That's an interesting theory, but it doesn't jibe with the facts as stated by Chrisinhouston. He was told by the agent that if he got a letter from the Georgia court, then he could be approved. If the issue was "lying" about the juvenile arrest, then a letter from the Georgia court would not cure the problem. The requesting of the letter suggests that is the arrest, not the failing to mention the arrest, that was the problem.

There isn't a big difference, as people have been blocked for family associations that are non-spousal in nature.

If he had told the truth up front, then the CBP officer might have believed his dead docket story and left it at that.

People get arrested all the time, and are innocent. I fail to see why the CBP would deny an arrested person who came clean.

As for a juvenile arrest, was 17 juvenile for criminal purposes in Georgia in the 1970s?

I'll be the first to admit I don't follow FT on a daily basis. Do you have a link to some of these stories/articles?

My understanding is that even a stale conviction will bar you from the program. The website asks if you have been convicted of any crime which has not been pardoned I know that a pardon does work.

This article implies that some stale convictions may be acceptable, at least for NEXUS. Unknown whether it still applies and YMMV:

http://www.thenorthernlight.com/news...or_nexus_cards

I am glad to hear it. I wish they were a littl more forthcoming about the eligibility requirements. It requires a lot of reverse engineering.

Will I get approved for Global Entry?
 

A bit embarrassed on my last international travel from Belgium. As usual, filling out customs form, I thought I didn't have any fruit (I never brought any), veggies etc, so I checked No to that question.

Later I realized that I have a sandwich in a zip-loc on my carry-on. I told a customs officer that's the case and I was sent to a full search. She wrote down cheese, ham in big red on my customs form. In the full search area, I handed my zip-loc and that was indeed everything. No charge or fine was imposed and I was on my way out in 2 mins.

Now obviously I falsely checked No to the customs form, so I'm wondering if I'll get denied on Global Entry even if I'm not charged with any fine. Will I have a chance or should I just forget about it?

I'd go ahead and try. The fact that you proactively caught your error, and identified the items, should help you out here.

That field asks for FRESH fruits or veggies. It does not mean anything else. So, you did not have that. Anything cooked is fine.

At least there's some hope. I should have been clearer. My sister was nice enough to put a piece of lettuce in the sandwich and also include an apple in the same zip-loc. It's one of those where I told her I have plenty food on plane but was insisted that I should take what she made since my flight was at 7AM...

Very interesting story. I just got approved this week, and the whole process was painless. I was very surprised as you have to give 5 years of address history and I haven't spent more than about 10 months in any one place, and about 18 months of the past years I've been living in the former Soviet Union. I thought for sure that would at least get a remark/question from the officer, but nope, she was very nice and asked me some questions about my profession and then told me on the spot I was approved.

To be frank someone who was arrested once as a minor but wasn't convicted of anything I would personally rate as a MUCH lower security threat than someone who spent a few years living in Russia (and not working for a Western company/embassy/etc.). But the CBP/TSA have their own logic I guess.

Global Entry is a CBP operation, no TSA role. While CBP are far from perfect, they're Poirot to TSA's Inspector Gadget.

I've read that you can now get Nexus with a minor arrest. There was some discussion about CBP liberalizing the standards somewhat. I also note that the question on prior records has been changed from have you ever been convicted of a criminal offense to have you ever been convicted of a criminal offense which has not been pardoned.

I was denied, twice, first for FORGETTING to list a juvenile offence that i didnt think mattered as its sealed and over 10 years old. And then when i re-applied, because i HAD a juvenile offence. $200 down the drain.