Archived: Processing Timelines for 1st Time GE Applications by US Citizens and LPR
#2731
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Sounds like you listed both of them as proof of citizenship on your application, so I suggest bringing both to be sure. (While the passport alone should be sufficient, do you really want to risk having a problem when they're trying to check all the boxes on the computer for "verified document as listed on application" or whatever?)
#2732
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM, AA PLT, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,056
Has anyone had luck stopping by a Global Entry interview location and just popping in for an interview? I just attempted to today at BOS, and even though there was a no-show the guy said no walk-ins. I then asked him if they had any cancellations and he said I'd have to go through the "live calendar." I've since gone back to my account and can't find a live calendar anywhere. The only way to get to a calendar is to click on "reschedule my appointment" and I don't want to lose my appointment for early November. Any ideas how to get in sooner as I have a trip aboard Nov. 11th and currently I'm scheduled for Nov. 7th.
#2733
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: Global Entry, UA, AA, BA, DL, Bonvoy
Posts: 280
Has anyone had luck stopping by a Global Entry interview location and just popping in for an interview? I just attempted to today at BOS, and even though there was a no-show the guy said no walk-ins. I then asked him if they had any cancellations and he said I'd have to go through the "live calendar." I've since gone back to my account and can't find a live calendar anywhere. The only way to get to a calendar is to click on "reschedule my appointment" and I don't want to lose my appointment for early November. Any ideas how to get in sooner as I have a trip aboard Nov. 11th and currently I'm scheduled for Nov. 7th.
#2734
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS
Posts: 67
For a friend:
Applied September 16
Conditionally approved September 29
Interviewed October 11
The friend got PreCheck (having put their known traveller number in) on flights on October 9 and October 11 (boarding pass issued before the interview). They were also travelling with me on the same PNR, and I have NEXUS, which may or may not have played a factor in their getting PreCheck before the interview.
Applied September 16
Conditionally approved September 29
Interviewed October 11
The friend got PreCheck (having put their known traveller number in) on flights on October 9 and October 11 (boarding pass issued before the interview). They were also travelling with me on the same PNR, and I have NEXUS, which may or may not have played a factor in their getting PreCheck before the interview.
#2735
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM, AA PLT, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,056
Has anyone gotten lucky with just walking in?
#2736
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,132
I'm sure it depends to an extent on the office/management.
In my case I had an appointment but was seen as soon as I arrived (~15-20 minutes before my appointment) without even being asked about my appointment status -- but the "Global Entry Center" was a rickety plastic folding table in what looked like a repurposed supplies closet and I'm pretty sure one of the two CBP officers (who went out to the lobby as soon as I walked through the door) was playing angry birds before my arrival.
I'm sure the higher volume places may be a bit more stickler-ish.
In my case I had an appointment but was seen as soon as I arrived (~15-20 minutes before my appointment) without even being asked about my appointment status -- but the "Global Entry Center" was a rickety plastic folding table in what looked like a repurposed supplies closet and I'm pretty sure one of the two CBP officers (who went out to the lobby as soon as I walked through the door) was playing angry birds before my arrival.
I'm sure the higher volume places may be a bit more stickler-ish.
#2737
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 429
Thank you for the help. I just went and looked at the "weekly" view for the next 3 weeks and nothing. My sense is that if they do get a cancellation and/or no-show they don't open the slot on the calendar. Instead, the lazy SOB's look at it as an extra 15-minute break. Like I said earlier - I didn't even approach the agent until they called someone multiple times who didn't show, and the agent still refused to see me even though I had all my paperwork and there wasn't anyone else waiting.
Has anyone gotten lucky with just walking in?
Has anyone gotten lucky with just walking in?
#2738
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM, AA PLT, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,056
It's crazy at BOS. I was there a total of about 30-minutes and was the only person that showed up. The whole set up is weird. There's no check-in area, just a hallway you wait in with a locked door that randomly opens every 15-minutes or so. They clearly had several no-shows with it being a holiday, yet the agent was a total tool and wouldn't budge. Extremely frustrating!
#2739
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 429
It's crazy at BOS. I was there a total of about 30-minutes and was the only person that showed up. The whole set up is weird. There's no check-in area, just a hallway you wait in with a locked door that randomly opens every 15-minutes or so. They clearly had several no-shows with it being a holiday, yet the agent was a total tool and wouldn't budge. Extremely frustrating!
#2740
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 3
I posted my GE processing stats in a wrong thread, so I'll repost here in case it helps anyone:
Applied on 9/26
Conditionally approved on 10/7
Interview at SFO and final approval on 10/8
Received GE card in the mail on 10/13
When I was originally conditionally approved and started looking for an appointment, the earliest available at SFO was a month from then. I was disappointed, but followed the advice of fellow members and checked the calendar obsessively on the hour. Over the course of that day, quite a few appointments were appearing on a sooner date - goes to show that people do cancel appointments and the live calendar does work. By a stroke of luck, an appointment opened up the next morning and I snatched it. So my advice to you would be to continually check the site.
That all said, I do agree that the processing locations should do better at accepting walk-ins, especially during downtime and for people that are fully prepared with documents in hand. The interview process didn't take more than 3 minutes for me and at a certain point, the center was completely empty because of no shows. Not to mention that there were 4 agents doing nothing but yapping with each other and cracking jokes. A nice young man walked in during that downtime, had all his docs and was hoping to be seen without an appointed time, they turned him around and made his appointment 4 weeks in the future. Ridiculous.
Applied on 9/26
Conditionally approved on 10/7
Interview at SFO and final approval on 10/8
Received GE card in the mail on 10/13
It's crazy at BOS. I was there a total of about 30-minutes and was the only person that showed up. The whole set up is weird. There's no check-in area, just a hallway you wait in with a locked door that randomly opens every 15-minutes or so. They clearly had several no-shows with it being a holiday, yet the agent was a total tool and wouldn't budge. Extremely frustrating!
That all said, I do agree that the processing locations should do better at accepting walk-ins, especially during downtime and for people that are fully prepared with documents in hand. The interview process didn't take more than 3 minutes for me and at a certain point, the center was completely empty because of no shows. Not to mention that there were 4 agents doing nothing but yapping with each other and cracking jokes. A nice young man walked in during that downtime, had all his docs and was hoping to be seen without an appointed time, they turned him around and made his appointment 4 weeks in the future. Ridiculous.
#2741
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2
Hello all, long time lurker, first time poster; I applied 9/30 and my wife on 10/1. She received her conditional approval email yesterday, completed her interview today, and is waiting for final approval. My application is still pending. Is this normal? It's been 15 days (11 business) which is a bit longer than what I'm reading from other members in this thread (1-11 days). Should I continue to wait or get in contact with someone from CBP? My background is clean, I have never been arrested and no criminal record; no customs violations either. The only thing my wife can think of is I have a pending court hearing for a speeding ticket I received. Would that be enough to hold up my application?
Last edited by delitescent; Oct 15, 2015 at 10:51 am Reason: edit for spelling
#2742
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2
Hello all, long time lurker, first time poster; I applied 9/30 and my wife on 10/1. She received her conditional approval email yesterday, completed her interview today, and is waiting for final approval. My application is still pending. Is this normal? It's been 15 days (11 business) which is a bit longer than what I'm reading from other members in this thread (1-11 days). Should I continue to wait or get in contact with someone from CBP? My background is clean, I have never been arrested and no criminal record; no customs violations either. The only thing my wife can think of is I have a pending court hearing for a speeding ticket I received. Would that be enough to hold up my application?
#2745
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 1
I've been trolling this thread since I applied, and it helped greatly:
Applied: 9/28
Conditionally Approved: 10/10
Interview and approved: 10/16 at SFO
The key for me was to keep checking for open interview appointments the moment I was conditionally approved. Believe it or not, some appointments open up! Just in time too, my next next flight is on 10/20
Applied: 9/28
Conditionally Approved: 10/10
Interview and approved: 10/16 at SFO
The key for me was to keep checking for open interview appointments the moment I was conditionally approved. Believe it or not, some appointments open up! Just in time too, my next next flight is on 10/20