US Global Entry for Germans
 

I opened this new thread as I found a hint in the Swiss Forum that the US admin starts considering Germans now as a minor thread to America's safety. They apparently plan to allow them to apply for the global entry which would avoid the horrible waiting lines and times for "immigration".

(http://www.usatoday.com/travel/fligh...kin19_ST_N.htm, dated April 23)

Any news on the progress ? The Dutch can apply for about 150 $/ annum, which I think is worth every penny if you can get into baggage claim in less than 5 minutes at all major ports of entry in the US.

After reading about this i tried to find out more. Nothing specific on the website. I called the LA office. Answer was: No, not possible for German citizens (as long as you are not also a US resident). Maybe in the future, but no information right now.

Interesting topic. Link seems to be broken though!

Try the US DHS press release.

Is it really worth it? I looked into this but decided that it wasn't. You still have to wait for your bags. I don't recall a situation ever where the bags were already waiting on the luggage carousel after I had cleared immigration. (And being a US citizen, I usually would get through rather quickly.) In other words, the overall time to pick up one's bags would still be the same. I don't really care if I spend part of the waiting time in line for immigration. This might be interesting, though, for people without checked luggage.

It very much depends on the airport. I once came through ORD with Global Entry. Huge lines for both US and non-US.

By the time my luggage came out on the carousel, the only people present were the flight crew and people in wheelchairs. No one else had made it.

But yes, the main gain is when you do not have checked luggage.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

I tend to disagree. Perhaps I just had bad luck, but the luggage is ready for pickup more often then that I have to wait for it, when I travel with checked in luggage.
Also do not forget: Global Entry allows you also to jump the line at baggage inspection! Especially when arriving on LX40 that alone is a big time saver.

For Frequent US Travelers I believe this is money well spent.

Probably! Especially if through various airports like JFK that always has a long wait :(

I agree though that there are some airports like EWR where you are most of the times through emigration faster than the bags through their maze.

Just fly BA001 LCY-SNN-JFK, and clear Immigration in minutes in SNN.
I tried it last week and it was the best service ever!
You arrive at JFK as a domestic pax on the A318.

Many years back there was the INSpass program. Similar system, apply for a card, they store the geometry of your hand. When arriving put the card in, put your hand on a scanner and 5 seconds later the immigration form prints.

Great service. Did often not work, but then they had a special counter where they processed you before everybody else.

My immigration experience is also mixed, a few times very quick, occasionally an hour or more, even arriving in the same city on the same flight. Very unpredictable. I would gladly spend the money even if it works only a few times a year.

INSpass was great, I used it many times until it got terminated. Worked like a charm esp in LAX, where immigration can be a nightmare when the Asia flights arrive.

Global entry is the best, I have used it in JFK and EWR, its like VIP service, and I dont mind waiting for bags, but waiting for Immigration is the worst.

Remember that you also save time in not waiting for the customs line (which can be even worse than immigration, given that everyone gets squeezed into the same line). GE has its own dedicated customs line.

Hi,

I tend to disagree with this one. Before GE, I've experienced 30-45 minutes wait for immigration. I have never waited more than 5 minutes for customs.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

Must have never been to an airport that funnels to just one or two customs guys. I was connecting at IAD from ZRH, mixed with a bunch of other arrivals. The customs hall was absolutely full of people and the line wasn't moving at all. I strode up to the GE line and went right through. Others had to be waiting at least 20 minutes.

I've done:

IAD, ORD, ATL, EWR, JFK, MSP, DTW, BOS, BWI

It may also depend on time of day ... for example, arriving in ATL, you don't want to arrive on LH ... it seems to be peak time.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

Unfortunately, not all airports have a dedicated GE customs line yet. I haven't seen one at SFO.

BUMP

Anyone have any new info on this?

Ha! A charmed and lucky life, indeed. Wish I was so fortunate. Try arriving at LAX TBIT after 3 other incoming Asia flights. 3 Customs lines, each one with 150-200 people ahead of you. No joke. With my GE, I went to the GE "queue" (with nobody in it) and was processed and out the door in less than 1 minute. GE is definitely a life saver at many airports, even if you have checked bags. The best bonus is that now instead of having to pad additional 4+ hours when scheduling my onward USA domestic flight, I can reliably cut it down to 1-2 hours and grab a more rational connection eastbound.

If non-resident Germans become eligible for GE, and travel to USA more than 2-3 times per year, might definitely be a good investment.

per the website- "Global Entry is open to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, Dutch citizens, and Mexican nationals."

Deutschland is not in yet.

EDIT- I forgot to add Canadian's with NEXUS or SENTRI can use also

Germans can use Global Entry...... if they are Canadian Permanent Residents and Nexus members. Yes, that's me.... :D

OK, I do realize that this is not what everybody is looking for. Anyway, I hope the program is extended to German citizens in general soon. I have only had Nexus/GE for a few months now - and it already has saved me hours in waiting time. It also means that my passport might actually see its expiry date without being filled completely with those TSA immigration stamps!

SFO indeed has one. That said, the CBP idiots often don't treat it quite that way and block it off - making GE people cut into the regular line toward the front.

This is exactly why I haven't applied. Yes, I would get through the immigration queues at IAD, MIA, JFK, ATL - to what end? I almost always have checked luggage when I fly overseas, so the benefit is pretty much useless.

They may have a GE lane at the IAD Midfield concourse, but they don't in the main arrivals hall. If there is a GE lane at the sh*thole that is MIA customs, I haven't seen it.

The problem with GE customs is that the lanes are not usually well marked. That doesn't mean they aren't there.

I came back through MIA recently and found the GE Kiosk OK, but missed a small GE sign to go down some stairs or something and ended up talking to the guy in the diplomat booth. He mentioned following the signs next time.

When I got downstairs into the Customs area, there was a large queue of folks waiting, and I circled around towards the baggage belts looking for a GE sign and didn't see it, but did see the guy who was sitting at the exit. (I had no checked luggage) Before I got to him he started telling me I needed to go back and get in line, but once I got to him I asked where the GE was, and he said something about front of line, but just opened the little rope barrier and took my paperwork so I could exit there.

Are there any news when this might be rolled out?

I know this post is a bit stale, but they have had GE in IAD main hall since at least mid-2010. In the new hall it is very obvious.

Now it's even marked for customs (which is new), although it's a bid of a squeeze along the wall--you just have to walk up like you own the place.

Looks like finaly it's possible to get GE for Germans
At the office by the Bundespolizei in hall A at FRA, next to the LH FC check in Germans can apply for ABGplus register# and Global Entry Promotion Code and just there.
Requirements:
- Passport (s)
- Iris scan and registration
- GE application paper form to be filled out and signed
- Answering 9 questions (did you ever had a problem with German/ US laws)
- Data privacy protection declaration sign off
It's applicable for all Germans (no limitation to airliners anymore) and the forms are available just in that office at FRA.
It needs approx. 15 minutes and is free of charge.

I did it last Saturday and got a piece of paper with ABGplus regisstration # and GE promotion code individualized to me. Those #'s are required for Germans to apply GE in GOES account. Cost $100. My status in Goes is now pending review.

I solve this problem by rarely checking luggage and never on an inbound international flight.

I got GE after waiting in line at ORD for two hours and nearly missed my connecting flight. No checked bag, fortunately, because there was no way the bag would have made it.

Since you are a U.S. Citizen you get through the line much quicker than a German (note the topic of this thread). So it might not be worth it to you. For a foreigner it can be valuable, although secondary inspections seem to occur at a higher rate for GE members.

USGE for UK citizens?
 

Does anyone know if there have been any recent developments? The US Global Entry site makes no mention of Germans being eligible, although apparently South Koreans now are.

I would particularly like to know if UK citizens might be in the pipeline. I have seen the possibility mentioned in press releases about 12 months ago, but since then, nothing.