Airportismyadobe

Hi,

I'm an 18 year old college student who's interested in Global Entry because I Travel to to asia and australia every year. It would be nice to be able to use australia's smartgates and to avoid long lines on the way back.

However, on the global entry application form it wants 5 years of employment history. I wasn't working during high school so I just put down unemployed as from 2008 to january 2013 (I now intern at a small lab company)

I'm worried I may be denied since I have little employment history.

I am just wondering; What actually happens at a global entry application interview? Do they need an application to have employment history?

What are other peoples experience's with the global entry interview?

Thanks.

nrr

Take one hurdle at a time, if they accept your application, then there probably wasn't any problem, and you shouldn't have trouble at the interview. If you get rejected, you won't have to worry about the interview. [Rejections can be appealed through their Ombudsman.]
Were there any arrests, convictions in the past? These would be more important than employment.
[For many/most, from reports here on FT, they take your fingerprints, picture, update your pp in their system, show a short movie clip of how the system works and send you on your way--5 to 10 minutes at the most.]
The big minus of rejection is that you lose your $100 fee.

cheltzel

Welcome to FLyerTalk Airportismyadobe !!

We faced your issue when my son applied for GE. He is in his early 20s and has been a full time student for 6 years (currently finishing professional school).

We called the help line for GE and just put in something like "Full Time Student" for the occupation.

Just make sure that everything in the application is totally accurate and once approved bring in any documentation as outlined in your conditional approval letter.

My son was approved in about a week and there was absolutely no issue at the interview with his being a student and not having an employment history.

Airportismyadobe

Thanks for the reassurance. I submitted and paid for my application. I'm crossing my fingers hoping that it's approved.

squatch

i'm not in the same situation as you, but the GE interview can be as simple as mine:

CBP: verify your full name and address
me: (i recite my name and address)
CBP: look into the camera... *click*. here's your temporary card, you'll get the permanent one in a couple of weeks. watch the video in the waiting area, it explains how to use the kiosks.

and... DONE


good luck

unleashlife

Yeah, to echo what he said, very painless process. Here's my experiences:

http://bit.ly/VH73L8

Best of luck!

drewguy

If you're a student, just put down student on the employment history.

Kids get GE and they haven't been employed.

AZ26

You MAY have a painless experience. Or you MAY have a traumatic experience. It all depends on the officer and how much he likes or dislikes you - which is one of the most terrible weaknesses of this program.

You can read about my experience here. Like you, I honestly said that I was unemployed, which apparently was a red flag for the officer who interviewed me and then proceeded to verbally abuse and threaten me.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/pract...bal-entry.html

After this experience I was told by everyone who I talked to that I was suspicious, wasn't telling the whole story etc. - this simply goes to show how our society tends to slavishly believes in the decisions rendered by "authority figures" since most law abiding citizens have never been mistreated by people in authority and tend to disbelieve such accusations (until it happens to them and they are surprised).

Why do I feel that I can say this credibly? Because after complaining to people I know in DC, a few months later I was approved for Global Entry and apologized to profusely by upper management for my treatment.

So what changed between then and now? Absolutely nothing. Always had a spotless background. I just simply received an officer having a bad day - or something.

The lesson learned: Do not automatically expect to be treated professionally or fairly by the front line officer you deal with. Most people are treated fairly, but not all. Do not be taken by surprise as I was. It probably won't happen, but with your background it could.

If you feel you are being mistreated during an interview, be prepared to speak to a supervisor and go up the chain of command and demand that the people who are working for you treat you in a respectful manner. Yes most officers are just doing their job and are good people, etc. etc. But my sense is that many people simply accept mistreatment or don't believe it happens.

Airportismyadobe

Now I'm scared, but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that I'll be conditionally approved and that I'll get global entry.

Exocet

There is really nothing to worry about. Everything is very straightforward, and being a student in the last 5 years is absolutely acceptable. There is no minimum age, therefore everyone obviously doesn't have a work history. If you can state how you support yourself, or if your parents support you - even better! I would ignore most of the horror stories here, as is the case with most of the traveling public, you will always see a sense of dramatic entitlement concerning the smallest inconvenience. But then again that's the kind of society being catered to now.

Strait from the website

Common Reasons for Ineligibility

Applicants may not qualify for participation in the Global Entry program if they:

-Provide false or incomplete information on the application;
-Have been convicted of any criminal offense or have pending criminal charges or outstanding warrants;
-Have been found in violation of any customs, immigration or agriculture regulations or laws in any country;
-Are subjects of an ongoing investigation by any federal, state or local law enforcement agency;
-Are inadmissible to the United States under immigration regulation, including applicants with approved waivers of inadmissibility or parole documentation;
-Cannot satisfy CBP of their low-risk status (e.g. CBP has intelligence that indicates that the applicant is not low risk; CBP cannot determine an applicant's criminal, residence or employment history)

AZ26

There is no need be scared. Just understand that there is a minority of people who have bad experiences. Be prepared for the positive or negative and understand that you will probably still be able to get GE if you are unfairly rejected - in that case you will just need to appeal the long way.

You might consider bringing a letter from your parents stating that they are supporting you as well as records demonstrating that you are indeed a student.

If you are not an obvious rejections (no criminal history, not a terrorist etc.) you will definitely receive conditional approval. The arbitrariness can come in during the interview.

cheltzel

My son applied when he was in grad school and was technically no longer our dependent (as far as IRS is concerned). He brought a copy of his lease, some copies of grade reports (proving his student status) and a couple of other things (like utility bills, etc). He had no issue.

+1

As I remember from my interview in early 2010 that the officer really tried to put me off balance a couple of times. I believe that if I had answered in the wrong way or indicated somehow that my answers were not truthful, I would have been bounced.

I read the reports of current interviews and they seem much easier than mine.

Airportismyadobe

Good news, I Was conditionally approved.

The next open in interview isn't until the Middle of May at SFO.

I'll keep checking back to see if anyone cancels any appointments in the next month.

cheltzel

That's great! Let us know how it goes.

Airportismyadobe

I as able to reschedule an appointment for March 15th.
I can't wait!