Originally Posted by pezzo

I applied in June, 2016 in Seattle for Global Entry, and was denied.

Turns out, they rejected my application because I had visited North Korea as a tourist in 2007. I wrote to the ombudsman and explained that the trip had absolutely nothing to do with any political sympathies, but rather I went with a friend because we are both history buffs, and the trip was just out of curiosity.

I finally received an email in March, 2018 (nine months later!) saying that my application was approved, and received my Global Entry card in the mail a few weeks later.

Originally Posted by DesertNomad

During my GE interview we discussed my tourist travels to North Korea (2009), Iran (2011), Sudan (2009), Yemen (2007), Somaliland (2013) and others and I was approved (along with my wife who was in the same places). We also lived in Dubai for 3 years.