bburrito

I hold a Sentri pass which I got because I regularly walk or drive across the border that I am 10 minutes from. I also registered for global entry because I fly for work a lot now. Coming back through Chicago last week I got lucky and there was literally no line in customs. So I walked up to the podium and handed him my Sentri card. The customs officer had never seen one and didnt know what it was. I told him its my Global Entry card, he said no its not. Its a Sentri card. When I went for my interview I was told that I could use the same card. I ended up just giving him my passport and he used that to clear me rather than leaving the podium and going to the global entry kiosk. Has anybody ever had an experience like this?

I am currently waiting to be approved for my Nexus membership and hopefully can get an appointment when I am in Seattle next week. Will it be the same card or will I be issued a new one?

Ari

Have you used your SENTRI card at a GE kiosk before? I was only ever aware of passports or Green Cards being used in those machines.

Also, did you have a customs form already filled out? (That's one of the nice features of GE-- the electronic declaration).

In any event, the officer was correct to ask you for his passport since the officer is not a kiosk.

NEXUS is its own card.

chollie

AFAIK, there's no such thing as a 'Global Entry' card.

I have NEXUS. I believe you can only use it going to/from Canada. At the time I renewed my NEXUS card, there was a question about using for air travel and I answered 'no'. I have read something about using NEXUS for cross-border (US/Canada) air travel, but I have never been able to get specific details. I use it to cross the land border and I also used it as ID for internal Canadian air flight this summer.

I also have Global Entry. There is no card. Because I already had NEXUS, I applied for and received Global Entry online. It means I can use my passport at airport kiosks when returning to the US. Some folks got Global Entry without having NEXUS (had to do the interview), and I understand those folks got a sticker for their passport. It obviously isn't required, but I understand you need it to 'cut the line' if the kiosks are down.

Isn't SENTRI kind of like NEXUS only for the US/Mexico border crossing?

bburrito

Ok, I think Ive got it now. Sentri is more like Global Entry in that you can use it at any port of entry but only when you are walking/driving. Ive used it entering the US from Vancouver as well as from Mexico. Global Entry is for when your flying. I thought though that I would need to scan my card and that is how I would be IDed. I didnt realize that the kiosks read my passport and not my card as I hadn't had the chance to use it yet. Thus the customs officers ambivalence.

FriendlySkies

Yup, Global Entry kiosk scans your passport, takes a photo and your fingerprints, and then asks you the standard questions.

N1120A

Incidentally, US citizens/green cards can use NEXUS in SENTRI lanes, as long as they are in a pre-approved SENTRI vehicle with decal.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/tr.../nexus_faq.xml

SENTRI members can use NEXUS lanes when coming into the US, but not when entering Canada. They obviously cannot use NEXUS Air, since they wouldn't have iris scans in the system.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/tr...ntri_faqs2.xml

SENTRI is only for driving/walking. NEXUS can be used for driving (AFAIK, there are no walking NEXUS lines, though it is perfectly acceptable proof of citizenship for crossing by foot) and also has an air component that stems from the old CANPASS program.

Wait, why wouldn't you use it for air? It is so much better for air travel. Just do the iris scan, kiosk and go. That is a HUGE advantage that NEXUS has over SENTRI.

srilm

I just got SENTRI. I have been in Global Entry for about 2 years.

My understanding from my SENTRI interview was that if you are enrolled in SENTRI, you are automatically enrolled in Global Entry (or CBP's words: you can use the Global Entry kiosks). However, your SENTRI card as a form of ID is not valid for use with Global Entry. You will need your passport to use the Global Entry kiosks.

Actual Global Entry participants receive a sticker in their passports that indicates enrollment, but it's just that -- a sticker. You may want to have your SENTRI card with you to prove that you're eligible to use the GE kiosks, in case you're challenged by a CBP officer.

SR

chollie

I don't have a sticker (had a NEXUS pass already, so GE was all done online). I have never had anyone suggest I 'prove' I'm eligible to use the kiosk. It is permissible to have GE and not have SENTRI or NEXUS. As I understand it, the point of the sticker is so that you can 'cut' to the head of the regular lines if the kiosks are down.

You mean for cross-border air? Never thought of it. The only time I've flown from the US to Canada, I was transiting to Asia, so I had to have my passport anyway. I did use my NEXUS card this summer when I drove to Canada and then took a domestic flight within Canada.

I had CANPASS before NEXUS and never knew it could be used at the airport. Of course, at the time I had it, it consisted of decals on the windshield and a letter to show on demand. My original NEXUS card was quite different from the current one - it didn't have any kind of identifying number on it. When I went to get a new one (let it lapse for a couple years), I had to call to get the number.

RhoadWarrior

I was recently processed into the program after 2 years of not being able to coordinate my travel schedule with appointment availability. I have been following the programs closely. I have NEXUS and GE.

NEXUS - Used between U.S. and Canada by air, land and sea. Includes walking and driving across borders. You receive an RF card and must have on your person to present if asked, same as a Driver's License.

SENTRI - Used between U.S. and Mexico by air, land and sea. Includes walking and driving across borders. You receive an RF card and must have on your person to present if asked, same as a Driver's License.

Global Entry - Used for entrance into U.S. by air -- excludes entrance from Canada and Mexico which are the NEXUS and SENTRI programs, respectively. The only place it can be used to enter other countries is Amsterdam which is a very expensive option ($350 last time I checked). A "CBP" sticker is placed on your passport. I was told it doesn't need to be replaced if it comes off, and also that it can be replaced at any GE processing office without appointment. However if kiosks are down there's no way to prove you're in the program and get advanced to the front of the line so it might be a good idea to get it replaced. Hopefully, other countries will join the GE program.

NEXUS and SENTRI cards are now considered official U.S. identification documents and can be presented in lieu of normal documents for presentation to TSA. (Thanks wilp888.) YMMV with the airline/flight boarding and I wouldn't even try with any other countries. I Hope this helps clear up any confusion about the differences.

Curious - was this in ORD international terminal 5? I live in Chicago.

From Canada U.S. Customs is in-country and all my overseas flights arrived at other airports like SFO and LAX. I don't recall seeing a GE kiosk but it was a long time ago and I wasn't looking.

NEXUS and SENTRI cards are different. See my recent post on this thread.

wilp888

NEXUS and SENTRI cards are acceptable identification according to this page on the TSA website http://www.tsa.gov/assets/pdf/apis_documents.pdf

RhoadWarrior

That actually makes sense, since unlike NEXUS & SENTRI which require cards to be carried there isn't any other way for airport people controlling the lines to know you're legit. I was told by Customs that if the kiosk kicks you out for an interview due to any reason (random, or by the nature of responses to the questions such as amount of cash on your person) you go to the front of the line. I think I saw this happen to someone once. Of course, this assumes the airport person actually knows this which is another issue...

I wondered what would happen if I arrived to find kiosks were down and a long line. Naturally I'll give myself less lead time since getting NEXUS and GE. I figure you can always get moved up by showing your boarding pass flight departure time. Now I know to just waive my card or sticker and press the point.

dgreen12

From the TSA website:

Acceptable IDs include: DHS "Trusted Traveler" cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)

http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/travelers/air...documents.shtm

I've used my Nexus card plenty of times at TSA identification checkpoints. Looks like SENTRI cards should be okay, too.

RhoadWarrior

Thanks wilp888, I updated my post. I'm going to try it next week at ORD for my trip to SEA.

I'd be surprised if the airline recognized it and certainly not any countries (other than Canada/Mexico of course).

Yeah, wilp888 already corrected me. Sure is confusing with all the programs!

supraphonic

I'm seeing a lot of discussion about Global Entry compared to NEXUS, but I'm just curious to see if there is any difference between GE and SENTRI. Since SENTRI is still exclusively the domain of CBP there doesn't appear to be any real difference between GE being $25 cheaper to apply for with the same suite of benefits.

Forgive me if this has been brought up elsewhere already, I didn't see anything with a quick search.

garykung

The difference is SENTRI Dedicated Commuter Lane.

SENTRI requires the vehicles to be marked to use the lane.