Originally Posted by
travelhive
They take your picture for the ID at the time of the interview. Mine arrived a week or 2 later. I haven't made an international trip yet after getting GE, but don't you need to swipe your card at the kiosk as part of the entry process? So without your card, you wouldn't be able to use the kiosk line.
The card is optional (not everyone has a card). At the kiosk the passport itself is "swiped."