Anyone here use the US Global Entry program coming back through customs?

[txflood33]

I have it for work but rarely fly international...mainly have it for the TSA precheck....but it was the same price for the global

 

Anyone use it? Is it as easy and painless as they say?

[sail7seas]

You cannot use it in cruise terminals in U..S.

[txflood33]

You cannot use it in cruise terminals in U..S.

 

That's good info....but if my cruise ends in Rome and I fly back to Chicago, I'm going to have to go through customs in O'Hare. I should be able to use it there.

 

I was just curious if it was as cracked up as they say.

[Host Anne]

Use it all the time coming back into the States at an airport. Yes, it really is as easy as they say and really worthwhile if you hit Customs when a variety of international flights unload all at once.

 

Can't wait for the day that the machines are in cruise ship terminals, too. A little tougher than an airport since there are a variety of terminals in any given port that there are less ports than airport :-) One can hope!

[sail7seas]

That's good info....but if my cruise ends in Rome and I fly back to Chicago, I'm going to have to go through customs in O'Hare. I should be able to use it there.

 

I was just curious if it was as cracked up as they say.

 

 

 

That is why I limited my statement to U.S. You did not indicate where you wished to use it.

I thought it useful information for people reading here who do not know that about cruise terminals in U.S.

 

Edited July 1, 2014 by sail7seas

[txflood33]

That is why I limited my statement to U.S. You did not indicate where you wished to use it.

I thought it useful information for people reading here who do not know that about cruise terminals in U.S.

 

 

to be honest, it was truly appreciated info....for some reason it never dawned on me that I will have to go through customs in Italy when we return from the cruise. I knew of flying to Rome and home to Chicago...but never thought of post cruise lol

[CPT Trips]

Use it all the time coming back into the States at an airport. Yes, it really is as easy as they say and really worthwhile if you hit Customs when a variety of international flights unload all at once.

 

Can't wait for the day that the machines are in cruise ship terminals, too. A little tougher than an airport since there are a variety of terminals in any given port that there are less ports than airport :-) One can hope!

 

Clearing ICE with a US passport is routinely so simple at the cruise terminals that it's just not worth spending the public money to set up GE. I think it takes longer to swipe off the ship than is spent with ICE at the terminals. It's much different than the airport nonsense.

[calliopecruiser]

Very timely - I just got my Nexus card which also allows me to use Global Entry kiosks as well. I'll be flying back to SFO after my cruise before connecting to a flight home.

[ducklite]

to be honest, it was truly appreciated info....for some reason it never dawned on me that I will have to go through customs in Italy when we return from the cruise. I knew of flying to Rome and home to Chicago...but never thought of post cruise lol

 

As long as you have nothing to declare, you just fill out the form and they collect them as they act as bored as if they were watching paint dry.

[ducklite]

We landed at LAX at the same time as several other wide bodies a couple months ago. What a zoo. Thank goodness for GOES, we were through CBP under 15 minutes after we got off the flight--including stopping to pay the duty we owed. My guess is that the people at the back of our plane (we landed last) would have been in line for at least 90 minutes if they didn't have GOES, longer if they got held up in customs.

[txflood33]

We landed at LAX at the same time as several other wide bodies a couple months ago. What a zoo. Thank goodness for GOES, we were through CBP under 15 minutes after we got off the flight--including stopping to pay the duty we owed. My guess is that the people at the back of our plane (we landed last) would have been in line for at least 90 minutes if they didn't have GOES, longer if they got held up in customs.

 

This alone would be worth the cost of Global Entry even if you never used it again. I will pay for convenience. Now if I can get my wife to hurry up and sign up. I told her I will have no shame in leaving her in the line as I walk on through.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

GE is for clearing immigration. Instead of waiting on line to show your passport to an immigration agent you go to the GE kiosk instead.

 

You still have to go through the same customs procedure with or without GE.

[ducklite]

This alone would be worth the cost of Global Entry even if you never used it again. I will pay for convenience. Now if I can get my wife to hurry up and sign up. I told her I will have no shame in leaving her in the line as I walk on through.

 

:) Our son flies once a year when he goes to our family reunion. It wouldn't make sense for him to spend the $$ for GOES or any other "faster-through-the-lines" service. I bought both of our tickets for the reunioin on my account this year--hoping that we luck out and he gets Pre-Chek as a "random" but not counting on it. I stayed with him in the regular TSA line last year, but was tempted to tell him I'd meet him near the gate later.

[txflood33]

:) Our son flies once a year when he goes to our family reunion. It wouldn't make sense for him to spend the $$ for GOES or any other "faster-through-the-lines" service. I bought both of our tickets for the reunioin on my account this year--hoping that we luck out and he gets Pre-Chek as a "random" but not counting on it. I stayed with him in the regular TSA line last year, but was tempted to tell him I'd meet him near the gate later.

 

I travel quite a bit domestically for work so my boss said I could get TSA pre and expense it. TSA pre doesn't have a face to face interview office in O'Hare. The closest is Indianapolis. But O'hare has an office for Global Entry....same price for the same time frame...works with TSA pre about 80-90% of the time.....I'll take it if it saves me a trip to Indy and I can get through customs a little more quickly after the cruise.

[ducklite]

I travel quite a bit domestically for work so my boss said I could get TSA pre and expense it. TSA pre doesn't have a face to face interview office in O'Hare. The closest is Indianapolis. But O'hare has an office for Global Entry....same price for the same time frame...works with TSA pre about 80-90% of the time.....I'll take it if it saves me a trip to Indy and I can get through customs a little more quickly after the cruise.

 

I have GOES. My point is that for someone who flies once a year, it is not worth getting PreChek or GOES.

[Zach1213]

GE is for clearing immigration. Instead of waiting on line to show your passport to an immigration agent you go to the GE kiosk instead.

 

You still have to go through the same customs procedure with or without GE.

 

That's not really true. You do not need to fill out the US Customs (blue) form when you are using Global Entry. Instead, you make any declarations on the immigration kiosk, and it spits out a receipt that you show to customs. Often times, there's a separate customs line for Global Entry members (though not always).

 

Sometimes crew members are not 100% clear about this, though. I've had some debate that I needed a customs form and kept trying to give me one, despite my saying I didn't need one. "When was the last time you went through customs, sir?" Well...last week, and I didn't need one, so I doubt that I do this week.

[SadieN]

DD has the same problem happening every time she uses GE kiosk --- the facial recognition camera seems to be set for someone at least 5'2". She has some funny stories about that.

[navybankerteacher]

That's not really true. You do not need to fill out the US Customs (blue) form when you are using Global Entry. Instead, you make any declarations on the immigration kiosk, and it spits out a receipt that you show to customs. Often times, there's a separate customs line for Global Entry members (though not always).

 

Sometimes crew members are not 100% clear about this, though. I've had some debate that I needed a customs form and kept trying to give me one, despite my saying I didn't need one. "When was the last time you went through customs, sir?" Well...last week, and I didn't need one, so I doubt that I do this week.

 

Global entry has nothing to do with customs - it expedites entry. When we used it recently, we still needed to turn in our customs forms. You are just as likely to be called aside for inspection of your luggage as anyone else.

 

It is a great time saver for re-entering the US from overseas - but even more valuable in my mind is the "trusted traveller" aspect for letting you go through expedited TSA checks when flying anywhere. I would estimate that it's worth close to half an hour saved when flying out of any New York airport.

[Badger-Badger]

to be honest, it was truly appreciated info....for some reason it never dawned on me that I will have to go through customs in Italy when we return from the cruise. I knew of flying to Rome and home to Chicago...but never thought of post cruise lol

 

You will not go through customs in Rome at the port. You just walk off .... no checks, passports, customs or etc. Just at the airports.

 

ETA at least this is true if you are doing a western Med cruise

 

Sent from my LT28at using Forums mobile app

Edited July 1, 2014 by Badger-Badger

[ducklite]

You will not go through customs in Rome. You just walk off .... no checks, passports, customs or etc. Just at the airports.

 

ETA at least this is true if you are doing a eestern Med cruise

 

Sent from my LT28at using Forums mobile app

 

NOT TRUE. You will most certainly have your passport checked at the port in Italy when you get off the ship.

[lamchops]

My Nexus/Goes card is great in avoiding line-ups of international flights. I have no issues with connecting flights a hour apart now when returning from Europe or Florida.

Those daytrips to Seattle by car are also better without the lengthy border waits.

It is my experience that each minute wait at the border or kiosk equals 6 minutes through the normal line-ups.

[txflood33]

You will not go through customs in Rome at the port. You just walk off .... no checks, passports, customs or etc. Just at the airports.

 

ETA at least this is true if you are doing a western Med cruise

 

Sent from my LT28at using Forums mobile app

 

We are doing eastern Med...Rome to Santorini to Istanbul to Ephesus to Mykonos to Athens to Naples to Rome

 

I would be truly surprised...now that I think about it...if Italy would let all those people back in without asking for declarations

 

fruits/veggies/plants...all can affect an ecosystem

[navybankerteacher]

I travel quite a bit domestically for work so my boss said I could get TSA pre and expense it. TSA pre doesn't have a face to face interview office in O'Hare. The closest is Indianapolis. But O'hare has an office for Global Entry....same price for the same time frame...works with TSA pre about 80-90% of the time.....I'll take it if it saves me a trip to Indy and I can get through customs a little more quickly after the cruise.

 

The GOES clearance gives you TSA "trusted traveler" status.

[txflood33]

The GOES clearance gives you TSA "trusted traveler" status.

 

According to the CBP agent that did my face to face, it only gets selected about 80-90% of the time....more often than not, but I guess there's still a chance

 

and this is all very new to me...hence the question...I just had my interview last week

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

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