Global Entry - usage after interview

[PaunchyPirate]

I have been waiting over a year for word on my Global Entry application. I check my online account every month or so and it was always Pending. This past week, I received an email promoting the use of an entry point into the US for an interview to those who were conditionally approved. As I was already aware, you can request an interview when you re-enter the country from an overseas trip. But the email didn't really tell me that I was now qualified to request an interview. I was never notified of anything. But sure enough, when I signed into my account, I am now "Conditionally Accepted" and can schedule my in-person interview.

So, I set up an interview in Pittsburgh for September 4th. I am leaving for Ireland on September 17 and returning on October 2. Assuming I pass my interview, how long does it take before I have the necessary stuff in my hand to re-enter using Global Entry? Do they give you an ID card at the interview? mail you one? is there even a card involved? What should I be expecting. Ideally, I'd like to use my new status on October 2 when I re-enter the USA at the Dublin Airport checkpoint.

 

[QG67PK00]

Once you are approved, it should, take a day or 2 for your approved status to show up in your account. You can then use the Pre Clearance Self Service Global Entry Kiosk.
The card is mailed separately and comes in 4-6 weeks after approval. The card is not needed to get Global entry service.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Once you are approved, it should, take a day or 2 for your approved status to show up in your account. You can then use the Pre Clearance Self Service Global Entry Kiosk.
The card is mailed separately and comes in 4-6 weeks after approval. The card is not needed to get Global entry service.

Perfect! and thank you.

 

[fosterscik]

I've never used my physical card - I'm not sure why they even mail you one. Once you're in the system all should work automagically . The card does have your trusted traveler number on it which you enter into your airline's booking system to get you automatic precheck status at US airports.
Most people seem to get the good-to-go email within minutes of successfully completing the interview.

 

[cathy63]

When you complete the interview, ask them for your known traveler number. Call your airline and add it to your reservation so that you'll get tsa pre-check upon departure from the U.S. You can't make this change online, only by phone.

If you do get the card before your trip, take it with you. I don't know if it will be helpful in Dublin, but we did once have to show them in Vancouver to get expedited luggage screening after going through US immigration. We didn't need them in Toronto last year, so this may vary by airport or they may have changed things since the last time we flew home from Vancouver.

 

[braumeister]

You won't need the card, since the GE kiosks at airports are using facial recognition now.
Even if you find an older kiosk, all you would have to do is scan your passport.
Congratulations on finally joining the club!

 

[OldShooter]

... Ideally, I'd like to use my new status on October 2 when I re-enter the USA at the Dublin Airport checkpoint.

I don't thing you need anything in your hands. When we returned from Japan in early April there was no paperwork or passport or ID card to worry about. The kiosk just did its facial recognition thing and burped out a piece of paper that we handed to the ICE guy as we walked by. Assuming you are approved after your interview your photo and info ought to be in the system pretty quickly.

If there's a problem, someone there will help you. No worries.

 

[QG67PK00]

I've never used my physical card - I'm not sure why they even mail you one. Once you're in the system all should work automagically . The card does have your trusted traveler number on it which you enter into your airline's booking system to get you automatic precheck status at US airports.
Most people seem to get the good-to-go email within minutes of successfully completing the interview.

The Global Entry card is a TSA Real-ID compliant ID for domestic air travel. There is no need to get a Real-ID compliant Driver License if you have the Global Entry card. Saves you a trip to your local Motor Vehicle Department..
Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint | Transportation Security Administration

 

[fosterscik]

Good to know! I would never use it that way as I always carry my real-ID driver's license (we generally rent a car somewhere on our overseas trips but even when we don't I always carry my DL), but I could see where some may prefer to leave their license at home.

 

[OldConch]

When you complete the interview, ask them for your known traveler number. Call your airline and add it to your reservation so that you'll get tsa pre-check upon departure from the U.S. You can't make this change online, only by phone.

If you do get the card before your trip, take it with you. I don't know if it will be helpful in Dublin, but we did once have to show them in Vancouver to get expedited luggage screening after going through US immigration. We didn't need them in Toronto last year, so this may vary by airport or they may have changed things since the last time we flew home from Vancouver.

It's been our experience that you can enter your known traveler number online. I've got flights on Alaska Air next week and in the "manage bookings" I can add my KTN number. I add DW and my known traveler numbers to our airline profiles and they automatically populate when I book flights. If for some reason we don't get TSA Pre when we check in we just go to the check-in counter before our flight and ask them to add it.

On foreign carriers you can add it during the booking process. If you forget, go to the check in counter and ask them to add it. We flew BA a couple of weeks ago SEA to LHR and we couldn't check in online anyways because they needed to verify our passports. I used the opportunity to confirm our known traveler numbers and frequent flier info. We got TSA Pre.

I see no reason NOT to bring the physical Global Entry with us on trips. I would think it would be helpful if our passports were lost. That said, we haven't had to use it in a couple of years.

Our trip home from London to Seattle yesterday was the easiest entry yet. There was literally no line, the CBP guy pointed at the kiosks, we looked at the camera for about 15 seconds, a light flashed green, and the CBP agent said "have a nice day." Not even a piece of paper.

 

[braumeister]

It's been our experience that you can enter your known traveler number online.

Yes, I have always done it online when buying tickets.
Depending on the airline, it may not always be obvious where to do this, but some clicking and scrolling will usually make it plain.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I have been waiting over a year for word on my Global Entry application....<snip>

DH and I just applied a week ago, got our conditional approval within 48 hours, and were able to schedule our interview appointments in Chicago on August 1. So 35 days start to finish. We had planned to interview at the international terminal's office on our mid-September 13 return from a trip to Europe, but realized we could get it done in downtown Chicago and assuming we pass the interview, we would be able to use it for our trip for precheck leaving and to clear customs on our return regardless of whether we receive our cards in time.

We had long put off applying because we had heard how long it took to get GE, as it has for you and some people we know, but just decided to go for it. Perhaps the pool of people who still want it is smaller so applications can be processed more quickly, or maybe we were just lucky. Fingers crossed for you and us!

 

[grasshopper]

We applied for Global Entry on June 12, acceptance the next day, interview on the 15th and had cards in hand on June 24. A bit happy surprised.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I already have a Known Traveler Number from having TSA-Pre status for years. And it is in my airline profiles. I wonder if I will keep the same KTN and it will now just mean something else (I.e. Global Entry).

 

[BooBoo]

I just renewed my Global Entry card on Trusted Traveler website. Approved in 2 days and did not need another interview. Sometimes you get lucky and amazed at the efficiency. Big difference when trying to get first approval during COVID.

 

[audreyh1]

I've never used my physical card - I'm not sure why they even mail you one. Once you're in the system all should work automagically . The card does have your trusted traveler number on it which you enter into your airline's booking system to get you automatic precheck status at US airports.
Most people seem to get the good-to-go email within minutes of successfully completing the interview.

The physical card is only for land border reentry like Canada and Mexico and some cruise ship returns. It’s not used or required for flights to the United States - there you need your passport instead, although with GE these days they use face recognition alone.

 

[Lorenzo]

Regarding the physical card, other than using it for land border entry, the likelihood that carrying it will come in handy is small. NEVERTHELESS, there was this ONE time that the Customs and Immigration hall in Atlanta was overwhelmed. A TSA agent stopped all arriving passengers at the end of the corridor leading from the arriving planes and made them form a line, then metered them through, about one passenger from the line every minute or so. Once allowed through, if you did not have Global Entry you then joined the end of the huge line waiting for the agents in the booths. IF you were able to show the TSA agent a phsycial Global Entry card, the TSA agent would let you leave the line and proceed to Global Entry, but the TSA agent would not simply take a passenger's verbal assurance that they were Global Entry members. This is the only time in dozens of airport re-entries that I found carrying the physical card would have had a benefit. Of course we did not have ours with us.

 

[audreyh1]

Bizarre! I hope that was long ago.

 

[braumeister]

I've used my NEXUS card many times driving across the US/Canada border and it once saved me literally hours when the Ambassador Bridge at Detroit was backed up. The NEXUS lane was empty so we were able to bypass probably close to 1,000 cars.
Since it has been valuable to me, I typically carry it even when flying.

 

[Lorenzo]

Bizarre! I hope that was long ago.

Returning from Caribbean on Dec. 26, 2023.

 

[Alex The Great]

Currently I do have GE card valid till Jan 2025. Applied for renewal yesterday and got approved today.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

WooHoo! I got my Global Entry approval last night after my personal interview yesterday afternoon. Just in time for my trip to Ireland on. I leave on September 17th. Start to finish, this process took just over one year.

 

[grasshopper]

WooHoo! I got my Global Entry approval last night after my personal interview yesterday afternoon. Just in time for my trip to Ireland on. I leave on September 17th. Start to finish, this process took just over one year.

Don't forget to put your trusted traveler number on your plane tic.

 

[anethum]

Dublin airport is a US preclearance facility, meaning you go through US immigration and customs before you board flights to the US. When you land in the US, it's as though you arrived on a domestic US flight. This is similar to flights to the US from most Canadian airports. Global Entry didn't save me any time in Dublin but I imagine if things had been busier, it might have helped.

US Preclearance Guide and Preclearance facility | Dublin Airport

Our US Pre Clearance facility allows you to clear immigration, customs and agricultural inspections before boarding your flight. Learn more here.

www.dublinairport.com

 

[Lucie]

We just returned from Dublin last week. We walked up to the Global entry kiosk, had our faces scanned and were waived through. There weren’t long lines for non global entry passengers, but if there were, this would have saved a lot of time. Enjoy Ireland!