Global Entry Enrollment Interview Experiences and Questions Asked in the Interview
Sep 21, 2020, 1:14 am
#196
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,061
The only thing that the officer mentioned was that I would receive a card, for which I said since I am not a US Citizen, would I get it? As the TTP site mentioned so. She responded that I would still get a card in a couple weeks and they wouldnt send it only to people outside the country. I highly doubt it, will keep you all posted if I get one.
Oct 30, 2020, 5:50 pm
#197
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 89
A somewhat pleasant GE experience
My wife and I applied for GE a year ago. Her conditional approval came pretty quickly though there were no interview appointments to be had. We deferred until we went to Australia. Coming back in to the US we asked at the immigration point where the arrival interviews were. That agent specifically told us we could both go to that area (really just the last booth in the row of agents). Well, the agent there had the personality of a slug and told me I couldn't be there. I told my wife I'd wait at the top of the stairs (a suitably far distance for any "confidentiality" they wanted), and he barked at me to wait downstairs. Fine. My wife told me he similarly yelled at other people waiting who weren't forming the line he expected (though there was no indication as to what you were supposed to do).
Anyhow, sure as I expected my conditional approval arrived several weeks later. Of course, with COVID there's no way I'm going to leave the US. Then in August, DHS says they're accepting interview appointments again. Two closest are DC (6 hour drive) and Nashville (5 hour drive... I'm in CLT). I put off driving up out there until I have to be in DC for another reason. So I make an appointment and take the Metro into the Reagan Building (just about three other people on the entire train car). Get through the metal detector and directed to the GE center. I'm an hour early but I figure it can't hurt to try (worst they can say is come back at the scheduled time). There are three agents and one person standing ahead of me at one of them. A female agent waves me to her station. Tell her I'm early but she consults her list of appointments and decides she can handle me. Good news #1 .
Get asked the usual questions (all repeats of what was on the application to begin with). Get my passport scanned and my picture taken and fingers in the life scan.
What's this arrest you have? I get a sinking feeling. I reported the thing on the application. I repeat the information. "We can't tell if it is a misdemeanor or not." I say it's only a summary offense and not even a misdemeanor ($100 disorderly conduct fine from PA forty years ago). Well, she gives me her email address and tells me to email her the court documents as a PDF file within 30 days.
Great. I'm fuming quietly as I leave. I sit down in the lobby and fire off parallel emails to: 1. The court I got this thing at, 2. My current attorney, 3. The Pennsylvania State Police for a copy of my record.
The next day I have condolences from my attorney, an email from the small town police department that issued the ticket. Apparently, the court had forwarded my inquiry as the court has no records anymore on this. Fortunately, the clerk at the police department found my file and wrote a letter for me. Thank her profusely and said I'd be in contact if I needed something more. Then my background check from the PSP comes back. It's really official looking and clearly marked as a summary offense. I mail off the thing to the agent, wondering how long this was going to take and whether they're going to ding me as it's the State Police not the Court Record they asked for. I'm still having visions of having to deal with the ombudsman.
Just for jollies I hit up the Trusted Traveller site login a couple of hours later... APPROVED. Sure enough that evening I get an automated email telling me I have been approved.
They made a big thing about PreCheck (which I had already). I'm amazed at how many copies DHS has of my fingerprints:
1. Precheck.
2. TWIC card
3. DC-3 (closest airports to DC) pilot authorization.
4. Global Entry.
Anyhow, sure as I expected my conditional approval arrived several weeks later. Of course, with COVID there's no way I'm going to leave the US. Then in August, DHS says they're accepting interview appointments again. Two closest are DC (6 hour drive) and Nashville (5 hour drive... I'm in CLT). I put off driving up out there until I have to be in DC for another reason. So I make an appointment and take the Metro into the Reagan Building (just about three other people on the entire train car). Get through the metal detector and directed to the GE center. I'm an hour early but I figure it can't hurt to try (worst they can say is come back at the scheduled time). There are three agents and one person standing ahead of me at one of them. A female agent waves me to her station. Tell her I'm early but she consults her list of appointments and decides she can handle me. Good news #1 .
Get asked the usual questions (all repeats of what was on the application to begin with). Get my passport scanned and my picture taken and fingers in the life scan.
What's this arrest you have? I get a sinking feeling. I reported the thing on the application. I repeat the information. "We can't tell if it is a misdemeanor or not." I say it's only a summary offense and not even a misdemeanor ($100 disorderly conduct fine from PA forty years ago). Well, she gives me her email address and tells me to email her the court documents as a PDF file within 30 days.
Great. I'm fuming quietly as I leave. I sit down in the lobby and fire off parallel emails to: 1. The court I got this thing at, 2. My current attorney, 3. The Pennsylvania State Police for a copy of my record.
The next day I have condolences from my attorney, an email from the small town police department that issued the ticket. Apparently, the court had forwarded my inquiry as the court has no records anymore on this. Fortunately, the clerk at the police department found my file and wrote a letter for me. Thank her profusely and said I'd be in contact if I needed something more. Then my background check from the PSP comes back. It's really official looking and clearly marked as a summary offense. I mail off the thing to the agent, wondering how long this was going to take and whether they're going to ding me as it's the State Police not the Court Record they asked for. I'm still having visions of having to deal with the ombudsman.
Just for jollies I hit up the Trusted Traveller site login a couple of hours later... APPROVED. Sure enough that evening I get an automated email telling me I have been approved.
They made a big thing about PreCheck (which I had already). I'm amazed at how many copies DHS has of my fingerprints:
1. Precheck.
2. TWIC card
3. DC-3 (closest airports to DC) pilot authorization.
4. Global Entry.
Jan 4, 2021, 8:59 am
#198
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,069
EWR GE Enrollment Office Dragons
After almost a year since applying, wife was conditionally approved. We live close to PHL, but that GE location is still closed so we made an appointment at EWR - about an hour and 15 minute drive. Due to bad weather traffic and some parking confusion at EWR Terminal B short term lot, we arrived 6 minutes past the appointment time. The signs out side the office say to simply sit and wait for an agent to come out. 4 others were waiting as well. 25 minutes later, an agent comes out and announces appointments for 130 - 30 minutes after our scheduled time.
We told him, apologetically, that we were there 6 minutes past our scheduled time. His response was a curt: "Where were you?". Explained the situation. He said he would take the people who are there for their scheduled time and then see if he could take us at the next 15 minute block if nobody else was there for an appointment. Ok, fine. We were late, so whatever. We don't expect to jump a line from people who were there on time. Just wanted to understand how late arrivals are handled.
5 minutes later, all 4 of those people come out presumably done with their appointment. 145 rolls around, 3 more people show up and another agent comes out to take in the 145 appointments. He asks us what time our appointment is and we explain the same - that we were 6 minutes late for her appointment 45 minutes ago. He says the same thing "What happened that you weren't here at 2?". Explained again. Then he tells me how people drive from Maine to Newark and are on time. I wasn't asking him for any special treatment, just telling him why were late since he asked. Then he tells me there are only 3 people working inside so he could only take 3 people in (nevermind that the previous agent took in 4). I asked him when we could reasonably be expected to get in and he again told me that they stick to the schedule and would get to us when he could.
Those 3 people come out, again, 5 minutes later. At 2pm - 1 hour after appointment - 3 more people are there for their interview. Same agent comes out, calls them in and motions my wife to come in as well.
Then 5 minutes later he comes out to ask me to come in. I sit down next to her, and he begins telling me how my attitude bordered on "concerning" and that I could jeopardize my wife's application, and my existing membership in GE if they don't feel I am suitable for the program. He said they also watch people while they are waiting for any signs of irregularities, which is one reason there are waiting periods sometimes that people have to be observed before being called in. I apologized if he got that impression, and said we were just frustrated since there wasn't much guidance on timing since we were 6 minutes late for our initial appointment. He went on for a few minutes about how he knows they are the only location within hundreds of miles for people to get their GE interviews and that people drive hours to them, etc. etc. He then asked me for my info so he could look me up (member since 2011), even though I wasn't even applying. He pointed out my passport expired and my address doesn't match my current DL. Fair enough - I just got my passport renewed and moved in the past year. Made the mental note to update my TTP profile. I got my renewal a few years back before they had the new updated site, so I actually had to create a new account and link it to my trusted traveler ID number to update that info.
All's well that ended well, but the whole interaction with these guys left a bad taste. Seemed like they were more power hungry/ego tripping with not a morsel of customer service.
We told him, apologetically, that we were there 6 minutes past our scheduled time. His response was a curt: "Where were you?". Explained the situation. He said he would take the people who are there for their scheduled time and then see if he could take us at the next 15 minute block if nobody else was there for an appointment. Ok, fine. We were late, so whatever. We don't expect to jump a line from people who were there on time. Just wanted to understand how late arrivals are handled.
5 minutes later, all 4 of those people come out presumably done with their appointment. 145 rolls around, 3 more people show up and another agent comes out to take in the 145 appointments. He asks us what time our appointment is and we explain the same - that we were 6 minutes late for her appointment 45 minutes ago. He says the same thing "What happened that you weren't here at 2?". Explained again. Then he tells me how people drive from Maine to Newark and are on time. I wasn't asking him for any special treatment, just telling him why were late since he asked. Then he tells me there are only 3 people working inside so he could only take 3 people in (nevermind that the previous agent took in 4). I asked him when we could reasonably be expected to get in and he again told me that they stick to the schedule and would get to us when he could.
Those 3 people come out, again, 5 minutes later. At 2pm - 1 hour after appointment - 3 more people are there for their interview. Same agent comes out, calls them in and motions my wife to come in as well.
Then 5 minutes later he comes out to ask me to come in. I sit down next to her, and he begins telling me how my attitude bordered on "concerning" and that I could jeopardize my wife's application, and my existing membership in GE if they don't feel I am suitable for the program. He said they also watch people while they are waiting for any signs of irregularities, which is one reason there are waiting periods sometimes that people have to be observed before being called in. I apologized if he got that impression, and said we were just frustrated since there wasn't much guidance on timing since we were 6 minutes late for our initial appointment. He went on for a few minutes about how he knows they are the only location within hundreds of miles for people to get their GE interviews and that people drive hours to them, etc. etc. He then asked me for my info so he could look me up (member since 2011), even though I wasn't even applying. He pointed out my passport expired and my address doesn't match my current DL. Fair enough - I just got my passport renewed and moved in the past year. Made the mental note to update my TTP profile. I got my renewal a few years back before they had the new updated site, so I actually had to create a new account and link it to my trusted traveler ID number to update that info.
All's well that ended well, but the whole interaction with these guys left a bad taste. Seemed like they were more power hungry/ego tripping with not a morsel of customer service.
Feb 18, 2021, 7:21 pm
#199
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
Programs: Ikon Pass Full + AS Gold + Marriott Titanium + Hilton Gold. Recovering UA Plat. LT lounge AA+DL+UA
Posts: 3,823
After almost a year since applying, wife was conditionally approved. We live close to PHL, but that GE location is still closed so we made an appointment at EWR - about an hour and 15 minute drive. Due to bad weather traffic and some parking confusion at EWR Terminal B short term lot, we arrived 6 minutes past the appointment time. The signs out side the office say to simply sit and wait for an agent to come out. 4 others were waiting as well. 25 minutes later, an agent comes out and announces appointments for 130 - 30 minutes after our scheduled time.
We told him, apologetically, that we were there 6 minutes past our scheduled time. His response was a curt: "Where were you?". Explained the situation. He said he would take the people who are there for their scheduled time and then see if he could take us at the next 15 minute block if nobody else was there for an appointment. Ok, fine. We were late, so whatever. We don't expect to jump a line from people who were there on time. Just wanted to understand how late arrivals are handled.
5 minutes later, all 4 of those people come out presumably done with their appointment. 145 rolls around, 3 more people show up and another agent comes out to take in the 145 appointments. He asks us what time our appointment is and we explain the same - that we were 6 minutes late for her appointment 45 minutes ago. He says the same thing "What happened that you weren't here at 2?". Explained again. Then he tells me how people drive from Maine to Newark and are on time. I wasn't asking him for any special treatment, just telling him why were late since he asked. Then he tells me there are only 3 people working inside so he could only take 3 people in (nevermind that the previous agent took in 4). I asked him when we could reasonably be expected to get in and he again told me that they stick to the schedule and would get to us when he could.
Those 3 people come out, again, 5 minutes later. At 2pm - 1 hour after appointment - 3 more people are there for their interview. Same agent comes out, calls them in and motions my wife to come in as well.
Then 5 minutes later he comes out to ask me to come in. I sit down next to her, and he begins telling me how my attitude bordered on "concerning" and that I could jeopardize my wife's application, and my existing membership in GE if they don't feel I am suitable for the program. He said they also watch people while they are waiting for any signs of irregularities, which is one reason there are waiting periods sometimes that people have to be observed before being called in. I apologized if he got that impression, and said we were just frustrated since there wasn't much guidance on timing since we were 6 minutes late for our initial appointment. He went on for a few minutes about how he knows they are the only location within hundreds of miles for people to get their GE interviews and that people drive hours to them, etc. etc. He then asked me for my info so he could look me up (member since 2011), even though I wasn't even applying. He pointed out my passport expired and my address doesn't match my current DL. Fair enough - I just got my passport renewed and moved in the past year. Made the mental note to update my TTP profile. I got my renewal a few years back before they had the new updated site, so I actually had to create a new account and link it to my trusted traveler ID number to update that info.
All's well that ended well, but the whole interaction with these guys left a bad taste. Seemed like they were more power hungry/ego tripping with not a morsel of customer service.
We told him, apologetically, that we were there 6 minutes past our scheduled time. His response was a curt: "Where were you?". Explained the situation. He said he would take the people who are there for their scheduled time and then see if he could take us at the next 15 minute block if nobody else was there for an appointment. Ok, fine. We were late, so whatever. We don't expect to jump a line from people who were there on time. Just wanted to understand how late arrivals are handled.
5 minutes later, all 4 of those people come out presumably done with their appointment. 145 rolls around, 3 more people show up and another agent comes out to take in the 145 appointments. He asks us what time our appointment is and we explain the same - that we were 6 minutes late for her appointment 45 minutes ago. He says the same thing "What happened that you weren't here at 2?". Explained again. Then he tells me how people drive from Maine to Newark and are on time. I wasn't asking him for any special treatment, just telling him why were late since he asked. Then he tells me there are only 3 people working inside so he could only take 3 people in (nevermind that the previous agent took in 4). I asked him when we could reasonably be expected to get in and he again told me that they stick to the schedule and would get to us when he could.
Those 3 people come out, again, 5 minutes later. At 2pm - 1 hour after appointment - 3 more people are there for their interview. Same agent comes out, calls them in and motions my wife to come in as well.
Then 5 minutes later he comes out to ask me to come in. I sit down next to her, and he begins telling me how my attitude bordered on "concerning" and that I could jeopardize my wife's application, and my existing membership in GE if they don't feel I am suitable for the program. He said they also watch people while they are waiting for any signs of irregularities, which is one reason there are waiting periods sometimes that people have to be observed before being called in. I apologized if he got that impression, and said we were just frustrated since there wasn't much guidance on timing since we were 6 minutes late for our initial appointment. He went on for a few minutes about how he knows they are the only location within hundreds of miles for people to get their GE interviews and that people drive hours to them, etc. etc. He then asked me for my info so he could look me up (member since 2011), even though I wasn't even applying. He pointed out my passport expired and my address doesn't match my current DL. Fair enough - I just got my passport renewed and moved in the past year. Made the mental note to update my TTP profile. I got my renewal a few years back before they had the new updated site, so I actually had to create a new account and link it to my trusted traveler ID number to update that info.
All's well that ended well, but the whole interaction with these guys left a bad taste. Seemed like they were more power hungry/ego tripping with not a morsel of customer service.
Feb 18, 2021, 7:29 pm
#200
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: QF Platinum, HH Diamond
Posts: 389
Feb 21, 2021, 9:09 pm
#201
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SFO/DTW
Programs: DL PM 0.5MM, Hyatt Globalist, HHonors Gold, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold, Avis PC, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,988
Interview completed today at MCI.
Was only asked if I had ever been arrested.
Took about 30 mins to complete since fingerprints couldn't be scanned due to dry hands from sanitizing.
GE office even validated my parking.
Was only asked if I had ever been arrested.
Took about 30 mins to complete since fingerprints couldn't be scanned due to dry hands from sanitizing.
GE office even validated my parking.
Apr 26, 2022, 5:20 am
#202
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Philippines
Posts: 215
Thats funny because during my interview the agent saw that I had an agriculture record for getting caught with an apple that I was given on a flight back in 2009.
Jul 12, 2022, 12:59 pm
#203
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: DEL
Programs: SA, JAL, EK
Posts: 80
Anecdotally I hear that people who have travelled to more obscure or flagged locations (whatever those are) receive more questions than people who have easy answers (i.e. in my case I travel to company locations that are well known to to CBP officers). The interviews appear to be based on your passport stamps or countries the system flagged on your application, and the reasons that you visited them, not your current GE status.
My personal experience backs this up - no questions re any prior travel notwithstanding travel to countries not on good terms with Uncle Sam. All the CBP officer did was to ask me about my address, a corroborative question about my visa and then biometric enrolment.
Last edited by Kumar2013; Jul 12, 2022 at 4:54 pm
Jul 13, 2022, 11:19 am
#204
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
I can't speak for your sources but that sounds doubtful. Prior travel history is required to be disclosed in the application and CBP would know this before granting conditional approval. At any rate I doubt whether CBP officers (unlike consular officers) are trained sufficiently to analyse responses on prior travel to other countries for the purposes of on-the-spot determination of GE approval.
My personal experience backs this up - no questions re any prior travel notwithstanding travel to countries not on good terms with Uncle Sam. All the CBP officer did was to ask me about my address, a corroborative question about my visa and then biometric enrolment.
My personal experience backs this up - no questions re any prior travel notwithstanding travel to countries not on good terms with Uncle Sam. All the CBP officer did was to ask me about my address, a corroborative question about my visa and then biometric enrolment.
Of course nobody knows (or can share) what flags a renewal for a conditional approval or what notes are added prior to the interview. All we can do is guess from the data points. Nobody even know what "conditional" means either except that it means an interview is required. Again, I would guess that the "conditional" designation is based on a clean records check (i.e. arrests, convictions, border fines, etc.) and does not address prior travel. Because prior travel does not result in disqualification, but rather may be a red flag that warrants further inquiry.
As posted elsewhere, the CBP also insisted on interviewing my 4-year old who received conditional approval and his passport only had stamps from Mexico (the interview was not limited to photo & fingerprints). So who knows.
Last edited by TWA884; Jul 13, 2022 at 1:06 pm Reason: Personal exchange; discuss the topic, not the other member.
Jul 15, 2022, 1:42 am
#205
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: DEL
Programs: SA, JAL, EK
Posts: 80
It isn't doubtful, it's a fact that they asked these questions to me and to others.
Of course nobody knows (or can share) what flags a renewal for a conditional approval or what notes are added prior to the interview. All we can do is guess from the data points. Nobody even know what "conditional" means either except that it means an interview is required. Again, I would guess that the "conditional" designation is based on a clean records check (i.e. arrests, convictions, border fines, etc.) and does not address prior travel. Because prior travel does not result in disqualification, but rather may be a red flag that warrants further inquiry.
As posted elsewhere, the CBP also insisted on interviewing my 4-year old who received conditional approval and his passport only had stamps from Mexico (the interview was not limited to photo & fingerprints). So who knows.
Of course nobody knows (or can share) what flags a renewal for a conditional approval or what notes are added prior to the interview. All we can do is guess from the data points. Nobody even know what "conditional" means either except that it means an interview is required. Again, I would guess that the "conditional" designation is based on a clean records check (i.e. arrests, convictions, border fines, etc.) and does not address prior travel. Because prior travel does not result in disqualification, but rather may be a red flag that warrants further inquiry.
As posted elsewhere, the CBP also insisted on interviewing my 4-year old who received conditional approval and his passport only had stamps from Mexico (the interview was not limited to photo & fingerprints). So who knows.
One can only speculate as to why you and these others were questioned about prior travel history or indeed, had their passport stamps examined. This does not sound as though it is part of the process and I have never heard of such questioning till your post. It's likely this is the work of an over-zealous CBP officer. Had it been a rule everyone would have been asked a courtesy question or more on travel - but that is not the case. In any case passport stamps have long ceased to be a reliable indicator of travel.
Jul 15, 2022, 4:30 pm
#206
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
Check around and check out the other GE interview threads. If there were no questions two of the people in front of me would not have taken 30 minutes each. If your interview consisted of biometrics consider yourself lucky and move on.
Jul 16, 2022, 12:09 am
#207
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: DEL
Programs: SA, JAL, EK
Posts: 80
It's not a good idea to generalise based on your experience and people ahead of you might have any number of reasons that took time.
You might be an unlucky outlier, if so consider yourself fortunate that everything worked out, and move on.