggage from the holding area (bags were pulled off as unclaimed), we made it to the gate with five minutes to spare before boarding our next connection.

 

[Koolau]

DW and I had a less than wonderful experience getting interviews in Miami on our return trip from Lima.

It went differently from what many have described. We were told to go through immigration first and then another officer took us back to a full room of people with various complicated immigration problems. While there were half a dozen officers working there, only one officer was handling Global Entry interviews. It was over an hour before we got in; the interview itself took about five minutes--mostly consisting of the photo and fingerprints.

By the time we tracked down our luggage from the holding area (bags were pulled off as unclaimed), we made it to the gate with five minutes to spare before boarding our next connection.

Well, I'm sure they did their best to get you to your flight on time.

 

[lordjust]

No interviews for us, our approval came through this evening

Lucky!.. i did mine years ago and had to go to LAX for the interview. It was a waste of everyones time because it was 5 questions and 5 minutes. This was when you had to schedule the interview 6mo-1year out. I just got lucky and someone canceled. Just giving my .02 so people know it can be a very simple interview or at least was. Also, i renewed mine online with no issue. Having the card has paid its worth back many many many times. I cant tell you how many entry immigration lines i have bypassed.