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Well then schedule the interview for a time that you are planning on traveling anyway. It doesn't have to be at the airport that is the "closest" to you. Some locations are even located outside of airports and have weekend hours. You just came from a trip in which I'm sure that you used one or more airports where you could have had your interview so it would have taken no more than 20 minutes more than you were already planning on spending.
Unfortunately not quite. They were beyond backed up the day of my interview and I waited over an hour past my scheduled time. Then they couldn't get my prints to scan. My "interview" took about 45 minutes. My car was parked for jsut over two hours. If I had been trying to catch a flight I would have been hosed.
Thanks for all your information. Just for the record, since I have an artificial knee, I always get handed if I go through the metal detector, so I opt for the "nude-o-meter" just to speed things up.
I have Global Entry and it is very beneficial, as I fly out of Houston or Dallas mostly for international trips. There was even a US Global Entry line inside the Aruba airport, which was pretty cool, as you clear US customs before ever leaving the island of Aruba.
The whole application/interview process for me was very fast and efficient, taking only mere hours to get approval to interview after submitting my application. The problem I ran into was that the Austin airport only had one or two available appointments....two or three months later!!! I decided to schedule my interview at one of the Houston locations when I was going to be there anyway, and it worked out beautifully (and parking only cost me $3). I actually got there an hour early and they still saw me immediately. The interview was a joke, but I answered their two questions ("Do you get mail at this address?" and "Have you ever been arrested?"), was in and out in less than 10 minutes, and had my GE card in my paws less than a week later.
I will see the most benefit from it in September, upon arrival from a very long flight from China....the last thing I want to do after those types of long-haul flights is stand in a customs line at IAH.
Thanks for this thread! For some reason I actually never considered this as an option but after reading through the thread I think it could be very worthwhile for me.
Couple questions:
1) Someone mentioned enrolling after your birthdate to maximize the length of your enrollment. Is that from the time you apply or the time you are approved?
2) Is this supposed to come with TSA Pre all the time? Or is that an additional benefit just for your international flights returning to the US (aka times when the Global Entry is used)
Thanks for this thread! For some reason I actually never considered this as an option but after reading through the thread I think it could be very worthwhile for me.
Couple questions:
1) Someone mentioned enrolling after your birthdate to maximize the length of your enrollment. Is that from the time you apply or the time you are approved?
2) Is this supposed to come with TSA Pre all the time? Or is that an additional benefit just for your international flights returning to the US (aka times when the Global Entry is used)
Thanks!!
I believe that it from the date you are approved which happens after your interview. The process will be
1. Complete online form
2. Receive conditional approval
3. Schedule in person interview
4. Complete in person interview
5. Receive final approval
Your issue date will the date that you got your final approval. You expiration date will be five years after your next birthday. Since I enrolled before my birthday by expiration date in in 2020. But if my interview was the day after my birthday my expiration date would be in 2021,
Signing up for global entry automatically enrolls you in TSA Pre, so as long as your Known Traveler Number is entered in your frequent flyer profile or is entered when you make your reservation, you will get to use the TSA Pre line as long as the airline participates in the program.
Thanks! Having our first child in two months so probably won't be traveling abroad for the next 8 months at least. My birthday is June, wife's is in December. I guess we should apply in early Spring and try to schedule the interview after my birthday in June?
And in the instances where we travel with our child, will we lose the benefits or would the child be able to enroll as well?
Thanks! Having our first child in two months so probably won't be traveling abroad for the next 8 months at least. My birthday is June, wife's is in December. I guess we should apply in early Spring and try to schedule the interview after my birthday in June?
And in the instances where we travel with our child, will we lose the benefits or would the child be able to enroll as well?
Because your birthdays are 6 months apart, you're never going to be able to both maximize the time by enrolling together. If getting to an enrollment center isn't too difficult, the best way to maximize the enrollment would be for you to apply at the beginning of June and have your interview in July and your wife should enroll in January. You will have a limited amount of time to schedule your interview after you have been conditionally approved.
Your child will need to enroll in global entry to be able to use the expedited line but if you are reasonably sure that you won't be taking the child on international trips in the first five years then you may want to save your money. However your child will get your TSA Pre benefits until age 12.
Another thing, if you have a travel rewards credit card you may be able to get reimbursed for the global entry enrollment fee for you and for additional family members. Benefits will vary by card.
Arrived back in Newark from the UK on Friday right behind two flights from India Huge lines at immigration but no lines for the GE kiosks. Passport/fingerprints scanned and we were through in around 30 seconds. First down at baggage claim and we had to wait a bit. But, when the bags did come, there was virtually nobody from our flight through immigration. Picked up bags and walked through customs. Easy Peasy
Same experience at LAX last March arriving back from Hong Kong. Immigration was a disaster zone but not if you have GE
I have Global Entry and it is very beneficial, as I fly out of Houston or Dallas mostly for international trips. There was even a US Global Entry line inside the Aruba airport, which was pretty cool, as you clear US customs before ever leaving the island of Aruba.
The whole application/interview process for me was very fast and efficient, taking only mere hours to get approval to interview after submitting my application. The problem I ran into was that the Austin airport only had one or two available appointments....two or three months later!!! I decided to schedule my interview at one of the Houston locations when I was going to be there anyway, and it worked out beautifully (and parking only cost me $3). I actually got there an hour early and they still saw me immediately. The interview was a joke, but I answered their two questions ("Do you get mail at this address?" and "Have you ever been arrested?"), was in and out in less than 10 minutes, and had my GE card in my paws less than a week later.
I will see the most benefit from it in September, upon arrival from a very long flight from China....the last thing I want to do after those types of long-haul flights is stand in a customs line at IAH.
We were able to use our Global Entry cards to get into an expedited line going into New Zealand at Auckland. Which was handy as the flight from Shanghai had just arrived in front of us. The NZ authorities recognize GE.
Another thing, if you have a travel rewards credit card you may be able to get reimbursed for the global entry enrollment fee for you and for additional family members. Benefits will vary by card.
Great point.......my Capital One Venture Rewards card reimbursed both of our fees for Global Entry (using points) because they were travel related. GE wasn't expensive to begin with, but it was nice to get that $200 back and then have them be free!
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Huge lines at immigration but no lines for the GE kiosks. Passport/fingerprints scanned and we were through in around 30 seconds. First down at baggage claim and we had to wait a bit. But, when the bags did come, there was virtually nobody from our flight through immigration. Picked up bags and walked through customs. Easy Peasy 
