Turnaround time for Global Entry application

[GottaKnowWhen]

With all of the recent fuss about long TSA lines, and with several trips on our near horizon, we decided to go ahead and sign up for Global Entry. We have been getting a free ride, Delta keeps tagging us as TSA PreCheck, but there is no telling how long that might continue.

 

So, we went on-line.

1. Established an account with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) under their Trusted Traveler program: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs

2. Filled out the on-line application.

 

[Time elapsed so far, about 30-45 minutes including searching for and reading Help pages on a few issues. Most time-consuming aspect is that they request you identify every country you have been in within the last five years, and their website form fill is not the easiest to use.]

 

3. Submit form with non-refundable payment.

4. They say that you need to check back, log into your CBP account periodically to find your status, and that it might take 4-6 weeks for the preliminary review. But in fact we received an email notification, and it was less than 2 weeks after we had submitted the applications.

5. Just called, set up our interview appointments. Those won't happen for about 3 weeks as we balanced our schedule against their availability. Four enrollment center locations in our state, the nearest is about two hours away so that factored into the scheduling.

6. The very helpful lady who scheduled us said that (assuming approval) we would receive our Global Entry cards within two weeks after the interview, and our Trusted Traveler numbers would be in the system well before then.

 

So, total elapsed time will be about two months, and it could have been sooner if our own schedules had not kept us from taking advantage of earlier slots for our interviews.

 

Of course there are many factors which could affect the process for any individual, to include the availability of interview time slots at the enrollment center most convenient to you. But if you have travel planned within the next few months, my experience may give you some indication as to whether it is feasible to pursue the Global Entry option.

 

Stan

Edited June 8, 2016 by GottaKnowWhen

[paul929207]

With all of the recent fuss about long TSA lines, and with several trips on our near horizon, we decided to go ahead and sign up for Global Entry. We have been getting a free ride, Delta keeps tagging us as TSA PreCheck, but there is no telling how long that might continue.

 

So, we went on-line.

1. Established an account with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) under their Trusted Traveler program: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs

2. Filled out the on-line application.

 

[Time elapsed so far, about 30-45 minutes including searching for and reading Help pages on a few issues. Most time-consuming aspect is that they request you identify every country you have been in within the last five years, and their website form fill is not the easiest to use.]

 

3. Submit form with non-refundable payment.

4. They say that you need to check back, log into your CBP account periodically to find your status, and that it might take 4-6 weeks for the preliminary review. But in fact we received an email notification, and it was less than 2 weeks after we had submitted the applications.

5. Just called, set up our interview appointments. Those won't happen for about 3 weeks as we balanced our schedule against their availability. Four enrollment center locations in our state, the nearest is about two hours away so that factored into the scheduling.

6. The very helpful lady who scheduled us said that (assuming approval) we would receive our Global Entry cards within two weeks after the interview, and our Trusted Traveler numbers would be in the system well before then.

 

So, total elapsed time will be about two months, and it could have been sooner if our own schedules had not kept us from taking advantage of earlier slots for our interviews.

 

Of course there are many factors which could affect the process for any individual, to include the availability of interview time slots at the enrollment center most convenient to you. But if you have travel planned within the next few months, my experience may give you some indication as to whether it is feasible to pursue the Global Entry option.

 

Stan

Thanks for the timeline. We are waiting in step 4.

[Kamloops50]

With all of the recent fuss about long TSA lines, and with several trips on our near horizon, we decided to go ahead and sign up for Global Entry. We have been getting a free ride, Delta keeps tagging us as TSA PreCheck, but there is no telling how long that might continue.

 

So, we went on-line.

1. Established an account with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) under their Trusted Traveler program: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs

2. Filled out the on-line application.

 

[Time elapsed so far, about 30-45 minutes including searching for and reading Help pages on a few issues. Most time-consuming aspect is that they request you identify every country you have been in within the last five years, and their website form fill is not the easiest to use.]

 

3. Submit form with non-refundable payment.

4. They say that you need to check back, log into your CBP account periodically to find your status, and that it might take 4-6 weeks for the preliminary review. But in fact we received an email notification, and it was less than 2 weeks after we had submitted the applications.

5. Just called, set up our interview appointments. Those won't happen for about 3 weeks as we balanced our schedule against their availability. Four enrollment center locations in our state, the nearest is about two hours away so that factored into the scheduling.

6. The very helpful lady who scheduled us said that (assuming approval) we would receive our Global Entry cards within two weeks after the interview, and our Trusted Traveler numbers would be in the system well before then.

 

So, total elapsed time will be about two months, and it could have been sooner if our own schedules had not kept us from taking advantage of earlier slots for our interviews.

 

Of course there are many factors which could affect the process for any individual, to include the availability of interview time slots at the enrollment center most convenient to you. But if you have travel planned within the next few months, my experience may give you some indication as to whether it is feasible to pursue the Global Entry option.

 

Stan

 

For those in Canada who apply for Nexus . The wait is about 3 to 4 months depending on the time from being approved to interview . Told cards will arrive in 4 to 5 weeks . Ours arrived in 10 days.

Nexus is issued by Homeland Security (CBP).

[klfrodo]

Just sharing my experience during the interview process.

I had received a DUI in my youth that had been reduced to wreckless driving.

The interviewer initially declined my application and required that I go to the court and get formal copies of the adjudication.

Took those back up a couple of days later and was approved.

 

If I remember correctly, they gave me my Known Trusted Traveller number there on the spot. I was able to go home and put that into my airlines frequent flier profile. I did receive the card a couple of weeks later.

[Flatbush Flyer]

With all of the recent fuss about long TSA lines, and with several trips on our near horizon, we decided to go ahead and sign up for Global Entry. We have been getting a free ride, Delta keeps tagging us as TSA PreCheck, but there is no telling how long that might continue.

 

So, we went on-line.

1. Established an account with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) under their Trusted Traveler program: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs

2. Filled out the on-line application.

 

[Time elapsed so far, about 30-45 minutes including searching for and reading Help pages on a few issues. Most time-consuming aspect is that they request you identify every country you have been in within the last five years, and their website form fill is not the easiest to use.]

 

3. Submit form with non-refundable payment.

4. They say that you need to check back, log into your CBP account periodically to find your status, and that it might take 4-6 weeks for the preliminary review. But in fact we received an email notification, and it was less than 2 weeks after we had submitted the applications.

5. Just called, set up our interview appointments. Those won't happen for about 3 weeks as we balanced our schedule against their availability. Four enrollment center locations in our state, the nearest is about two hours away so that factored into the scheduling.

6. The very helpful lady who scheduled us said that (assuming approval) we would receive our Global Entry cards within two weeks after the interview, and our Trusted Traveler numbers would be in the system well before then.

 

So, total elapsed time will be about two months, and it could have been sooner if our own schedules had not kept us from taking advantage of earlier slots for our interviews.

 

Of course there are many factors which could affect the process for any individual, to include the availability of interview time slots at the enrollment center most convenient to you. But if you have travel planned within the next few months, my experience may give you some indication as to whether it is feasible to pursue the Global Entry option.

 

Stan

 

 

The killer element in this equation is the effect of the location of your interview on setting an appointment time.

 

Getting the preliminary application approval is a cake walk. However, if your interview is going to be at an airport like SFO, the earliest appointment time (especially if you're trying to coordinate two or more family applicants) can be several months away.

[Keith1010]

Stan, that is good.

 

In our case we got the e mail about one week after. The precise time will vary not only based on volume but by person.

 

Interesting that you called for an appointment. I didn't know that was an option. We used the web site to make the appointment. Wait time does vary by airport. At our airport we couldn't even get a scheduled time ( I did call just to ask if they were closed but they said no) and had to go to another airport a couple of hours from home.

 

One you do go our cards arrived about one week after the interview.

 

In our case they asked no questions but sometimes they do. They just took our respective photos and fingerprints.

 

Keith

[navybankerteacher]

Just sharing my experience during the interview process.

I had received a DUI in my youth that had been reduced to wreckless driving.

The interviewer initially declined my application and required that I go to the court and get formal copies of the adjudication.

Took those back up a couple of days later and was approved.

 

If I remember correctly, they gave me my Known Trusted Traveller number there on the spot. I was able to go home and put that into my airlines frequent flier profile. I did receive the card a couple of weeks later.

 

Does "wreckless driving" show up as a negative in your state ? Connecticut does not record it, but if they did, I would expect it to be seen as commendable.

[GottaKnowWhen]

Stan, that is good.

 

In our case we got the e mail about one week after. The precise time will vary not only based on volume but by person.

 

Interesting that you called for an appointment. I didn't know that was an option. We used the web site to make the appointment. ...

Keith

 

I saw a note somewhere on the site (Help Pages maybe) saying that you could make the appointment online but if you wanted to have more than one member of the family interviewed, then you could call so as to get two back-to-back interviews. From the listing of the four enrollment centers in Michigan I pulled one of the numbers and called. Left a message, request for callback, and heard from them in about 10 minutes.

 

Now we just have to see if we can get through the interview process.

[Keith1010]

Stan, that was smart on your part.

 

Keith

[Texas Tillie]

I'm still at step 4 two weeks and two days later. Will probably check daily until the prelim approval comes in.

 

Patty

[paul929207]

I applied on May 21 and just got the prelim approval. Interview August 26.

[zqvol]

Unless you travel internationally a lot why would you fool with global entry? Global entry is for foreign travel. You get the same domestic benefits by joining the trusted traveler program, and you don't have to have an interview. The whole process only takes about a month.

Edited June 9, 2016 by zqvol

[Keith1010]

Unless you travel internationally a lot why would you fool with global entry? Global entry is for foreign travel. You get the same domestic benefits by joining the trusted traveler program, and you don't have to have an interview. The whole process only takes about a month.

 

Well you get the benefit of Global Entry when arriving back to the USA from a foreign country and also on a cruise ship right now at Port Everglades, plus a nexus benefit coming back from Canada plus TSA approv.

Keith

[Kamloops50]

Global entry also helps with land crossings to Canada. The US Customs form isn't required at border crossings.

[southerngirloutwest]

With all of the recent fuss about long TSA lines, and with several trips on our near horizon, we decided to go ahead and sign up for Global Entry. We have been getting a free ride, Delta keeps tagging us as TSA PreCheck, but there is no telling how long that might continue.

 

So, we went on-line.

1. Established an account with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) under their Trusted Traveler program: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs

2. Filled out the on-line application.

 

[Time elapsed so far, about 30-45 minutes including searching for and reading Help pages on a few issues. Most time-consuming aspect is that they request you identify every country you have been in within the last five years, and their website form fill is not the easiest to use.]

 

3. Submit form with non-refundable payment.

4. They say that you need to check back, log into your CBP account periodically to find your status, and that it might take 4-6 weeks for the preliminary review. But in fact we received an email notification, and it was less than 2 weeks after we had submitted the applications.

5. Just called, set up our interview appointments. Those won't happen for about 3 weeks as we balanced our schedule against their availability. Four enrollment center locations in our state, the nearest is about two hours away so that factored into the scheduling.

6. The very helpful lady who scheduled us said that (assuming approval) we would receive our Global Entry cards within two weeks after the interview, and our Trusted Traveler numbers would be in the system well before then.

 

So, total elapsed time will be about two months, and it could have been sooner if our own schedules had not kept us from taking advantage of earlier slots for our interviews.

 

Of course there are many factors which could affect the process for any individual, to include the availability of interview time slots at the enrollment center most convenient to you. But if you have travel planned within the next few months, my experience may give you some indication as to whether it is feasible to pursue the Global Entry option.

 

Stan

 

Thanks for the timeline. We're in step 4 - waiting for the application review. Our nearest interview location is Denver, about 4 hours away.

[navybankerteacher]

It took us about three months start to finish in 2014. Probably one month was slippage due to finding convenient interview time at JFK.

 

I suspect with the surge in interest due to the publicity over TSA delays, average times may be a bit longer.

[busmech]

Just got the ok to do an interview. Application was done about 3 weeks ago. Next available interviews are in about 2 weeks but all late at night. Good thing I work swing and will go after work. The confirmation message has your global entry number which will become the known traveler number when approved.

[Mary Ellen]

Thanks for the timeline. We're in step 4 - waiting for the application review. Our nearest interview location is Denver, about 4 hours away.

 

We did our interviews at Denver about a year or so ago. Our wait was a few months. A few weeks ago our neighbors scheduled their appointments for there. They have to wait until September or October to get in. There are three of them which may be a factor. If they'd been willing to drive to Albuquerque, appointments were available the next week. Good luck with Denver. :)

[GottaKnowWhen]

Unless you travel internationally a lot why would you fool with global entry? Global entry is for foreign travel. You get the same domestic benefits by joining the trusted traveler program, and you don't have to have an interview. The whole process only takes about a month.

 

Yes, Global Entry is for foreign travel. TSA PreCheck is U.S. domestic air travel only. I have been enjoying cruising but think it would be incredibly boring to cruise without leaving the U.S. In my lifetime I have lived in or at least spent some time in dozens of countries. Some I would like to visit again. There are many others I haven't experienced yet. Most are not in the Caribbean.

So, for me, to cruise is to travel abroad. Which is why I mentioned my experience with GOES on CC.

 

In my original post I mentioned time spent in the Help system. Much of that time was in reading about and evaluating the different options. TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry vs Nexus vs Sentri vs whatever. Most are of restricted utility (e.g. NEXUS = quick passage at border crossings to/from Canada). TSA Pre involves the following:

 

Apply

Complete the online application or you can complete the entire process in person at an application center.

Schedule an appointment online or by calling (855) 347-8371 weekdays, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments take priority.

Visit an application center to:

Provide required documentation and be fingerprinted. Bring your current U.S. passport or a driver’s license and birth certificate. See other acceptable documents.

Pay a non-refundable $85 fee valid for five years with a credit card, money order, company check or certified/cashier’s check.

You can check your status online at any time.

 

So TSA Pre, like GOES, requires an appointment and a visit, requires gathering and presenting documentation. Costs $85 for 5 years.

 

The Global Entry (GOES) might take marginally longer during the appointment (because of the interview), and costs $15 more, or $3/yr more. However GOES provides the added benefit of smoother quicker re-entry from abroad if the port or airport supports the process. At the cost of $3/yr and a few minutes of my time I could see no reason not to go with GOES. If we are abroad once or twice a year and occasionally we get an advantage from the Global Entry, I will consider it to have been a useful investment. It is like having a passport; you may never be in a situation where it is helpful, but once you are already in that (rare?) situation, it is too late to do any more than wish you had applied for the passport or for that Global Entry card. No on-the-spot enrollment.

 

Stan

Edited June 9, 2016 by GottaKnowWhen

[paul929207]

We submitted our GE applications on May 21. Got initial approval yesterday. Interview is scheduled for August 26 in Atlanta

[Mary Ellen]

The Global Entry (GOES) might take marginally longer during the appointment (because of the interview), and costs $15 more, or $3/yr more. However GOES provides the added benefit of smoother quicker re-entry from abroad if the port or airport supports the process. At the cost of $3/yr and a few minutes of my time I could see no reason not to go with GOES. If we are abroad once or twice a year and occasionally we get an advantage from the Global Entry, I will consider it to have been a useful investment. It is like having a passport; you may never be in a situation where it is helpful, but once you are already in that (rare?) situation, it is too late to do any more than wish you had applied for the passport or for that Global Entry card. No on-the-spot enrollment.

 

This is precisely why our neighbors went for Global Entry rather than just the TSA PreCheck. Unlike us, their only "international" flights involve YVR for occasional Alaska cruises. For $15 it was a 'no-brainer' as far as they were concerned.